OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

33.77°N, 120.26°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-43.0° (< −18°)

02:43:48

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 55m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:16

Civil Dusk17:41

Nautical18:10

Full Dark18:39

Nadir23:43

Dark Ends04:47

Nautical05:16

Civil Dawn05:45

Sunrise06:10

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE12.7°

DISTANCE379,811 km

Moonrise15:25

Moonset03:51

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX20% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

85/100

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	-45.0°	81°	Libra	06:22	11:33	16:50	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	22.5°	87°	Leo	00:51	07:32	14:14	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	22.8°	256°	Pisces	16:25	22:31	04:36	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	31.3°	89°	Cancer	00:06	06:58	13:51	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-63.7°	67°	Libra	07:56	12:59	18:05	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	74.3°	218°	Taurus	19:01	02:02	09:03	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	15.7°	259°	Pisces	16:00	22:01	04:02	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

RISES15:25

BEST TIME21:34S · 57° high

SETS03:51

Reaches about 57° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:51

BEST TIME07:32S · 71° high

SETS14:14

Reaches about 71° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:25

BEST TIME22:31S · 58° high

SETS04:36

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:22

BEST TIME11:33S · 38° high

SETS16:50

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

RISES00:06

BEST TIME06:58S · 74° high

SETS13:51

Reaches about 74° 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.