Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+6.0°
18:39:11
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 15m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:16
Civil Dusk19:44
Nautical20:17
Full Dark20:49
Nadir01:54
Dark Ends06:58
Nautical07:30
Civil Dawn08:03
Sunrise08:31
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE9.4°
DISTANCE380,277 km
Moonrise17:44
Moonset06:28
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX15% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
37/100
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 | 0.6° | 245° | Libra | 08:53 | 13:48 | 18:43 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.2° | 312° | Leo | 02:47 | 09:45 | 16:40 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 0.9° | 89° | Pisces | 18:33 | 00:40 | 06:51 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.6° | 321° | Cancer | 01:59 | 09:10 | 16:19 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 11.3° | 229° | Libra | 10:28 | 15:12 | 19:55 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -18.4° | 36° | Taurus | 20:49 | 04:11 | 11:37 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 5.1° | 95° | Pisces | 18:09 | 00:10 | 06:11 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:44
BEST TIME00:00S · 51° high
SETS06:28
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:47
BEST TIME09:45S · 63° high
SETS16:40
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
RISES18:33
BEST TIME00:40S · 50° high
SETS06:51
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
RISES08:53
BEST TIME13:48S · 30° high
SETS18:43
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
RISES01:59
BEST TIME09:10S · 66° high
SETS16:19
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.
