Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+10.3°
18:10:52
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 14m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:13
Civil Dusk19:41
Nautical20:13
Full Dark20:45
Nadir01:50
Dark Ends06:55
Nautical07:27
Civil Dawn07:59
Sunrise08:27
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE4.9°
DISTANCE380,383 km
Moonrise17:40
Moonset06:24
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 | 4.7° | 241° | Libra | 08:49 | 13:44 | 18:40 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -15.8° | 307° | Leo | 02:44 | 09:41 | 16:36 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -3.5° | 84° | Pisces | 18:29 | 00:36 | 06:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.8° | 316° | Cancer | 01:57 | 09:07 | 16:15 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 14.9° | 224° | Libra | 10:24 | 15:08 | 19:53 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -21.3° | 30° | Taurus | 20:47 | 04:08 | 11:32 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 0.7° | 91° | Pisces | 18:06 | 00:07 | 06:11 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:40
BEST TIME23:56S · 51° high
SETS06:24
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:44
BEST TIME09:41S · 63° high
SETS16:36
Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:29
BEST TIME00:36S · 50° high
SETS06:47
Reaches about 50° 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 TIME13:44S · 31° high
SETS18:40
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
RISES01:57
BEST TIME09:07S · 67° high
SETS16:15
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.
