OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

17.50°S, 14.98°EAfrica/Windhoek

Daylight+20.6°

17:31:50

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM8h 53m of true darkness · 11h 23m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset19:02

Civil Dusk19:25

Nautical19:51

Full Dark20:17

Nadir00:44

Dark Ends05:10

Nautical05:37

Civil Dawn06:03

Sunrise06:25

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE11.4°

DISTANCE380,530 km

Moonrise16:39

Moonset04:53

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX18% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

35/100

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	20.6°	257°	Libra	06:14	12:39	19:03	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-45.7°	273°	Leo	02:49	08:36	14:19	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	0.0°	89°	Pisces	17:31	23:31	05:34	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-54.4°	276°	Cancer	02:20	08:01	13:40	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	40.7°	257°	Libra	07:33	14:02	20:32	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-54.8°	78°	Taurus	21:28	03:02	08:40	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	7.3°	88°	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 · 69° high

SETS04:53

Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:49

BEST TIME08:36N · 58° high

SETS14:19

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:31

BEST TIME23:31N · 71° high

SETS05:34

Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:14

BEST TIME12:39S · 89° high

SETS19:03

Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:20

BEST TIME08:01N · 55° high

SETS13:40

Reaches about 55° 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.