OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

18.44°N, 1.41°EAfrica/Bamako

Daylight+15.2°

16:16:46

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 58m of true darkness · 12h 24m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:26

Civil Dusk17:48

Nautical18:14

Full Dark18:39

Nadir23:38

Dark Ends04:37

Nautical05:03

Civil Dawn05:28

Sunrise05:50

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE9.7°

DISTANCE380,361 km

Moonrise15:31

Moonset04:01

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX15% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

37/100

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/Bamako

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Visible Low	-4.3	11.2°	247°	Libra	05:57	11:33	17:09	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-31.9°	301°	Leo	01:05	07:30	13:51	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-1.2°	88°	Pisces	16:22	22:25	04:32	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-36.4°	311°	Cancer	00:27	06:55	13:22	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	27.2°	234°	Libra	07:24	12:57	18:29	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-37.6°	42°	Taurus	19:25	01:56	08:31	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	4.8°	92°	Pisces	15:54	21:55	03:56	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 TIME21:44S · 74° high

SETS04:01

Reaches about 74° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:05

BEST TIME07:30S · 86° high

SETS13:51

Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:22

BEST TIME22:25S · 73° high

SETS04:32

Reaches about 73° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES05:57

BEST TIME11:33S · 54° high

SETS17:09

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:27

BEST TIME06:55S · 90° high

SETS13:22

Reaches about 90° 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.