Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+3.8°
19:10:05
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 9m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:33
Civil Dusk20:01
Nautical20:32
Full Dark21:03
Nadir02:08
Dark Ends07:12
Nautical07:44
Civil Dawn08:15
Sunrise08:42
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE12.7°
DISTANCE380,161 km
Moonrise17:59
Moonset06:41
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX20% · 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 | -1.3° | 248° | Libra | 09:02 | 14:02 | 19:02 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.0° | 315° | Leo | 03:05 | 09:59 | 16:50 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 3.9° | 91° | Pisces | 18:48 | 00:54 | 07:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -24.3° | 325° | Cancer | 02:19 | 09:24 | 16:28 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.3° | 232° | Libra | 10:36 | 15:26 | 20:15 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -18.2° | 40° | Taurus | 21:10 | 04:25 | 11:45 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 8.4° | 97° | Pisces | 18:24 | 00:24 | 06:25 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:59
BEST TIME00:14S · 53° high
SETS06:41
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:05
BEST TIME09:59S · 65° high
SETS16:50
Reaches about 65° 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 TIME00:54S · 52° high
SETS07:00
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:02
BEST TIME14:02S · 33° high
SETS19:02
Reaches about 33° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:19
BEST TIME09:24S · 69° high
SETS16:28
Reaches about 69° 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.
