OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

9.40°N, 16.30°EAfrica/Ndjamena

Daylight+5.2°

17:10:29

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 47m of true darkness · 12h 9m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:34

Civil Dusk17:56

Nautical18:20

Full Dark18:45

Nadir23:39

Dark Ends04:32

Nautical04:57

Civil Dawn05:22

Sunrise05:43

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE23.0°

DISTANCE380,385 km

Moonrise15:31

Moonset03:56

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX36% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

29/100

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/Ndjamena

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Rising / Setting	-4.3	2.5°	251°	Libra	05:45	11:33	17:22	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-47.8°	304°	Leo	01:16	07:30	13:42	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	11.1°	90°	Pisces	16:23	22:25	04:28	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-52.1°	316°	Cancer	00:40	06:56	13:10	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	20.8°	243°	Libra	07:10	12:57	18:44	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-33.5°	57°	Taurus	19:41	01:57	08:17	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	18.1°	94°	Pisces	15:55	21:56	03:57	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

RISES15:31

BEST TIME21:43S · 83° high

SETS03:56

Reaches about 83° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:16

BEST TIME07:30N · 85° high

SETS13:42

Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:23

BEST TIME22:25S · 82° high

SETS04:28

Reaches about 82° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:45

BEST TIME11:33S · 63° high

SETS17:22

Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:40

BEST TIME06:56N · 81° high

SETS13:10

Reaches about 81° 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.