Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+3.5°
19:02:23
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:23
Civil Dusk19:50
Nautical20:20
Full Dark20:50
Nadir01:55
Dark Ends06:59
Nautical07:29
Civil Dawn08:00
Sunrise08:26
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE14.1°
DISTANCE380,190 km
Moonrise17:46
Moonset06:26
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX23% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
34/100
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 | -1.4° | 249° | Libra | 08:44 | 13:49 | 18:54 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.4° | 315° | Leo | 02:56 | 09:46 | 16:33 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 5.0° | 92° | Pisces | 18:35 | 00:41 | 06:47 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -26.8° | 325° | Cancer | 02:11 | 09:11 | 16:10 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 10.9° | 233° | Libra | 10:18 | 15:13 | 20:08 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -19.3° | 42° | Taurus | 21:03 | 04:12 | 11:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 9.7° | 98° | Pisces | 18:11 | 00:11 | 06:12 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:46
BEST TIME00:01S · 56° high
SETS06:26
Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:56
BEST TIME09:46S · 67° high
SETS16:33
Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:35
BEST TIME00:41S · 54° high
SETS06:47
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:44
BEST TIME13:49S · 35° high
SETS18:54
Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:11
BEST TIME09:11S · 71° high
SETS16:10
Reaches about 71° 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.
