OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

26.40°N, 109.07°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-48.1° (< −18°)

03:13:40

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 12h 39m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:08

Civil Dusk18:32

Nautical18:59

Full Dark19:26

Nadir00:28

Dark Ends05:30

Nautical05:57

Civil Dawn06:24

Sunrise06:47

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE17.0°

DISTANCE379,699 km

Moonrise16:10

Moonset04:36

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX27% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

82/100

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 Asia/Shanghai

PLANET	STATUS	MAGNITUDE	ALTITUDE	AZIMUTH	CONSTELLATION	RISE	TRANSIT	SET	EQUIPMENT
Venus♀	Below Horizon	-4.3	-48.9°	87°	Libra	06:53	12:18	17:48	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	18.6°	83°	Leo	01:46	08:17	14:48	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.7°	257°	Pisces	17:11	23:15	05:20	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	27.5°	83°	Cancer	01:04	07:43	14:22	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-69.0°	80°	Libra	08:25	13:43	19:05	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	81.8°	230°	Taurus	20:01	02:47	09:32	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	20.3°	259°	Pisces	16:45	22:46	04:46	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

RISES16:10

BEST TIME22:20S · 64° high

SETS04:36

Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:46

BEST TIME08:17S · 78° high

SETS14:48

Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:11

BEST TIME23:15S · 65° high

SETS05:20

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:53

BEST TIME12:18S · 46° high

SETS17:48

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:04

BEST TIME07:43S · 82° high

SETS14:22

Reaches about 82° 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.