Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+6.6°
18:36:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 6m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:15
Civil Dusk19:42
Nautical20:13
Full Dark20:43
Nadir01:48
Dark Ends06:53
Nautical07:23
Civil Dawn07:54
Sunrise08:21
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE10.3°
DISTANCE380,285 km
Moonrise17:39
Moonset06:20
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX17% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
36/100
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♀ | Rising / Setting | -4.3 | 1.3° | 246° | Libra | 08:40 | 13:42 | 18:45 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.8° | 312° | Leo | 02:48 | 09:40 | 16:28 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 1.4° | 89° | Pisces | 18:28 | 00:35 | 06:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.6° | 321° | Cancer | 02:02 | 09:05 | 16:06 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 13.0° | 230° | Libra | 10:14 | 15:06 | 19:59 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -20.8° | 37° | Taurus | 20:54 | 04:06 | 11:22 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 5.9° | 95° | Pisces | 18:04 | 00:05 | 06:06 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:39
BEST TIME23:54S · 54° high
SETS06:20
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:48
BEST TIME09:40S · 66° high
SETS16:28
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:28
BEST TIME00:35S · 53° high
SETS06:45
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:40
BEST TIME13:42S · 34° high
SETS18:45
Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:02
BEST TIME09:05S · 70° high
SETS16:06
Reaches about 70° 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.
