OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

27.97°N, 105.93°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-55.2° (< −18°)

02:50:57

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 5m of true darkness · 12h 42m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:19

Civil Dusk18:43

Nautical19:11

Full Dark19:38

Nadir00:40

Dark Ends05:43

Nautical06:10

Civil Dawn06:37

Sunrise07:01

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°

DISTANCE379,784 km

Moonrise16:23

Moonset04:49

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°	80°	Libra	07:08	12:30	17:58	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	11.2°	79°	Leo	01:56	08:29	15:06	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	34.8°	250°	Pisces	17:23	23:28	05:32	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	20.0°	80°	Cancer	01:14	07:56	14:37	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-76.0°	63°	Libra	08:41	13:56	19:15	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	82.7°	164°	Taurus	20:10	02:59	09:48	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	27.5°	253°	Pisces	16:57	22:58	04:59	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

RISES16:23

BEST TIME22:33S · 63° high

SETS04:49

Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:56

BEST TIME08:29S · 76° high

SETS15:06

Reaches about 76° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:23

BEST TIME23:28S · 64° high

SETS05:32

Reaches about 64° 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 TIME12:30S · 44° high

SETS17:58

Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:14

BEST TIME07:56S · 80° high

SETS14:37

Reaches about 80° 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.