Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+9.2°
18:34:57
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 13m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:30
Civil Dusk19:58
Nautical20:30
Full Dark21:01
Nadir02:06
Dark Ends07:11
Nautical07:43
Civil Dawn08:15
Sunrise08:43
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE6.3°
DISTANCE380,293 km
Moonrise17:57
Moonset06:40
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX10% · 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 | 3.6° | 243° | Libra | 09:04 | 14:00 | 18:57 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.2° | 308° | Leo | 03:01 | 09:58 | 16:51 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -2.1° | 86° | Pisces | 18:46 | 00:53 | 07:04 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -19.1° | 318° | Cancer | 02:14 | 09:23 | 16:30 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 14.1° | 225° | Libra | 10:39 | 15:24 | 20:10 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -20.9° | 32° | Taurus | 21:04 | 04:24 | 11:47 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 2.1° | 92° | Pisces | 18:22 | 00:23 | 06:23 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:57
BEST TIME00:13S · 52° high
SETS06:40
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:01
BEST TIME09:58S · 64° high
SETS16:51
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:46
BEST TIME00:53S · 51° high
SETS07:04
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:04
BEST TIME14:00S · 31° high
SETS18:57
Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:14
BEST TIME09:23S · 67° high
SETS16:30
Reaches about 67° 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.
