Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+3.8°
17:18:14
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 2m of true darkness · 14h 3m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset17:51
Civil Dusk18:28
Nautical19:09
Full Dark19:51
Nadir00:52
Dark Ends05:53
Nautical06:35
Civil Dawn07:16
Sunrise07:53
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE4.9°
DISTANCE380,355 km
Moonrise16:39
Moonset05:36
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♀ | Below Horizon | -4.3 | -2.1° | 242° | Libra | 08:32 | 12:46 | 17:01 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -8.1° | 310° | Leo | 01:12 | 08:43 | 16:11 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -1.3° | 85° | Pisces | 17:27 | 23:38 | 05:53 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -8.4° | 319° | Cancer | 00:15 | 08:08 | 16:00 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Rising / Setting | 0.4 | 4.6° | 223° | Libra | 10:16 | 14:10 | 18:04 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -9.2° | 30° | Taurus | 18:55 | 03:09 | 11:27 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Rising / Setting | 7.8 | 1.3° | 92° | Pisces | 17:08 | 23:08 | 05:09 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · Good height
RISES16:39
BEST TIME22:58S · 38° high
SETS05:36
Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES01:12
BEST TIME08:43S · 50° high
SETS16:11
Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · Good height
RISES17:27
BEST TIME23:38S · 37° high
SETS05:53
Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · Low in the sky
RISES08:32
BEST TIME12:46S · 17° high
SETS17:01
Only reaches about 17° above the horizon. An open view is important.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES00:15
BEST TIME08:08S · 53° high
SETS16:00
Reaches about 53° 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.
