OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

38.74°N, 111.58°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-43.3° (< −18°)

03:07:47

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 9m of true darkness · 13h 7m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:44

Civil Dusk18:12

Nautical18:43

Full Dark19:13

Nadir00:18

Dark Ends05:22

Nautical05:53

Civil Dawn06:24

Sunrise06:51

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE14.4°

DISTANCE379,721 km

Moonrise16:01

Moonset04:29

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX23% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

84/100

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	-46.1°	74°	Libra	07:06	12:08	17:15	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	20.5°	88°	Leo	01:17	08:07	14:56	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	23.5°	252°	Pisces	16:59	23:05	05:12	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	29.2°	90°	Cancer	00:30	07:33	14:36	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-63.2°	55°	Libra	08:42	13:33	18:28	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	71.0°	203°	Taurus	19:23	02:37	09:50	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	16.7°	256°	Pisces	16:35	22:36	04:36	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

RISES16:01

BEST TIME22:09S · 52° high

SETS04:29

Reaches about 52° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:17

BEST TIME08:07S · 66° high

SETS14:56

Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:59

BEST TIME23:05S · 53° high

SETS05:12

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES07:06

BEST TIME12:08S · 34° high

SETS17:15

Reaches about 34° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:30

BEST TIME07:33S · 69° high

SETS14:36

Reaches about 69° 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.