OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

32.64°N, 117.04°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-39.8° (< −18°)

03:13:45

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 7m of true darkness · 12h 52m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:30

Civil Dusk17:55

Nautical18:24

Full Dark18:52

Nadir23:56

Dark Ends04:59

Nautical05:28

Civil Dawn05:57

Sunrise06:22

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE9.6°

DISTANCE379,699 km

Moonrise15:38

Moonset04:04

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	-41.5°	85°	Libra	06:32	11:46	17:05	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	26.0°	89°	Leo	01:05	07:45	14:25	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	19.6°	259°	Pisces	16:38	22:44	04:49	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	34.9°	90°	Cancer	00:21	07:11	14:01	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-60.7°	74°	Libra	08:06	13:12	18:21	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	72.5°	232°	Taurus	19:16	02:15	09:13	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	12.4°	261°	Pisces	16:13	22:14	04:15	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

RISES15:38

BEST TIME21:47S · 58° high

SETS04:04

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:05

BEST TIME07:45S · 72° high

SETS14:25

Reaches about 72° 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 TIME22:44S · 59° high

SETS04:49

Reaches about 59° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:32

BEST TIME11:46S · 40° high

SETS17:05

Reaches about 40° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:21

BEST TIME07:11S · 75° high

SETS14:01

Reaches about 75° 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.