Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+5.0°
18:59:04
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:28
Civil Dusk19:54
Nautical20:25
Full Dark20:55
Nadir01:59
Dark Ends07:04
Nautical07:34
Civil Dawn08:04
Sunrise08:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE12.6°
DISTANCE380,202 km
Moonrise17:51
Moonset06:31
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♀ | Rising / Setting | -4.3 | 0.0° | 248° | Libra | 08:49 | 13:53 | 18:59 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -24.3° | 314° | Leo | 03:01 | 09:51 | 16:37 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 3.4° | 91° | Pisces | 18:40 | 00:46 | 06:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -25.9° | 323° | Cancer | 02:16 | 09:16 | 16:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 12.1° | 232° | Libra | 10:22 | 15:17 | 20:13 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -20.4° | 40° | Taurus | 21:08 | 04:17 | 11:30 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 8.2° | 97° | Pisces | 18:15 | 00:16 | 06:17 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:51
BEST TIME00:06S · 56° high
SETS06:31
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:01
BEST TIME09:51S · 68° high
SETS16:37
Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:40
BEST TIME00:46S · 55° high
SETS06:52
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:49
BEST TIME13:53S · 35° high
SETS18:59
Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:16
BEST TIME09:16S · 71° high
SETS16:15
Reaches about 71° 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.
