OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

14.79°N, 15.91°WAfrica/Dakar

Daylight+16.2°

17:26:38

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 54m of true darkness · 12h 18m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:39

Civil Dusk19:00

Nautical19:25

Full Dark19:51

Nadir00:47

Dark Ends05:44

Nautical06:09

Civil Dawn06:35

Sunrise06:56

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE9.5°

DISTANCE380,099 km

Moonrise16:43

Moonset05:12

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/Dakar

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Visible Low	-4.3	12.4°	247°	Libra	07:00	12:42	18:23	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-34.0°	299°	Leo	02:19	08:39	14:56	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Below Horizon	0.3	-1.1°	88°	Pisces	17:31	23:34	05:41	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-38.9°	309°	Cancer	01:41	08:04	14:26	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Visible Low	0.4	29.1°	235°	Libra	08:27	14:06	19:44	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-40.1°	45°	Taurus	20:40	03:05	09:34	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	5.1°	92°	Pisces	17:03	23:04	05:05	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

RISES16:43

BEST TIME22:55S · 78° high

SETS05:12

Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:19

BEST TIME08:39S · 90° high

SETS14:56

Reaches about 90° 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 TIME23:34S · 77° high

SETS05:41

Reaches about 77° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES07:00

BEST TIME12:42S · 57° high

SETS18:23

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:41

BEST TIME08:04N · 87° high

SETS14:26

Reaches about 87° 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.