Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+11.8°
18:22:59
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 4m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:30
Civil Dusk19:56
Nautical20:27
Full Dark20:57
Nadir02:02
Dark Ends07:06
Nautical07:37
Civil Dawn08:07
Sunrise08:34
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.1°
DISTANCE380,338 km
Moonrise17:53
Moonset06:34
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX8% · 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 | 6.3° | 242° | Libra | 08:52 | 13:56 | 19:00 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -18.0° | 306° | Leo | 03:02 | 09:53 | 16:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -3.8° | 85° | Pisces | 18:42 | 00:48 | 06:59 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.5° | 315° | Cancer | 02:17 | 09:18 | 16:18 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 17.5° | 225° | Libra | 10:26 | 15:20 | 20:14 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -24.5° | 31° | Taurus | 21:09 | 04:19 | 11:34 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 0.8° | 91° | Pisces | 18:18 | 00:18 | 06:23 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:53
BEST TIME00:08S · 55° high
SETS06:34
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:02
BEST TIME09:53S · 67° high
SETS16:41
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
RISES18:42
BEST TIME00:48S · 54° high
SETS06:59
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:52
BEST TIME13:56S · 35° high
SETS19:00
Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:17
BEST TIME09:18S · 71° high
SETS16:18
Reaches about 71° 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.
