Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+56.1°
13:18:36
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 0m of true darkness · 12h 28m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:16
Civil Dusk18:38
Nautical19:04
Full Dark19:30
Nadir00:30
Dark Ends05:30
Nautical05:56
Civil Dawn06:21
Sunrise06:44
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-43.7°
DISTANCE379,681 km
Moonrise16:33
Moonset04:14
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 | 49.5° | 201° | Libra | 06:49 | 12:23 | 17:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 19.2° | 279° | Leo | 01:57 | 08:21 | 14:44 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -53.0° | 57° | Pisces | 17:12 | 23:15 | 05:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 12.4° | 285° | Cancer | 01:15 | 07:46 | 14:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 48.3° | 170° | Libra | 08:18 | 13:47 | 19:17 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -42.9° | 330° | Taurus | 20:13 | 02:51 | 09:25 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -47.8° | 66° | Pisces | 16:45 | 22:46 | 04:51 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:33
BEST TIME22:49S · 74° high
SETS04:14
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:57
BEST TIME08:21S · 84° high
SETS14:44
Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:12
BEST TIME23:15S · 71° high
SETS05:23
Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:49
BEST TIME12:23S · 52° high
SETS17:56
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:15
BEST TIME07:46S · 88° high
SETS14:16
Reaches about 88° 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.
