OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

34.51°N, 109.06°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-53.8° (< −18°)

02:29:50

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 56m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:00

Civil Dusk18:25

Nautical18:55

Full Dark19:24

Nadir00:28

Dark Ends05:32

Nautical06:01

Civil Dawn06:30

Sunrise06:56

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE24.4°

DISTANCE379,863 km

Moonrise16:11

Moonset04:38

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX38% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

78/100

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	-56.6°	68°	Libra	07:08	12:18	17:33	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	10.5°	80°	Leo	01:34	08:17	15:03	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	34.0°	245°	Pisces	17:10	23:15	05:21	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	19.3°	81°	Cancer	00:49	07:43	14:39	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-73.2°	38°	Libra	08:42	13:43	18:48	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	75.9°	163°	Taurus	19:44	02:47	09:50	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	27.2°	249°	Pisces	16:45	22:46	04:46	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

RISES16:11

BEST TIME22:20S · 56° high

SETS04:38

Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:34

BEST TIME08:17S · 70° high

SETS15:03

Reaches about 70° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:10

BEST TIME23:15S · 57° high

SETS05:21

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:08

BEST TIME12:18S · 38° high

SETS17:33

Reaches about 38° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:49

BEST TIME07:43S · 73° high

SETS14:39

Reaches about 73° 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.