Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.
OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH
Tonight under the Sky
Daylight+38.8°
15:49:27
Fri, Oct 23, 2026
PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM7h 48m of true darkness · 10h 47m total night
DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)
TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW
Sunset19:02
Civil Dusk19:28
Nautical20:00
Full Dark20:32
Nadir00:26
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
ILLUMINATION93%
ALTITUDE-9.4°
DISTANCE379,790 km
Moonrise16:35
Moonset04:07
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 | 40.7° | 275° | Libra | 05:27 | 12:20 | 19:11 | Naked Eye |
| Jupiter♃ | Below Horizon | -2.0 | -26.6° | 269° | Leo | 02:52 | 08:17 | 13:39 | Naked Eye |
| Saturn♄ | Below Horizon | 0.3 | -17.7° | 101° | Pisces | 17:14 | 23:12 | 05:14 | Naked Eye |
| Mars♂ | Below Horizon | 1.0 | -35.5° | 268° | Cancer | 02:29 | 07:43 | 12:55 | Naked Eye |
| Mercury☿ | Optimal Visibility | 0.4 | 59.4° | 287° | Libra | 06:42 | 13:44 | 20:46 | Binoculars |
| Uranus♅ | Below Horizon | 5.6 | -70.6° | 129° | Taurus | 21:41 | 02:43 | 07:49 | Binoculars |
| Neptune♆ | Below Horizon | 7.8 | -10.5° | 98° | Pisces | 16:40 | 22:42 | 04:49 | Telescope |
The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky
RISES16:35
BEST TIME22:39N · 51° high
SETS04:07
Reaches about 51° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.
JupiterNaked Eye · Good height
RISES02:52
BEST TIME08:17N · 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
RISES17:14
BEST TIME23:12N · 55° high
SETS05:14
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 TIME12:20N · 74° high
SETS19:11
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 TIME07:43N · 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.
