Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+10.3°
18:38:11
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
Sunset19:36
Civil Dusk20:03
Nautical20:33
Full Dark21:04
Nadir02:08
Dark Ends07:13
Nautical07:43
Civil Dawn08:14
Sunrise08:40
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE6.8°
DISTANCE380,281 km
Moonrise18:00
Moonset06:41
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
38/100
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 | 4.8° | 243° | Libra | 08:59 | 14:02 | 19:07 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -19.5° | 308° | Leo | 03:09 | 10:00 | 16:47 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -2.1° | 86° | Pisces | 18:48 | 00:55 | 07:05 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.8° | 317° | Cancer | 02:24 | 09:25 | 16:25 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 16.3° | 226° | Libra | 10:32 | 15:26 | 20:21 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -23.6° | 33° | Taurus | 21:16 | 04:26 | 11:40 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 2.4° | 92° | Pisces | 18:24 | 00:25 | 06:25 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:00
BEST TIME00:15S · 55° high
SETS06:41
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES03:09
BEST TIME10:00S · 67° high
SETS16:47
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
RISES18:48
BEST TIME00:55S · 54° high
SETS07:05
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
RISES08:59
BEST TIME14:02S · 35° high
SETS19:07
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
RISES02:24
BEST TIME09:25S · 71° high
SETS16:25
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.
