Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+42.8°
10:20:07
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 0m of true darkness · 12h 29m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:25
Civil Dusk18:47
Nautical19:13
Full Dark19:39
Nadir00:39
Dark Ends05:39
Nautical06:05
Civil Dawn06:31
Sunrise06:54
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-67.5°
DISTANCE380,348 km
Moonrise16:42
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 | 39.3° | 138° | Libra | 06:59 | 12:32 | 18:05 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 63.1° | 261° | Leo | 02:06 | 08:30 | 14:54 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -62.1° | 322° | Pisces | 17:21 | 23:29 | 05:32 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 55.9° | 271° | Cancer | 01:25 | 07:56 | 14:26 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 22.4° | 125° | Libra | 08:28 | 13:57 | 19:25 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.5° | 297° | Taurus | 20:21 | 03:00 | 09:35 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -67.4° | 335° | Pisces | 16:54 | 22:59 | 05:00 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:42
BEST TIME22:58S · 74° high
SETS04:24
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:06
BEST TIME08:30S · 84° high
SETS14:54
Reaches about 84° 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 · 71° high
SETS05:32
Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES06:59
BEST TIME12:32S · 51° high
SETS18:05
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:25
BEST TIME07:56S · 87° high
SETS14:26
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.
