Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+10.2°
18:18:18
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 13m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:19
Civil Dusk19:47
Nautical20:19
Full Dark20:51
Nadir01:56
Dark Ends07:01
Nautical07:32
Civil Dawn08:04
Sunrise08:33
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.2°
DISTANCE380,355 km
Moonrise17:46
Moonset06:30
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX8% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
39/100
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 | 4.6° | 242° | Libra | 08:54 | 13:50 | 18:47 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -16.2° | 307° | Leo | 02:51 | 09:47 | 16:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -3.3° | 85° | Pisces | 18:35 | 00:42 | 06:53 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -18.2° | 316° | Cancer | 02:03 | 09:13 | 16:20 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 14.9° | 224° | Libra | 10:29 | 15:14 | 19:59 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -21.4° | 31° | Taurus | 20:54 | 04:13 | 11:37 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 1.0° | 91° | Pisces | 18:12 | 00:13 | 06:13 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:46
BEST TIME00:02S · 52° high
SETS06:30
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:51
BEST TIME09:47S · 64° high
SETS16:41
Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:35
BEST TIME00:42S · 51° high
SETS06:53
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:54
BEST TIME13:50S · 31° high
SETS18:47
Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:03
BEST TIME09:13S · 67° high
SETS16:20
Reaches about 67° 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.
