OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

0.57°N, 33.74°EAfrica/Kampala

Deep Astronomical Night-25.3° (< −18°)

20:14:13

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM9h 34m of true darkness · 11h 54m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:32

Civil Dusk18:53

Nautical19:17

Full Dark19:42

Nadir00:29

Dark Ends05:16

Nautical05:40

Civil Dawn06:05

Sunrise06:26

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE56.3°

DISTANCE380,146 km

Moonrise16:20

Moonset04:42

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX77% · Heavy Lunar Wash

Bright moonlight washes out deep sky targets. Focus on lunar craters and bright planets.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

65/100

Good Stargazing

Fine observing conditions. Open star clusters and nebulae will exhibit crisp structure.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Africa/Kampala

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-26.2°	250°	Libra	06:18	12:24	18:24	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-74.9°	355°	Leo	02:15	08:21	14:23	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	44.3°	89°	Pisces	17:15	23:16	05:17	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Below Horizon	1.0	-70.1°	21°	Cancer	01:41	07:44	13:49	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-5.9°	249°	Libra	07:43	13:48	19:48	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Below Horizon	5.6	-7.2°	69°	Taurus	20:45	02:47	08:53	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	51.8°	91°	Pisces	16:45	22:46	04:47	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

RISES16:20

BEST TIME22:31N · 88° high

SETS04:42

Reaches about 88° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Heavy Lunar Wash.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:15

BEST TIME08:21N · 76° high

SETS14:23

Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:15

BEST TIME23:16N · 89° high

SETS05:17

Reaches about 89° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:18

BEST TIME12:24S · 71° high

SETS18:24

Reaches about 71° 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 TIME07:44N · 73° high

SETS13:49

Reaches about 73° 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.