OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

21.43°S, 15.93°EAfrica/Windhoek

Daylight+15.8°

17:50:10

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 41m of true darkness · 11h 15m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:02

Civil Dusk19:25

Nautical19:52

Full Dark20:19

Nadir00:40

Dark Ends05:01

Nautical05:28

Civil Dawn05:55

Sunrise06:18

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE15.9°

DISTANCE380,461 km

Moonrise16:35

Moonset04:48

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX25% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

33/100

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♀	Visible Low	-4.3	16.4°	257°	Libra	06:04	12:35	19:05	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-50.9°	266°	Leo	02:50	08:32	14:11	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	4.7°	87°	Pisces	17:28	23:27	05:26	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-59.8°	269°	Cancer	02:22	07:57	13:30	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	36.4°	259°	Libra	07:22	13:59	20:35	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-50.2°	83°	Taurus	21:31	02:58	08:29	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	12.2°	86°	Pisces	16:55	22:57	04:59	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

RISES16:35

BEST TIME22:44N · 65° high

SETS04:48

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:50

BEST TIME08:32N · 54° high

SETS14:11

Reaches about 54° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:28

BEST TIME23:27N · 67° high

SETS05:26

Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:04

BEST TIME12:35N · 87° high

SETS19:05

Reaches about 87° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:22

BEST TIME07:57N · 51° high

SETS13:30

Reaches about 51° 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.