OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

46.40°N, 125.31°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-33.3° (< −18°)

02:54:05

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 29m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset16:38

Civil Dusk17:09

Nautical17:44

Full Dark18:19

Nadir23:23

Dark Ends04:27

Nautical05:02

Civil Dawn05:37

Sunrise06:08

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE5.9°

DISTANCE379,772 km

Moonrise15:06

Moonset03:34

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX10% · Minimal Lunar Glare

Sky background remains dark; faint nebulae and distant galaxies are distinct.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

88/100

Exceptional Stargazing

Pristine dark skies with clear transparency. Ideal for astrophotography & faint deep sky targets.

CLOUD COVER15%

HUMIDITY50%

VISIBILITY18 km

DEW POINT10.8°C

PLANETARY EPHEMERIS & ALMANAC

Visible Planets Tonight

All times calibrated to Asia/Shanghai

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-36.7°	76°	Libra	06:30	11:13	16:01	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	27.7°	98°	Leo	00:07	07:12	14:17	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	14.1°	257°	Pisces	16:02	22:11	04:19	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	36.0°	102°	Cancer	23:16	06:38	14:00	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-52.5°	58°	Libra	08:10	12:39	17:10	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	60.7°	216°	Taurus	18:04	01:42	09:19	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	7.8°	261°	Pisces	15:40	21:41	03:41	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 · Good height

RISES15:06

BEST TIME21:13S · 44° high

SETS03:34

Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:07

BEST TIME07:12S · 58° high

SETS14:17

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · Good height

RISES16:02

BEST TIME22:11S · 45° high

SETS04:19

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:30

BEST TIME11:13S · 26° high

SETS16:01

Reaches about 26° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:16

BEST TIME06:38S · 62° high

SETS14:00

Reaches about 62° 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.