OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

24.67°N, 102.59°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-59.8° (< −18°)

02:47:53

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 3m of true darkness · 12h 36m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:36

Civil Dusk18:59

Nautical19:26

Full Dark19:52

Nadir00:54

Dark Ends05:55

Nautical06:21

Civil Dawn06:48

Sunrise07:11

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE28.7°

DISTANCE379,795 km

Moonrise16:37

Moonset05:02

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX45% · Moderate Lunar Glow

Milky Way contrast is softened. Bright open clusters and double stars are optimal.

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

76/100

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	-60.8°	83°	Libra	07:16	12:44	18:16	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	6.9°	77°	Leo	02:14	08:43	15:15	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	39.3°	250°	Pisces	17:37	23:41	05:45	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	15.8°	77°	Cancer	01:33	08:09	14:45	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-80.8°	68°	Libra	08:48	14:09	19:34	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	83.1°	121°	Taurus	20:30	03:12	09:55	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	32.0°	253°	Pisces	17:11	23:12	05:12	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

RISES16:37

BEST TIME22:47S · 66° high

SETS05:02

Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:14

BEST TIME08:43S · 80° high

SETS15:15

Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:37

BEST TIME23:41S · 67° high

SETS05:45

Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES07:16

BEST TIME12:44S · 48° high

SETS18:16

Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:33

BEST TIME08:09S · 83° high

SETS14:45

Reaches about 83° 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.