Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+10.6°
17:57:12
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 10m of true darkness · 13h 14m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:01
Civil Dusk19:29
Nautical20:01
Full Dark20:33
Nadir01:38
Dark Ends06:43
Nautical07:15
Civil Dawn07:47
Sunrise08:15
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE4.6°
DISTANCE380,434 km
Moonrise17:28
Moonset06:11
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 | 4.9° | 241° | Libra | 08:37 | 13:32 | 18:28 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -15.5° | 307° | Leo | 02:32 | 09:29 | 16:24 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -3.8° | 84° | Pisces | 18:17 | 00:24 | 06:35 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -17.5° | 316° | Cancer | 01:44 | 08:55 | 16:03 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 15.1° | 223° | Libra | 10:12 | 14:56 | 19:40 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -21.4° | 30° | Taurus | 20:35 | 03:56 | 11:20 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 0.4° | 90° | Pisces | 17:54 | 23:55 | 05:59 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:28
BEST TIME23:43S · 51° high
SETS06:11
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:32
BEST TIME09:29S · 63° high
SETS16:24
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
RISES18:17
BEST TIME00:24S · 50° high
SETS06:35
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
RISES08:37
BEST TIME13:32S · 31° high
SETS18:28
Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:44
BEST TIME08:55S · 67° high
SETS16:03
Reaches about 67° 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.
