Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+6.9°
18:50:46
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 20m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:34
Civil Dusk20:03
Nautical20:37
Full Dark21:09
Nadir02:14
Dark Ends07:19
Nautical07:52
Civil Dawn08:25
Sunrise08:54
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.5°
DISTANCE380,233 km
Moonrise18:05
Moonset06:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX12% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
38/100
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 | 1.3° | 244° | Libra | 09:18 | 14:08 | 19:00 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -16.8° | 311° | Leo | 03:04 | 10:06 | 17:04 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -0.5° | 87° | Pisces | 18:53 | 01:01 | 07:12 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.3° | 320° | Cancer | 02:16 | 09:31 | 16:44 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 11.4° | 227° | Libra | 10:54 | 15:32 | 20:11 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -18.0° | 34° | Taurus | 21:05 | 04:32 | 12:02 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 3.3° | 93° | Pisces | 18:30 | 00:31 | 06:31 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:05
BEST TIME00:21S · 49° high
SETS06:50
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:04
BEST TIME10:06S · 61° high
SETS17:04
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:53
BEST TIME01:01S · 48° high
SETS07:12
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:18
BEST TIME14:08S · 29° high
SETS19:00
Reaches about 29° 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 TIME09:31S · 65° high
SETS16:44
Reaches about 65° 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.
