Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+4.5°
18:59:09
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 12m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:27
Civil Dusk19:55
Nautical20:27
Full Dark20:58
Nadir02:03
Dark Ends07:08
Nautical07:40
Civil Dawn08:12
Sunrise08:39
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE11.3°
DISTANCE380,202 km
Moonrise17:54
Moonset06:37
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 | -0.6° | 247° | Libra | 09:01 | 13:57 | 18:55 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -21.2° | 314° | Leo | 02:58 | 09:55 | 16:48 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 2.7° | 90° | Pisces | 18:43 | 00:50 | 07:01 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -22.5° | 324° | Cancer | 02:11 | 09:20 | 16:27 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.4° | 231° | Libra | 10:35 | 15:21 | 20:07 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -18.0° | 38° | Taurus | 21:02 | 04:21 | 11:44 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 7.1° | 97° | Pisces | 18:19 | 00:20 | 06:20 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:54
BEST TIME00:10S · 52° high
SETS06:37
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:58
BEST TIME09:55S · 64° high
SETS16:48
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
RISES18:43
BEST TIME00:50S · 51° high
SETS07:01
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
RISES09:01
BEST TIME13:57S · 31° high
SETS18:55
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
RISES02:11
BEST TIME09:20S · 67° high
SETS16:27
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.
