Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+4.4°
18:41:02
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
Sunset19:09
Civil Dusk19:37
Nautical20:09
Full Dark20:41
Nadir01:46
Dark Ends06:51
Nautical07:23
Civil Dawn07:55
Sunrise08:23
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE11.1°
DISTANCE380,270 km
Moonrise17:36
Moonset06:20
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX18% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
35/100
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♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -0.8° | 247° | Libra | 08:45 | 13:40 | 18:36 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.5° | 314° | Leo | 02:39 | 09:37 | 16:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 2.6° | 90° | Pisces | 18:25 | 00:32 | 06:43 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.8° | 324° | Cancer | 01:52 | 09:03 | 16:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.0° | 230° | Libra | 10:20 | 15:04 | 19:48 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -17.4° | 38° | Taurus | 20:42 | 04:03 | 11:29 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 6.8° | 96° | Pisces | 18:02 | 00:03 | 06:03 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:36
BEST TIME23:52S · 51° high
SETS06:20
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:39
BEST TIME09:37S · 63° high
SETS16:32
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
RISES18:25
BEST TIME00:32S · 50° high
SETS06:43
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
RISES08:45
BEST TIME13:40S · 31° high
SETS18:36
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
RISES01:52
BEST TIME09:03S · 67° high
SETS16:12
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.
