Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+15.7°
18:07:20
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 12h 43m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:25
Civil Dusk19:49
Nautical20:16
Full Dark20:44
Nadir01:46
Dark Ends06:49
Nautical07:16
Civil Dawn07:44
Sunrise08:08
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.1°
DISTANCE380,171 km
Moonrise17:40
Moonset06:16
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX8% · 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♀ | Visible Low | -4.3 | 10.7° | 243° | Libra | 08:19 | 13:40 | 19:02 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -23.4° | 303° | Leo | 03:01 | 09:38 | 16:11 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -4.7° | 86° | Pisces | 18:28 | 00:33 | 06:41 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -27.0° | 312° | Cancer | 02:20 | 09:03 | 15:45 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 24.1° | 227° | Libra | 09:49 | 15:05 | 20:20 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -32.5° | 34° | Taurus | 21:15 | 04:04 | 10:57 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 0.9° | 91° | Pisces | 18:02 | 00:03 | 06:08 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:40
BEST TIME23:54S · 65° high
SETS06:16
Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:01
BEST TIME09:38S · 76° high
SETS16:11
Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:28
BEST TIME00:33S · 63° high
SETS06:41
Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES08:19
BEST TIME13:40S · 44° high
SETS19:02
Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:20
BEST TIME09:03S · 80° high
SETS15:45
Reaches about 80° 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.
