OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

7.45°N, 8.61°EAfrica/Lagos

Daylight+1.7°

17:58:12

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 45m of true darkness · 12h 5m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:07

Civil Dusk18:28

Nautical18:53

Full Dark19:17

Nadir00:09

Dark Ends05:02

Nautical05:26

Civil Dawn05:51

Sunrise06:12

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE27.0°

DISTANCE380,206 km

Moonrise16:03

Moonset04:28

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX42% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

27/100

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♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-0.5°	252°	Libra	06:13	12:04	17:55	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-52.4°	306°	Leo	01:49	08:01	14:10	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	15.3°	91°	Pisces	16:54	22:56	04:58	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-56.4°	320°	Cancer	01:13	07:26	13:38	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	17.9°	245°	Libra	07:38	13:28	19:18	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-30.9°	60°	Taurus	20:14	02:27	08:44	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	22.4°	94°	Pisces	16:25	22:26	04:27	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

RISES16:03

BEST TIME22:14S · 85° high

SETS04:28

Reaches about 85° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:49

BEST TIME08:01N · 83° high

SETS14:10

Reaches about 83° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:54

BEST TIME22:56S · 84° high

SETS04:58

Reaches about 84° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:13

BEST TIME12:04S · 65° high

SETS17:55

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:13

BEST TIME07:26N · 80° high

SETS13:38

Reaches about 80° 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.