Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+51.4°
11:56:05
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 12h 40m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:07
Civil Dusk18:31
Nautical18:58
Full Dark19:25
Nadir00:27
Dark Ends05:29
Nautical05:56
Civil Dawn06:23
Sunrise06:47
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-54.7°
DISTANCE379,989 km
Moonrise16:29
Moonset04:11
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 | 45.3° | 172° | Libra | 06:56 | 12:20 | 17:44 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 37.9° | 268° | Leo | 01:47 | 08:18 | 14:49 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -60.3° | 21° | Pisces | 17:08 | 23:12 | 05:21 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 31.5° | 276° | Cancer | 01:04 | 07:43 | 14:22 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 35.9° | 148° | Libra | 08:26 | 13:44 | 19:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -26.7° | 315° | Taurus | 19:58 | 02:48 | 09:33 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -58.7° | 36° | Pisces | 16:42 | 22:43 | 04:48 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:29
BEST TIME22:46S · 68° high
SETS04:11
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:47
BEST TIME08:18S · 78° high
SETS14:49
Reaches about 78° 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 TIME23:12S · 65° high
SETS05:21
Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:56
BEST TIME12:20S · 46° high
SETS17:44
Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:04
BEST TIME07:43S · 82° high
SETS14:22
Reaches about 82° 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.
