OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

45.75°N, 130.57°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-34.5° (< −18°)

02:26:55

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 27m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset16:19

Civil Dusk16:49

Nautical17:24

Full Dark17:58

Nadir23:02

Dark Ends04:06

Nautical04:40

Civil Dawn05:15

Sunrise05:45

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE6.8°

DISTANCE379,874 km

Moonrise14:45

Moonset03:11

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · 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	-37.9°	76°	Libra	06:07	10:52	15:42	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	26.7°	97°	Leo	23:47	06:51	13:55	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	15.3°	256°	Pisces	15:42	21:50	03:58	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	35.1°	100°	Cancer	22:57	06:17	13:37	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-53.8°	57°	Libra	07:47	12:18	16:52	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	61.8°	214°	Taurus	17:46	01:21	08:56	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	9.0°	260°	Pisces	15:19	21:20	03:21	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

RISES14:45

BEST TIME20:51S · 44° high

SETS03:11

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:47

BEST TIME06:51S · 59° high

SETS13:55

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES15:42

BEST TIME21:50S · 46° high

SETS03:58

Reaches about 46° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:07

BEST TIME10:52S · 26° high

SETS15:42

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

RISES22:57

BEST TIME06:17S · 62° high

SETS13:37

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.