OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

41.15°N, 121.08°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-35.7° (< −18°)

03:06:52

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 13m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:03

Civil Dusk17:31

Nautical18:03

Full Dark18:35

Nadir23:40

Dark Ends04:44

Nautical05:16

Civil Dawn05:48

Sunrise06:16

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE7.1°

DISTANCE379,725 km

Moonrise15:23

Moonset03:50

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX11% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

88/100

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	-38.6°	80°	Libra	06:34	11:30	16:32	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	27.6°	95°	Leo	00:35	07:29	14:23	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	16.0°	258°	Pisces	16:21	22:28	04:34	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	36.1°	98°	Cancer	23:47	06:55	14:03	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-55.8°	63°	Libra	08:11	12:56	17:44	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	65.2°	221°	Taurus	18:38	01:59	09:19	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	9.3°	261°	Pisces	15:57	21:58	03:58	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

RISES15:23

BEST TIME21:30S · 49° high

SETS03:50

Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:35

BEST TIME07:29S · 63° high

SETS14:23

Reaches about 63° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:21

BEST TIME22:28S · 50° high

SETS04:34

Reaches about 50° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:34

BEST TIME11:30S · 31° high

SETS16:32

Reaches about 31° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:47

BEST TIME06:55S · 67° high

SETS14:03

Reaches about 67° 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.