Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+39.7°
15:47:48
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 53m of true darkness · 10h 49m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:03
Civil Dusk19:29
Nautical19:59
Full Dark20:31
Nadir00:28
Dark Ends04:24
Nautical04:56
Civil Dawn05:26
Sunrise05:52
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-10.1°
DISTANCE379,796 km
Moonrise16:37
Moonset04:09
HorizonBelow
LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX0% · Minimal Lunar Glare
ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index
42/100
Partial haze or lunar wash. Bright clusters, double stars, and prominent planets remain well visible.
CLOUD COVER15%
HUMIDITY50%
VISIBILITY18 km
DEW POINT10.8°C
| PLANET | STATUS | MAGNITUDE | ALTITUDE | AZIMUTH | CONSTELLATION | RISE | TRANSIT | SET | EQUIPMENT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Venus♀ | Optimal Visibility | -4.3 | 41.5° | 275° | Libra | 05:31 | 12:21 | 19:11 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -25.9° | 270° | Leo | 02:52 | 08:19 | 13:42 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -18.5° | 101° | Pisces | 17:16 | 23:14 | 05:16 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -34.8° | 269° | Cancer | 02:29 | 07:44 | 12:58 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 60.4° | 287° | Libra | 06:46 | 13:46 | 20:46 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -71.7° | 129° | Taurus | 21:41 | 02:45 | 07:53 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -11.3° | 98° | Pisces | 16:41 | 22:44 | 04:51 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:37
BEST TIME22:41N · 52° high
SETS04:09
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:52
BEST TIME08:19N · 42° high
SETS13:42
Reaches about 42° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:16
BEST TIME23:14N · 55° high
SETS05:16
Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:31
BEST TIME12:21N · 75° high
SETS19:11
Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:29
BEST TIME07:44N · 39° high
SETS12:58
Reaches about 39° 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.
