OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

3.97°S, 29.44°EAfrica/Bujumbura

Deep Astronomical Night-24.9° (< −18°)

19:34:15

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 26m of true darkness · 11h 47m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:53

Civil Dusk18:14

Nautical18:39

Full Dark19:03

Nadir23:46

Dark Ends04:29

Nautical04:53

Civil Dawn05:18

Sunrise05:39

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE56.4°

DISTANCE380,071 km

Moonrise15:38

Moonset03:58

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX77% · Heavy Lunar Wash

Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

65/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Africa/Bujumbura

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-25.3°	248°	Libra	05:29	11:41	17:47	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-79.5°	357°	Leo	01:37	07:38	13:35	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	44.8°	84°	Pisces	16:32	22:33	04:34	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-74.0°	28°	Cancer	01:04	07:01	13:00	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-4.9°	248°	Libra	06:54	13:05	19:12	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-8.2°	69°	Taurus	20:09	02:04	08:04	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	52.4°	85°	Pisces	16:02	22:03	04:05	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

RISES15:38

BEST TIME21:48N · 83° high

SETS03:58

Reaches about 83° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:37

BEST TIME07:38N · 72° high

SETS13:35

Reaches about 72° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:32

BEST TIME22:33N · 85° high

SETS04:34

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

RISES05:29

BEST TIME11:41S · 76° high

SETS17:47

Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:04

BEST TIME07:01N · 68° high

SETS13:00

Reaches about 68° 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.