OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

8.49°N, 7.34°EAfrica/Lagos

Daylight+15.7°

17:02:58

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 46m of true darkness · 12h 7m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:11

Civil Dusk18:32

Nautical18:57

Full Dark19:21

Nadir00:14

Dark Ends05:07

Nautical05:32

Civil Dawn05:57

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%

ALTITUDE12.4°

DISTANCE380,413 km

Moonrise16:08

Moonset04:33

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX20% · 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/Lagos

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Visible Low	-4.3	12.7°	249°	Libra	06:19	12:09	17:59	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-38.9°	297°	Leo	01:53	08:06	14:16	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	0.7°	89°	Pisces	16:59	23:01	05:07	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-44.6°	306°	Cancer	01:17	07:31	13:44	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Optimal Visibility	0.4	30.6°	239°	Libra	07:44	13:33	19:21	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-42.8°	51°	Taurus	20:18	02:32	08:51	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	7.5°	92°	Pisces	16:30	22:31	04:32	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

RISES16:08

BEST TIME22:20S · 84° high

SETS04:33

Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:53

BEST TIME08:06N · 84° high

SETS14:16

Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:59

BEST TIME23:01S · 83° high

SETS05:07

Reaches about 83° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:19

BEST TIME12:09S · 63° high

SETS17:59

Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:17

BEST TIME07:31N · 81° high

SETS13:44

Reaches about 81° 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.