Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+8.7°
18:23:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 20m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:18
Civil Dusk19:47
Nautical20:20
Full Dark20:53
Nadir01:58
Dark Ends07:03
Nautical07:36
Civil Dawn08:09
Sunrise08:38
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE5.5°
DISTANCE380,337 km
Moonrise17:48
Moonset06:34
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 | 3.0° | 242° | Libra | 09:02 | 13:52 | 18:43 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -15.1° | 308° | Leo | 02:48 | 09:50 | 16:48 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -2.5° | 85° | Pisces | 18:37 | 00:44 | 06:56 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -16.7° | 317° | Cancer | 01:59 | 09:15 | 16:29 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Visible Low | 0.4 | 12.8° | 224° | Libra | 10:38 | 15:16 | 19:55 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -19.0° | 31° | Taurus | 20:49 | 04:16 | 11:47 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 1.4° | 91° | Pisces | 18:14 | 00:15 | 06:15 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:48
BEST TIME00:04S · 49° high
SETS06:34
Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES02:48
BEST TIME09:50S · 61° high
SETS16:48
Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES18:37
BEST TIME00:44S · 48° high
SETS06:56
Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Good height
RISES09:02
BEST TIME13:52S · 29° high
SETS18:43
Reaches about 29° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:59
BEST TIME09:15S · 65° high
SETS16:29
Reaches about 65° 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.
