Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Civil Twilight-1.9° (0° to −6°)
18:38:16
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 13h 51m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:26
Civil Dusk19:01
Nautical19:40
Full Dark20:19
Nadir01:22
Dark Ends06:24
Nautical07:03
Civil Dawn07:42
Sunrise08:17
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE12.6°
DISTANCE380,280 km
Moonrise17:10
Moonset06:01
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX20% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
50/100
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♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -8.0° | 252° | Libra | 08:52 | 13:16 | 17:41 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -15.3° | 321° | Leo | 01:50 | 09:13 | 16:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 5.7° | 95° | Pisces | 17:58 | 00:08 | 06:18 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -15.0° | 330° | Cancer | 00:56 | 08:38 | 16:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 1.0° | 234° | Libra | 10:33 | 14:40 | 18:47 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -6.9° | 41° | Taurus | 19:39 | 03:39 | 11:43 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 8.8° | 102° | Pisces | 17:38 | 23:38 | 05:39 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:10
BEST TIME23:27S · 40° high
SETS06:01
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:50
BEST TIME09:13S · 53° high
SETS16:32
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:58
BEST TIME00:08S · 40° high
SETS06:18
Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:52
BEST TIME13:16S · 20° high
SETS17:41
Reaches about 20° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:56
BEST TIME08:38S · 56° high
SETS16:19
Reaches about 56° 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.
