OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

13.32°N, 12.61°EAfrica/Niamey

Daylight+17.2°

16:29:56

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 52m of true darkness · 12h 15m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:46

Civil Dusk18:07

Nautical18:32

Full Dark18:57

Nadir23:53

Dark Ends04:49

Nautical05:14

Civil Dawn05:39

Sunrise06:01

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE9.6°

DISTANCE380,537 km

Moonrise15:46

Moonset04:13

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/Niamey

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Visible Low	-4.3	13.7°	247°	Libra	06:05	11:48	17:31	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-34.0°	298°	Leo	01:26	07:45	14:01	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-1.9°	88°	Pisces	16:38	22:40	04:47	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-39.3°	307°	Cancer	00:49	07:10	13:30	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	30.5°	236°	Libra	07:31	13:12	18:53	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-41.7°	45°	Taurus	19:49	02:11	08:38	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	4.5°	91°	Pisces	16:09	22:10	04:11	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

RISES15:46

BEST TIME21:58S · 79° high

SETS04:13

Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:26

BEST TIME07:45N · 89° high

SETS14:01

Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:38

BEST TIME22:40S · 78° high

SETS04:47

Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:05

BEST TIME11:48S · 59° high

SETS17:31

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:49

BEST TIME07:10N · 85° high

SETS13:30

Reaches about 85° 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.