Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.1°
19:33:12
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 19m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:35
Civil Dusk20:04
Nautical20:37
Full Dark21:10
Nadir02:15
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
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE15.0°
DISTANCE380,075 km
Moonrise18:05
Moonset06:50
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX24% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
33/100
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♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -5.5° | 251° | Libra | 09:17 | 14:09 | 19:01 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -22.5° | 320° | Leo | 03:05 | 10:06 | 17:03 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 6.8° | 94° | Pisces | 18:54 | 01:01 | 07:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -23.0° | 329° | Cancer | 02:17 | 09:31 | 16:44 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 5.7° | 234° | Libra | 10:53 | 15:33 | 20:12 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -13.5° | 43° | Taurus | 21:06 | 04:32 | 12:02 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 10.9° | 101° | Pisces | 18:30 | 00:31 | 06:32 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:05
BEST TIME00:21S · 50° high
SETS06:50
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:05
BEST TIME10:06S · 62° high
SETS17:03
Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:54
BEST TIME01:01S · 49° high
SETS07:08
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:17
BEST TIME14:09S · 29° high
SETS19:01
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
RISES02:17
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.
