OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

25.82°N, 117.44°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-40.1° (< −18°)

03:16:22

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 3m of true darkness · 12h 38m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:35

Civil Dusk17:59

Nautical18:26

Full Dark18:52

Nadir23:54

Dark Ends04:56

Nautical05:23

Civil Dawn05:50

Sunrise06:13

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE9.0°

DISTANCE379,689 km

Moonrise15:36

Moonset04:01

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX15% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

87/100

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	-40.8°	92°	Libra	06:19	11:44	17:15	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	26.7°	86°	Leo	01:13	07:43	14:14	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	19.8°	262°	Pisces	16:38	22:42	04:46	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	35.5°	86°	Cancer	00:32	07:10	13:48	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-60.9°	87°	Libra	07:51	13:10	18:33	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	74.8°	255°	Taurus	19:29	02:13	08:58	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	12.4°	263°	Pisces	16:12	22:12	04:13	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

RISES15:36

BEST TIME21:45S · 65° high

SETS04:01

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:13

BEST TIME07:43S · 79° high

SETS14:14

Reaches about 79° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:38

BEST TIME22:42S · 66° high

SETS04:46

Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:19

BEST TIME11:44S · 46° high

SETS17:15

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

RISES00:32

BEST TIME07:10S · 82° high

SETS13:48

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.