OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

46.08°N, 127.40°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-31.3° (< −18°)

02:58:20

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 28m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset16:31

Civil Dusk17:01

Nautical17:36

Full Dark18:11

Nadir23:15

Dark Ends04:18

Nautical04:53

Civil Dawn05:28

Sunrise05:59

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE3.8°

DISTANCE379,757 km

Moonrise15:16

Moonset03:25

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX6% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

90/100

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	-34.7°	79°	Libra	06:21	11:05	15:54	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	29.9°	101°	Leo	23:59	07:04	14:08	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	12.1°	259°	Pisces	15:54	22:02	04:10	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	38.2°	105°	Cancer	23:08	06:30	13:51	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-50.8°	62°	Libra	08:01	12:30	17:03	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	59.5°	222°	Taurus	17:57	01:33	09:10	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	5.7°	264°	Pisces	15:32	21:33	03:33	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

RISES15:16

BEST TIME21:04S · 44° high

SETS03:25

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:59

BEST TIME07:04S · 58° high

SETS14:08

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

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES15:54

BEST TIME22:02S · 45° high

SETS04:10

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

RISES06:21

BEST TIME11:05S · 26° high

SETS15:54

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

RISES23:08

BEST TIME06:30S · 62° high

SETS13:51

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.