OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

39.91°N, 116.40°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-46.5° (< −18°)

02:26:38

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 10m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:24

Civil Dusk17:51

Nautical18:23

Full Dark18:54

Nadir23:59

Dark Ends05:03

Nautical05:34

Civil Dawn06:06

Sunrise06:33

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE18.0°

DISTANCE379,875 km

Moonrise15:42

Moonset04:09

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX29% · 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	-49.8°	68°	Libra	06:49	11:49	16:53	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	16.4°	85°	Leo	00:56	07:48	14:43	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	27.0°	247°	Pisces	16:40	22:46	04:53	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	25.0°	87°	Cancer	00:09	07:14	14:19	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-65.6°	44°	Libra	08:26	13:14	18:06	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	71.0°	186°	Taurus	19:00	02:17	09:34	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	20.4°	251°	Pisces	16:16	22:16	04:17	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

RISES15:42

BEST TIME21:50S · 50° high

SETS04:09

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:56

BEST TIME07:48S · 65° high

SETS14:43

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:40

BEST TIME22:46S · 52° high

SETS04:53

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:49

BEST TIME11:49S · 32° high

SETS16:53

Reaches about 32° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:09

BEST TIME07:14S · 68° high

SETS14:19

Reaches about 68° 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.