Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+42.7°
10:05:02
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
Sunset18:12
Civil Dusk18:34
Nautical19:00
Full Dark19:26
Nadir00:26
Dark Ends05:26
Nautical05:52
Civil Dawn06:18
Sunrise06:40
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-67.8°
DISTANCE380,405 km
Moonrise16:29
Moonset04:10
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 | 39.3° | 137° | Libra | 06:46 | 12:19 | 17:52 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 63.6° | 261° | Leo | 01:53 | 08:17 | 14:40 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -62.1° | 320° | Pisces | 17:08 | 23:16 | 05:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 56.4° | 272° | Cancer | 01:13 | 07:42 | 14:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 22.3° | 124° | Libra | 08:15 | 13:43 | 19:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.2° | 297° | Taurus | 20:08 | 02:47 | 09:21 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -67.5° | 333° | Pisces | 16:41 | 22:46 | 04:47 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:29
BEST TIME22:45S · 74° high
SETS04:10
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME08:17S · 84° high
SETS14:40
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
RISES17:08
BEST TIME23:16S · 71° high
SETS05:19
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
RISES06:46
BEST TIME12:19S · 52° high
SETS17:52
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
RISES01:13
BEST TIME07:42S · 87° high
SETS14:12
Reaches about 87° 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.
