OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

22.42°S, 14.97°EAfrica/Windhoek

Daylight+0.3°

19:04:54

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 38m of true darkness · 11h 13m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:07

Civil Dusk19:30

Nautical19:57

Full Dark20:25

Nadir00:44

Dark Ends05:03

Nautical05:30

Civil Dawn05:57

Sunrise06:21

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE31.1°

DISTANCE380,180 km

Moonrise16:39

Moonset04:52

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX48% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

25/100

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/Windhoek

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Rising / Setting	-4.3	1.1°	251°	Libra	06:01	12:39	19:10	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-67.1°	253°	Leo	02:55	08:36	14:13	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	20.8°	79°	Pisces	17:32	23:31	05:30	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-76.1°	253°	Cancer	02:27	08:01	13:32	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	20.5°	255°	Libra	07:24	14:02	20:40	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-34.0°	79°	Taurus	21:37	03:02	08:31	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	28.3°	78°	Pisces	16:59	23:01	05:03	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

RISES16:39

BEST TIME22:48N · 64° high

SETS04:52

Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:55

BEST TIME08:36N · 53° high

SETS14:13

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:32

BEST TIME23:31N · 66° high

SETS05:30

Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:01

BEST TIME12:39N · 86° high

SETS19:10

Reaches about 86° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:27

BEST TIME08:01N · 50° high

SETS13:32

Reaches about 50° 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.