Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+63.9°
13:31:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 8m of true darkness · 11h 33m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:58
Civil Dusk18:20
Nautical18:45
Full Dark19:11
Nadir23:45
Dark Ends04:19
Nautical04:44
Civil Dawn05:09
Sunrise05:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-33.4°
DISTANCE379,855 km
Moonrise15:52
Moonset03:27
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 | 61.9° | 254° | Libra | 05:21 | 11:38 | 17:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -1.5° | 284° | Leo | 01:47 | 07:36 | 13:25 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -44.0° | 100° | Pisces | 16:31 | 22:31 | 04:35 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -10.2° | 286° | Cancer | 01:13 | 07:01 | 12:48 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 78.8° | 217° | Libra | 06:42 | 13:03 | 19:23 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -78.1° | 320° | Taurus | 20:19 | 02:06 | 07:49 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -36.3° | 100° | Pisces | 15:59 | 22:01 | 04:07 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:52
BEST TIME22:01N · 73° high
SETS03:27
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:47
BEST TIME07:36N · 64° high
SETS13:25
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:31
BEST TIME22:31N · 77° high
SETS04:35
Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:21
BEST TIME11:38S · 84° high
SETS17:55
Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:13
BEST TIME07:01N · 60° high
SETS12:48
Reaches about 60° 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.
