OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

26.68°N, 118.76°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-45.2° (< −18°)

02:47:48

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 4m of true darkness · 12h 39m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:29

Civil Dusk17:53

Nautical18:20

Full Dark18:47

Nadir23:49

Dark Ends04:51

Nautical05:18

Civil Dawn05:45

Sunrise06:09

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE13.9°

DISTANCE379,796 km

Moonrise15:31

Moonset03:56

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX22% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

84/100

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	-46.1°	88°	Libra	06:15	11:39	17:09	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	21.5°	84°	Leo	01:07	07:38	14:10	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	24.8°	258°	Pisces	16:32	22:37	04:41	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	30.4°	84°	Cancer	00:25	07:04	13:44	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-66.1°	81°	Libra	07:47	13:05	18:26	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	79.3°	240°	Taurus	19:22	02:08	08:54	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	17.4°	260°	Pisces	16:06	22:07	04:08	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

RISES15:31

BEST TIME21:40S · 64° high

SETS03:56

Reaches about 64° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:07

BEST TIME07:38S · 78° high

SETS14:10

Reaches about 78° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:32

BEST TIME22:37S · 65° high

SETS04:41

Reaches about 65° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:15

BEST TIME11:39S · 46° high

SETS17:09

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

RISES00:25

BEST TIME07:04S · 81° high

SETS13:44

Reaches about 81° 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.