OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

35.18°N, 118.83°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-37.9° (< −18°)

03:13:07

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 12h 58m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:20

Civil Dusk17:46

Nautical18:15

Full Dark18:45

Nadir23:49

Dark Ends04:53

Nautical05:22

Civil Dawn05:52

Sunrise06:18

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE8.1°

DISTANCE379,701 km

Moonrise15:31

Moonset03:57

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX13% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

87/100

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	-39.9°	84°	Libra	06:30	11:39	16:53	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	27.4°	91°	Leo	00:54	07:38	14:22	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	17.7°	259°	Pisces	16:31	22:37	04:42	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	36.1°	93°	Cancer	00:09	07:04	13:59	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-58.6°	71°	Libra	08:05	13:04	18:08	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	69.9°	229°	Taurus	19:03	02:08	09:12	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	10.7°	262°	Pisces	16:06	22:07	04:07	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

RISES15:31

BEST TIME21:40S · 55° high

SETS03:57

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:54

BEST TIME07:38S · 69° high

SETS14:22

Reaches about 69° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:31

BEST TIME22:37S · 56° high

SETS04:42

Reaches about 56° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:30

BEST TIME11:39S · 37° high

SETS16:53

Reaches about 37° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:09

BEST TIME07:04S · 73° high

SETS13:59

Reaches about 73° 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.