Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+59.0°
11:29:25
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 57m of true darkness · 12h 24m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:54
Civil Dusk18:16
Nautical18:42
Full Dark19:07
Nadir00:06
Dark Ends05:05
Nautical05:30
Civil Dawn05:56
Sunrise06:18
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-61.4°
DISTANCE380,089 km
Moonrise16:09
Moonset03:49
HorizonBelow
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
42/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Optimal Visibility | -4.3 | 53.2° | 168° | Libra | 06:22 | 11:59 | 17:36 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 39.0° | 274° | Leo | 01:36 | 07:57 | 14:18 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -68.5° | 25° | Pisces | 16:48 | 22:52 | 04:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 31.6° | 280° | Cancer | 00:56 | 07:22 | 13:49 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 41.9° | 143° | Libra | 07:50 | 13:24 | 18:57 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -31.4° | 310° | Taurus | 19:53 | 02:27 | 08:57 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -66.0° | 44° | Pisces | 16:21 | 22:22 | 04:27 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:09
BEST TIME22:24S · 76° high
SETS03:49
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:36
BEST TIME07:57S · 86° high
SETS14:18
Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:48
BEST TIME22:52S · 73° high
SETS04:59
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:22
BEST TIME11:59S · 54° high
SETS17:36
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:56
BEST TIME07:22S · 90° high
SETS13:49
Reaches about 90° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.
M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda
Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)Andromeda Galaxy
Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.
M45 · Taurus
Open Star ClusterThe Pleiades (Seven Sisters)
Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.
M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion
Diffuse Emission NebulaGreat Orion Nebula
Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.
NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus
Twin Open ClustersThe Double Cluster
Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.
M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules
Globular Cluster (300k stars)Great Globular Cluster in Hercules
Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.
M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra
Planetary NebulaThe Ring Nebula
Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.
