Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+61.2°
13:45:11
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 45m of true darkness · 10h 46m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:06
Civil Dusk19:32
Nautical20:03
Full Dark20:36
Nadir00:28
Dark Ends04:21
Nautical04:54
Civil Dawn05:25
Sunrise05:51
LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION
LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION
All-Sky Nocturnal Dome
Click any body to inspect telemetry
LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous
ILLUMINATION92%
ALTITUDE-33.5°
DISTANCE380,254 km
Moonrise16:38
Moonset04:10
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 | 65.2° | 307° | Libra | 05:29 | 12:22 | 19:15 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -0.6° | 287° | Leo | 02:59 | 08:20 | 13:41 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -41.7° | 126° | Pisces | 17:17 | 23:15 | 05:17 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -9.5° | 285° | Cancer | 02:35 | 07:45 | 12:56 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 76.3° | 2° | Libra | 06:43 | 13:47 | 20:50 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -70.3° | 230° | Taurus | 21:45 | 02:50 | 07:51 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -35.2° | 120° | Pisces | 16:42 | 22:45 | 04:52 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:38
BEST TIME22:42N · 51° high
SETS04:10
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:59
BEST TIME08:20N · 41° high
SETS13:41
Reaches about 41° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.
SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES17:17
BEST TIME23:15N · 54° high
SETS05:17
Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.
VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES05:29
BEST TIME12:22N · 73° high
SETS19:15
Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.
MarsNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:35
BEST TIME07:45N · 37° high
SETS12:56
Reaches about 37° 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.
