Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+5.7°
19:00:35
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 20m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:37
Civil Dusk20:06
Nautical20:39
Full Dark21:12
Nadir02:17
Dark Ends07:22
Nautical07:55
Civil Dawn08:28
Sunrise08:57
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE8.8°
DISTANCE380,197 km
Moonrise18:07
Moonset06:53
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX14% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
37/100
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 | 0.3° | 245° | Libra | 09:20 | 14:11 | 19:02 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.8° | 312° | Leo | 03:07 | 10:08 | 17:06 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 0.7° | 88° | Pisces | 18:56 | 01:03 | 07:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.1° | 321° | Cancer | 02:18 | 09:33 | 16:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.5° | 228° | Libra | 10:56 | 15:35 | 20:14 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -17.3° | 35° | Taurus | 21:08 | 04:34 | 12:05 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 4.6° | 95° | Pisces | 18:33 | 00:33 | 06:34 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:07
BEST TIME00:24S · 49° high
SETS06:53
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:07
BEST TIME10:08S · 61° high
SETS17:06
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
RISES18:56
BEST TIME01:03S · 48° high
SETS07:15
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
RISES09:20
BEST TIME14:11S · 29° high
SETS19:02
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
RISES02:18
BEST TIME09:33S · 65° high
SETS16:47
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.
