Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+9.1°
18:06:25
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 17m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:02
Civil Dusk19:31
Nautical20:03
Full Dark20:36
Nadir01:41
Dark Ends06:45
Nautical07:18
Civil Dawn07:50
Sunrise08:19
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.8°
DISTANCE380,400 km
Moonrise17:31
Moonset06:14
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX9% · 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 | 3.4° | 242° | Libra | 08:42 | 13:35 | 18:28 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -15.9° | 308° | Leo | 02:33 | 09:32 | 16:28 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -2.5° | 85° | Pisces | 18:20 | 00:27 | 06:38 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.7° | 317° | Cancer | 01:45 | 08:57 | 16:08 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 13.5° | 225° | Libra | 10:17 | 14:59 | 19:40 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -19.9° | 31° | Taurus | 20:34 | 03:58 | 11:26 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 1.5° | 92° | Pisces | 17:57 | 23:57 | 05:58 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:31
BEST TIME23:46S · 50° high
SETS06:14
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:33
BEST TIME09:32S · 62° high
SETS16:28
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
RISES18:20
BEST TIME00:27S · 49° high
SETS06:38
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
RISES08:42
BEST TIME13:35S · 30° high
SETS18:28
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
RISES01:45
BEST TIME08:57S · 66° high
SETS16:08
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.
