Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+0.0°
19:19:37
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 16m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:21
Civil Dusk19:49
Nautical20:21
Full Dark20:54
Nadir01:58
Dark Ends07:03
Nautical07:35
Civil Dawn08:08
Sunrise08:36
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE15.8°
DISTANCE380,125 km
Moonrise17:49
Moonset06:33
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX25% · 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 | 08:58 | 13:52 | 18:47 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.7° | 320° | Leo | 02:51 | 09:50 | 16:45 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 7.3° | 95° | Pisces | 18:38 | 00:45 | 06:52 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -24.3° | 330° | Cancer | 02:04 | 09:15 | 16:25 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 6.0° | 235° | Libra | 10:34 | 15:16 | 20:00 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -14.0° | 43° | Taurus | 20:54 | 04:16 | 11:42 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Visible Low | 7.8 | 11.6° | 101° | Pisces | 18:14 | 00:15 | 06:16 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:49
BEST TIME00:05S · 51° high
SETS06:33
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:51
BEST TIME09:50S · 63° high
SETS16:45
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
RISES18:38
BEST TIME00:45S · 50° high
SETS06:52
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
RISES08:58
BEST TIME13:52S · 30° high
SETS18:47
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
RISES02:04
BEST TIME09:15S · 66° high
SETS16:25
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.
