Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.9°
19:07:22
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 17m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:14
Civil Dusk19:43
Nautical20:15
Full Dark20:48
Nadir01:53
Dark Ends06:57
Nautical07:30
Civil Dawn08:02
Sunrise08:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE14.5°
DISTANCE380,171 km
Moonrise17:43
Moonset06:27
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX23% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
34/100
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♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -4.6° | 250° | Libra | 08:54 | 13:47 | 18:40 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -22.5° | 319° | Leo | 02:44 | 09:44 | 16:40 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 6.1° | 94° | Pisces | 18:32 | 00:39 | 06:46 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.2° | 328° | Cancer | 01:56 | 09:09 | 16:20 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 6.7° | 234° | Libra | 10:29 | 15:11 | 19:52 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -14.4° | 42° | Taurus | 20:46 | 04:10 | 11:38 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 10.3° | 100° | Pisces | 18:08 | 00:09 | 06:10 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:43
BEST TIME23:58S · 50° high
SETS06:27
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:44
BEST TIME09:44S · 62° high
SETS16:40
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:32
BEST TIME00:39S · 49° high
SETS06:46
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:54
BEST TIME13:47S · 30° high
SETS18:40
Reaches about 30° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:56
BEST TIME09:09S · 66° high
SETS16:20
Reaches about 66° 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.
