Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+67.9°
12:33:17
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 51m of true darkness · 10h 48m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:01
Civil Dusk19:27
Nautical19:58
Full Dark20:30
Nadir00:25
Dark Ends04:20
Nautical04:52
Civil Dawn05:23
Sunrise05:49
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-45.5°
DISTANCE380,524 km
Moonrise16:34
Moonset04:06
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 | 74.1° | 348° | Libra | 05:27 | 12:19 | 19:10 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Visible Low | -2.0 | 12.4° | 297° | Leo | 02:54 | 08:16 | 13:39 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -52.5° | 146° | Pisces | 17:13 | 23:11 | 05:13 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Rising / Setting | 1.0 | 3.9° | 294° | Cancer | 02:29 | 07:42 | 12:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 69.9° | 55° | Libra | 06:42 | 13:43 | 20:44 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -58.0° | 255° | Taurus | 21:39 | 02:47 | 07:50 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -47.0° | 137° | Pisces | 16:39 | 22:42 | 04:48 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:34
BEST TIME22:38N · 52° high
SETS04:06
Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:54
BEST TIME08:16N · 42° high
SETS13:39
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
RISES17:13
BEST TIME23:11N · 55° high
SETS05:13
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
RISES05:27
BEST TIME12:19N · 74° high
SETS19:10
Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:29
BEST TIME07:42N · 38° high
SETS12:55
Reaches about 38° 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.
