OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

6.41°N, 1.88°EAfrica/Porto-Novo

Daylight+16.2°

17:24:53

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 43m of true darkness · 12h 4m total night

DaylightCivil (−6°)Nautical (−12°)Astro (−18°)Dark Sky (<−18°)

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:34

Civil Dusk18:56

Nautical19:20

Full Dark19:45

Nadir00:36

Dark Ends05:28

Nautical05:52

Civil Dawn06:17

Sunrise06:38

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE12.2°

DISTANCE380,331 km

Moonrise16:31

Moonset04:55

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX20% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

35/100

Challenging Stargazing

High cloud cover or severe light interference. Recommend bright planetary observation or indoor planning.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Africa/Porto-Novo

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Visible Low	-4.3	13.4°	250°	Libra	06:38	12:31	18:23	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-39.9°	295°	Leo	02:17	08:28	14:36	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	0.7°	89°	Pisces	17:21	23:23	05:29	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-45.8°	304°	Cancer	01:41	07:53	14:03	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	31.7°	241°	Libra	08:03	13:55	19:46	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-44.1°	52°	Taurus	20:43	02:54	09:09	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	7.6°	91°	Pisces	16:52	22:53	04:54	Telescope

TONIGHT'S VIEWING SCHEDULE

When & Where to Look Tonight

A simple guide to when each object is above your horizon. No astronomy chart reading required.

BEST TIMEHighest in your sky

The MoonNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:31

BEST TIME22:42S · 86° high

SETS04:55

Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:17

BEST TIME08:28N · 82° high

SETS14:36

Reaches about 82° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:21

BEST TIME23:23S · 85° high

SETS05:29

Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:38

BEST TIME12:31S · 66° high

SETS18:23

Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:41

BEST TIME07:53N · 79° high

SETS14:03

Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Distinctive crimson hue; polar ice cap discernible near opposition.

OBSERVING LOG & TARGET LIST

Tonight's Prime Deep-Sky Targets

0 / 6 targets logged tonight

M31 / NGC 224 · Andromeda

Andromeda Galaxy

Spiral Galaxy (2.5M ly)

Our galactic neighbor; visible as a ghostly oval smudge with dense radiant stellar core.

M45 · Taurus

The Pleiades (Seven Sisters)

Open Star Cluster

Breathtaking blue diamond cluster enshrouded in delicate interstellar reflection nebulosity.

M42 / NGC 1976 · Orion

Great Orion Nebula

Diffuse Emission Nebula

Star nursery harboring the brilliant Trapezium cluster with sprawling bat-wing filaments.

NGC 869 & NGC 884 · Perseus

The Double Cluster

Twin Open Clusters

Pair of spectacular shimmering jewel-boxes bursting with ruby supergiant stars.

M13 / NGC 6205 · Hercules

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules

Globular Cluster (300k stars)

Massive beehive of ancient stars packed tightly together into a blazing central ball.

M57 / NGC 6720 · Lyra

The Ring Nebula

Planetary Nebula

Delicate glowing smoke-ring left behind by a dying star 2,500 light-years away.