OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

46.01°N, 133.15°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-28.5° (< −18°)

02:51:55

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 28m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset16:08

Civil Dusk16:38

Nautical17:13

Full Dark17:48

Nadir22:52

Dark Ends03:55

Nautical04:30

Civil Dawn05:05

Sunrise05:35

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE1.1°

DISTANCE379,780 km

Moonrise14:52

Moonset03:01

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX2% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

91/100

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	-31.8°	83°	Libra	05:58	10:42	15:31	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Optimal Visibility	-2.0	32.7°	104°	Leo	23:37	06:41	13:45	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Rising / Setting	0.3	9.3°	262°	Pisces	15:31	21:39	03:47	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	40.9°	108°	Cancer	22:46	06:07	13:28	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-48.2°	67°	Libra	07:38	12:07	16:41	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	57.6°	228°	Taurus	17:34	01:11	08:47	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	2.9°	267°	Pisces	15:09	21:10	03:10	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 · Good height

RISES14:52

BEST TIME20:40S · 44° high

SETS03:01

Reaches about 44° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:37

BEST TIME06:41S · 58° high

SETS13:45

Reaches about 58° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES15:31

BEST TIME21:39S · 45° high

SETS03:47

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES05:58

BEST TIME10:42S · 26° high

SETS15:31

Reaches about 26° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES22:46

BEST TIME06:07S · 62° high

SETS13:28

Reaches about 62° 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.