Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+1.6°
18:22:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 22m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:34
Civil Dusk19:03
Nautical19:36
Full Dark20:10
Nadir01:14
Dark Ends06:19
Nautical06:52
Civil Dawn07:26
Sunrise07:55
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE13.1°
DISTANCE380,340 km
Moonrise17:04
Moonset05:48
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX21% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
34/100
High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -3.9° | 249° | Libra | 08:20 | 13:09 | 17:58 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.5° | 317° | Leo | 02:03 | 09:06 | 16:05 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 4.8° | 92° | Pisces | 17:53 | 00:01 | 06:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.2° | 327° | Cancer | 01:15 | 08:31 | 15:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 6.8° | 232° | Libra | 09:56 | 14:33 | 19:10 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -14.1° | 40° | Taurus | 20:04 | 03:32 | 11:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 8.8° | 99° | Pisces | 17:31 | 23:31 | 05:32 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:04
BEST TIME23:19S · 48° high
SETS05:48
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:03
BEST TIME09:06S · 61° high
SETS16:05
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:53
BEST TIME00:01S · 48° high
SETS06:08
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:20
BEST TIME13:09S · 28° high
SETS17:58
Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:15
BEST TIME08:31S · 64° high
SETS15:46
Reaches about 64° 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.
