OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

26.53°N, 119.46°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-40.8° (< −18°)

03:04:46

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

Sunset17:27

Civil Dusk17:50

Nautical18:17

Full Dark18:44

Nadir23:46

Dark Ends04:48

Nautical05:15

Civil Dawn05:42

Sunrise06:06

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE9.7°

DISTANCE379,733 km

Moonrise15:28

Moonset03:53

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX16% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

86/100

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	-41.6°	91°	Libra	06:12	11:36	17:06	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	25.9°	86°	Leo	01:04	07:35	14:07	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	20.5°	261°	Pisces	16:30	22:34	04:38	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	34.8°	86°	Cancer	00:22	07:02	13:41	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-61.7°	85°	Libra	07:44	13:02	18:23	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	75.4°	251°	Taurus	19:19	02:05	08:51	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	13.1°	263°	Pisces	16:03	22:04	04:05	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

RISES15:28

BEST TIME21:37S · 64° high

SETS03:53

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:04

BEST TIME07:35S · 78° high

SETS14:07

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

RISES16:30

BEST TIME22:34S · 65° high

SETS04:38

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

RISES06:12

BEST TIME11:36S · 46° high

SETS17:06

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

RISES00:22

BEST TIME07:02S · 81° high

SETS13:41

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.