Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+40.5°
09:46:32
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 58m of true darkness · 12h 26m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:11
Civil Dusk18:33
Nautical18:59
Full Dark19:25
Nadir00:24
Dark Ends05:23
Nautical05:49
Civil Dawn06:14
Sunrise06:37
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-68.2°
DISTANCE380,475 km
Moonrise16:27
Moonset04:08
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 | 37.6° | 133° | Libra | 06:41 | 12:17 | 17:52 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 67.6° | 262° | Leo | 01:53 | 08:15 | 14:36 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -60.5° | 312° | Pisces | 17:06 | 23:13 | 05:17 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 60.1° | 273° | Cancer | 01:12 | 07:40 | 14:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 19.8° | 122° | Libra | 08:10 | 13:41 | 19:13 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -6.4° | 295° | Taurus | 20:09 | 02:45 | 09:16 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -66.7° | 322° | Pisces | 16:39 | 22:44 | 04:44 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:27
BEST TIME21:57S · 69° high
SETS04:08
Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME08:15S · 85° high
SETS14:36
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
RISES17:06
BEST TIME23:13S · 72° high
SETS05:17
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
RISES06:41
BEST TIME12:17S · 53° high
SETS17:52
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
RISES01:12
BEST TIME07:40S · 89° high
SETS14:08
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.
