Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+86.6°
11:52:32
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 17m of true darkness · 11h 39m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:00
Civil Dusk18:21
Nautical18:46
Full Dark19:11
Nadir23:50
Dark Ends04:28
Nautical04:53
Civil Dawn05:18
Sunrise05:39
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-58.4°
DISTANCE380,227 km
Moonrise15:56
Moonset03:31
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 | 80.0° | 192° | Libra | 05:31 | 11:43 | 17:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 23.7° | 290° | Leo | 01:48 | 07:41 | 13:34 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -70.1° | 109° | Pisces | 16:35 | 22:36 | 04:40 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Visible Low | 1.0 | 14.8° | 291° | Cancer | 01:15 | 07:06 | 12:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 67.7° | 127° | Libra | 06:53 | 13:08 | 19:22 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -54.3° | 295° | Taurus | 20:18 | 02:11 | 08:00 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -62.4° | 107° | Pisces | 16:04 | 22:06 | 04:11 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES15:56
BEST TIME22:06N · 77° high
SETS03:31
Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:48
BEST TIME07:41N · 67° high
SETS13:34
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:35
BEST TIME22:36N · 80° high
SETS04:40
Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:31
BEST TIME11:43S · 80° high
SETS17:55
Reaches about 80° 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 TIME07:06N · 64° high
SETS12:58
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.
