Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+44.1°
09:56:40
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 59m of true darkness · 12h 26m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:02
Civil Dusk18:24
Nautical18:50
Full Dark19:15
Nadir00:15
Dark Ends05:14
Nautical05:40
Civil Dawn06:05
Sunrise06:28
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-69.4°
DISTANCE380,436 km
Moonrise16:18
Moonset03:58
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 | 40.8° | 137° | Libra | 06:32 | 12:07 | 17:43 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 63.1° | 264° | Leo | 01:43 | 08:05 | 14:27 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -63.6° | 320° | Pisces | 16:57 | 23:04 | 05:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 55.6° | 274° | Cancer | 01:03 | 07:31 | 13:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 23.6° | 124° | Libra | 08:01 | 13:32 | 19:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -10.5° | 297° | Taurus | 19:59 | 02:35 | 09:07 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -69.1° | 333° | Pisces | 16:30 | 22:35 | 04:35 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:18
BEST TIME22:33S · 75° high
SETS03:58
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:43
BEST TIME08:05S · 85° high
SETS14:27
Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:57
BEST TIME23:04S · 72° high
SETS05:08
Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:32
BEST TIME12:07S · 53° high
SETS17:43
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:03
BEST TIME07:31S · 89° high
SETS13:59
Reaches about 89° 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.
