Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+61.9°
12:31:18
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 54m of true darkness · 12h 18m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:44
Civil Dusk18:05
Nautical18:31
Full Dark18:56
Nadir23:53
Dark Ends04:50
Nautical05:15
Civil Dawn05:40
Sunrise06:02
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-47.7°
DISTANCE379,857 km
Moonrise15:56
Moonset03:36
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 | 55.4° | 199° | Libra | 06:04 | 11:46 | 17:27 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 20.7° | 280° | Leo | 01:26 | 07:44 | 14:01 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -57.9° | 62° | Pisces | 16:36 | 22:38 | 04:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 13.4° | 285° | Cancer | 00:47 | 07:09 | 13:31 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 52.9° | 165° | Libra | 07:32 | 13:10 | 18:49 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -46.1° | 325° | Taurus | 19:45 | 02:14 | 08:38 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -52.1° | 71° | Pisces | 16:08 | 22:09 | 04:14 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:56
BEST TIME22:10S · 80° high
SETS03:36
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:26
BEST TIME07:44S · 90° high
SETS14:01
Reaches about 90° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:36
BEST TIME22:38S · 77° high
SETS04:45
Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:04
BEST TIME11:46S · 57° high
SETS17:27
Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:47
BEST TIME07:09N · 87° high
SETS13:31
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.
