Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+3.7°
19:03:33
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 16m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:27
Civil Dusk19:55
Nautical20:28
Full Dark21:00
Nadir02:05
Dark Ends07:10
Nautical07:42
Civil Dawn08:14
Sunrise08:43
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE11.7°
DISTANCE380,186 km
Moonrise17:55
Moonset06:40
HorizonAbove
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX19% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
35/100
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 | -1.5° | 248° | Libra | 09:05 | 13:59 | 18:54 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -20.8° | 315° | Leo | 02:58 | 09:56 | 16:51 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Rising / Setting | 0.3 | 3.2° | 91° | Pisces | 18:44 | 00:51 | 06:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -21.9° | 324° | Cancer | 02:10 | 09:21 | 16:31 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 9.3° | 231° | Libra | 10:40 | 15:23 | 20:06 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -16.8° | 39° | Taurus | 21:00 | 04:22 | 11:49 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 7.4° | 97° | Pisces | 18:21 | 00:21 | 06:22 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:55
BEST TIME00:11S · 51° high
SETS06:40
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:58
BEST TIME09:56S · 63° high
SETS16:51
Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:44
BEST TIME00:51S · 50° high
SETS06:58
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:05
BEST TIME13:59S · 30° high
SETS18:54
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
RISES02:10
BEST TIME09:21S · 66° high
SETS16:31
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.
