Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+50.1°
11:37:24
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 12h 38m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:19
Civil Dusk18:42
Nautical19:09
Full Dark19:36
Nadir00:38
Dark Ends05:40
Nautical06:06
Civil Dawn06:33
Sunrise06:57
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-59.1°
DISTANCE380,059 km
Moonrise16:39
Moonset04:22
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 | 44.6° | 162° | Libra | 07:05 | 12:30 | 17:56 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Optimal Visibility | -2.0 | 44.4° | 265° | Leo | 01:58 | 08:28 | 14:58 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -62.7° | 7° | Pisces | 17:19 | 23:23 | 05:31 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Optimal Visibility | 1.0 | 38.0° | 273° | Cancer | 01:16 | 07:54 | 14:32 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 32.7° | 141° | Libra | 08:35 | 13:55 | 19:15 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -22.3° | 309° | Taurus | 20:10 | 02:58 | 09:42 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -62.7° | 23° | Pisces | 16:53 | 22:53 | 04:58 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:39
BEST TIME22:57S · 69° high
SETS04:22
Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:58
BEST TIME08:28S · 79° high
SETS14:58
Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:19
BEST TIME23:23S · 66° high
SETS05:31
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES07:05
BEST TIME12:30S · 47° high
SETS17:56
Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:16
BEST TIME07:54S · 82° high
SETS14:32
Reaches about 82° 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.
