Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+5.2°
18:48:06
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 5m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:19
Civil Dusk19:45
Nautical20:16
Full Dark20:46
Nadir01:51
Dark Ends06:55
Nautical07:26
Civil Dawn07:56
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%
ALTITUDE12.0°
DISTANCE380,243 km
Moonrise17:42
Moonset06:23
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX19% · 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 | 0.2° | 247° | Libra | 08:42 | 13:45 | 18:49 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.4° | 313° | Leo | 02:51 | 09:42 | 16:30 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 3.0° | 90° | Pisces | 18:31 | 00:37 | 06:48 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -25.0° | 323° | Cancer | 02:06 | 09:08 | 16:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 12.1° | 231° | Libra | 10:15 | 15:09 | 20:03 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -20.1° | 39° | Taurus | 20:58 | 04:08 | 11:23 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 7.6° | 96° | Pisces | 18:07 | 00:08 | 06:08 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:42
BEST TIME23:57S · 55° high
SETS06:23
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:51
BEST TIME09:42S · 67° high
SETS16:30
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:31
BEST TIME00:37S · 54° high
SETS06:48
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:42
BEST TIME13:45S · 34° high
SETS18:49
Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:06
BEST TIME09:08S · 70° high
SETS16:08
Reaches about 70° 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.
