Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+10.1°
18:08:45
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 20m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:12
Civil Dusk19:41
Nautical20:14
Full Dark20:47
Nadir01:52
Dark Ends06:56
Nautical07:29
Civil Dawn08:03
Sunrise08:32
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE4.1°
DISTANCE380,391 km
Moonrise17:42
Moonset06:27
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX7% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
39/100
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 | 4.3° | 240° | Libra | 08:55 | 13:46 | 18:37 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -14.0° | 307° | Leo | 02:42 | 09:43 | 16:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -4.0° | 84° | Pisces | 18:31 | 00:38 | 06:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -15.8° | 316° | Cancer | 01:53 | 09:08 | 16:22 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 13.9° | 223° | Libra | 10:31 | 15:10 | 19:48 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -19.9° | 29° | Taurus | 20:42 | 04:09 | 11:40 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 0.1° | 90° | Pisces | 18:08 | 00:08 | 06:13 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:42
BEST TIME23:58S · 49° high
SETS06:27
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:42
BEST TIME09:43S · 61° high
SETS16:41
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
RISES18:31
BEST TIME00:38S · 48° high
SETS06:50
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
RISES08:55
BEST TIME13:46S · 29° high
SETS18:37
Reaches about 29° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:53
BEST TIME09:08S · 65° high
SETS16:22
Reaches about 65° 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.
