Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+8.6°
18:39:47
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 15m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:32
Civil Dusk20:00
Nautical20:32
Full Dark21:04
Nadir02:09
Dark Ends07:14
Nautical07:46
Civil Dawn08:18
Sunrise08:47
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE6.6°
DISTANCE380,275 km
Moonrise18:00
Moonset06:44
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · 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 | 3.0° | 243° | Libra | 09:08 | 14:03 | 18:59 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.1° | 309° | Leo | 03:03 | 10:01 | 16:55 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -1.7° | 86° | Pisces | 18:48 | 00:55 | 07:07 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.9° | 318° | Cancer | 02:15 | 09:26 | 16:35 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 13.4° | 226° | Libra | 10:43 | 15:27 | 20:11 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -20.1° | 33° | Taurus | 21:05 | 04:27 | 11:52 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 2.4° | 92° | Pisces | 18:25 | 00:26 | 06:26 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:00
BEST TIME00:16S · 51° high
SETS06:44
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:03
BEST TIME10:01S · 63° high
SETS16:55
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
RISES18:48
BEST TIME00:55S · 50° high
SETS07:07
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
RISES09:08
BEST TIME14:03S · 31° high
SETS18:59
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
RISES02:15
BEST TIME09:26S · 67° high
SETS16:35
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.
