Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+12.8°
18:09:42
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 4m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:22
Civil Dusk19:48
Nautical20:19
Full Dark20:49
Nadir01:53
Dark Ends06:58
Nautical07:28
Civil Dawn07:59
Sunrise08:25
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE4.2°
DISTANCE380,388 km
Moonrise17:45
Moonset06:25
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX7% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
39/100
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 | 7.3° | 241° | Libra | 08:43 | 13:48 | 18:52 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -17.4° | 305° | Leo | 02:55 | 09:45 | 16:32 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -4.8° | 84° | Pisces | 18:34 | 00:40 | 06:50 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -20.0° | 314° | Cancer | 02:09 | 09:10 | 16:09 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 18.4° | 224° | Libra | 10:17 | 15:12 | 20:06 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -25.2° | 30° | Taurus | 21:01 | 04:11 | 11:25 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -0.0° | 90° | Pisces | 18:09 | 00:10 | 06:15 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:45
BEST TIME23:59S · 55° high
SETS06:25
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:55
BEST TIME09:45S · 67° high
SETS16:32
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
RISES18:34
BEST TIME00:40S · 54° high
SETS06:50
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
RISES08:43
BEST TIME13:48S · 35° high
SETS18:52
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
RISES02:09
BEST TIME09:10S · 71° high
SETS16:09
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.
