Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+53.8°
10:57:50
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 59m of true darkness · 12h 27m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:58
Civil Dusk18:20
Nautical18:46
Full Dark19:12
Nadir00:12
Dark Ends05:11
Nautical05:37
Civil Dawn06:03
Sunrise06:25
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-65.7°
DISTANCE380,207 km
Moonrise16:14
Moonset03:55
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 | 48.9° | 155° | Libra | 06:30 | 12:04 | 17:39 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 47.8° | 270° | Leo | 01:40 | 08:02 | 14:25 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -68.7° | 359° | Pisces | 16:54 | 23:01 | 05:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 40.6° | 277° | Cancer | 00:59 | 07:28 | 13:57 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 34.9° | 135° | Libra | 07:59 | 13:29 | 18:59 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -23.3° | 305° | Taurus | 19:55 | 02:32 | 09:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -69.3° | 20° | Pisces | 16:27 | 22:27 | 04:32 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:14
BEST TIME22:30S · 75° high
SETS03:55
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:40
BEST TIME08:02S · 85° high
SETS14:25
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
RISES16:54
BEST TIME23:01S · 72° high
SETS05:05
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
RISES06:30
BEST TIME12:04S · 52° high
SETS17:39
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:59
BEST TIME07:28S · 88° high
SETS13:57
Reaches about 88° 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.
