OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

31.93°N, 12.25°EAfrica/Tripoli

Astronomical Twilight-12.3° (−12° to −18°)

19:27:41

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 12h 51m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:30

Civil Dusk18:54

Nautical19:23

Full Dark19:51

Nadir00:55

Dark Ends05:59

Nautical06:27

Civil Dawn06:56

Sunrise07:20

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE32.3°

DISTANCE380,095 km

Moonrise16:46

Moonset05:21

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX49% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

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/Tripoli

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-17.0°	259°	Libra	07:35	12:49	18:04	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-39.7°	335°	Leo	02:05	08:47	15:25	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	22.9°	103°	Pisces	17:36	23:42	05:47	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-38.7°	347°	Cancer	01:21	08:12	15:01	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-1.3°	246°	Libra	09:06	14:13	19:20	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-9.0°	58°	Taurus	20:16	03:13	10:14	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	27.9°	110°	Pisces	17:11	23:12	05:13	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

RISES16:46

BEST TIME22:59S · 60° high

SETS05:21

Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:05

BEST TIME08:47S · 73° high

SETS15:25

Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:36

BEST TIME23:42S · 60° high

SETS05:47

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

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:35

BEST TIME12:49S · 40° high

SETS18:04

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:21

BEST TIME08:12S · 76° high

SETS15:01

Reaches about 76° 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.