Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+46.5°
10:33:56
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 58m of true darkness · 12h 25m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:27
Civil Dusk18:49
Nautical19:15
Full Dark19:40
Nadir00:39
Dark Ends05:38
Nautical06:04
Civil Dawn06:30
Sunrise06:52
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-69.7°
DISTANCE380,297 km
Moonrise16:43
Moonset04:24
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 | 42.9° | 140° | Libra | 06:57 | 12:32 | 18:08 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 60.1° | 266° | Leo | 02:08 | 08:30 | 14:52 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -65.6° | 326° | Pisces | 17:21 | 23:29 | 05:32 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 52.6° | 275° | Cancer | 01:28 | 07:56 | 14:23 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 26.2° | 126° | Libra | 08:25 | 13:57 | 19:28 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -13.3° | 298° | Taurus | 20:24 | 03:00 | 09:32 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -70.5° | 342° | Pisces | 16:54 | 22:59 | 05:00 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:43
BEST TIME22:59S · 76° high
SETS04:24
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:08
BEST TIME08:30S · 86° high
SETS14:52
Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:21
BEST TIME23:29S · 73° high
SETS05:32
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:57
BEST TIME12:32S · 53° high
SETS18:08
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
RISES01:28
BEST TIME07:56S · 89° high
SETS14:23
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.
