Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+7.5°
18:07:10
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 16m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset18:53
Civil Dusk19:22
Nautical19:54
Full Dark20:26
Nadir01:31
Dark Ends06:36
Nautical07:08
Civil Dawn07:41
Sunrise08:09
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.6°
DISTANCE380,397 km
Moonrise17:21
Moonset06:04
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX12% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
38/100
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 | 1.9° | 244° | Libra | 08:32 | 13:25 | 18:20 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.5° | 310° | Leo | 02:24 | 09:23 | 16:18 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -0.6° | 87° | Pisces | 18:11 | 00:18 | 06:29 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.1° | 319° | Cancer | 01:36 | 08:48 | 15:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 12.4° | 227° | Libra | 10:07 | 14:49 | 19:32 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -19.1° | 34° | Taurus | 20:26 | 03:49 | 11:16 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.3° | 93° | Pisces | 17:47 | 23:48 | 05:49 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:21
BEST TIME23:37S · 50° high
SETS06:04
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:24
BEST TIME09:23S · 63° high
SETS16:18
Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:11
BEST TIME00:18S · 50° high
SETS06:29
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:32
BEST TIME13:25S · 30° high
SETS18:20
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
RISES01:36
BEST TIME08:48S · 66° high
SETS15:58
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.
