Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+3.6°
18:41:22
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 18m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:05
Civil Dusk19:33
Nautical20:06
Full Dark20:39
Nadir01:44
Dark Ends06:48
Nautical07:21
Civil Dawn07:54
Sunrise08:22
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE11.5°
DISTANCE380,269 km
Moonrise17:34
Moonset06:18
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 | -1.7° | 248° | Libra | 08:45 | 13:38 | 18:31 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.2° | 315° | Leo | 02:35 | 09:35 | 16:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 3.0° | 91° | Pisces | 18:23 | 00:30 | 06:41 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.2° | 324° | Cancer | 01:47 | 09:00 | 16:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 9.0° | 231° | Libra | 10:21 | 15:02 | 19:43 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -16.3° | 38° | Taurus | 20:37 | 04:01 | 11:30 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 7.2° | 97° | Pisces | 18:00 | 00:00 | 06:01 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:34
BEST TIME23:49S · 50° high
SETS06:18
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:35
BEST TIME09:35S · 62° high
SETS16:32
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:23
BEST TIME00:30S · 49° high
SETS06:41
Reaches about 49° 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 TIME13:38S · 30° high
SETS18:31
Reaches about 30° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:47
BEST TIME09:00S · 66° high
SETS16:12
Reaches about 66° 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.
