Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+9.5°
18:21:34
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 7m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:17
Civil Dusk19:44
Nautical20:15
Full Dark20:45
Nadir01:50
Dark Ends06:55
Nautical07:26
Civil Dawn07:57
Sunrise08:24
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE7.0°
DISTANCE380,343 km
Moonrise17:41
Moonset06:22
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · 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 | 4.0° | 243° | Libra | 08:43 | 13:44 | 18:46 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.0° | 308° | Leo | 02:49 | 09:41 | 16:31 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -1.7° | 86° | Pisces | 18:30 | 00:36 | 06:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.1° | 318° | Cancer | 02:03 | 09:07 | 16:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 15.3° | 226° | Libra | 10:17 | 15:08 | 20:00 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -22.4° | 33° | Taurus | 20:54 | 04:08 | 11:25 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 2.6° | 92° | Pisces | 18:06 | 00:07 | 06:07 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:41
BEST TIME23:56S · 54° high
SETS06:22
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:49
BEST TIME09:41S · 66° high
SETS16:31
Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:30
BEST TIME00:36S · 53° high
SETS06:47
Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:43
BEST TIME13:44S · 33° high
SETS18:46
Reaches about 33° 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 TIME09:07S · 69° high
SETS16:09
Reaches about 69° 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.
