OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

35.30°N, 113.37°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-53.8° (< −18°)

02:09:54

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

Sunset17:42

Civil Dusk18:07

Nautical18:37

Full Dark19:06

Nadir00:11

Dark Ends05:15

Nautical05:44

Civil Dawn06:14

Sunrise06:40

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE24.6°

DISTANCE379,937 km

Moonrise15:54

Moonset04:20

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX39% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

78/100

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	-56.9°	67°	Libra	06:52	12:01	17:15	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	10.1°	79°	Leo	01:16	08:00	14:47	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	34.2°	244°	Pisces	16:53	22:58	05:04	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	18.9°	81°	Cancer	00:31	07:26	14:23	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-72.9°	35°	Libra	08:27	13:26	18:29	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	75.0°	162°	Taurus	19:25	02:29	09:34	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	27.4°	248°	Pisces	16:28	22:29	04:29	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

RISES15:54

BEST TIME22:02S · 55° high

SETS04:20

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

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:16

BEST TIME08:00S · 69° high

SETS14:47

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

RISES16:53

BEST TIME22:58S · 56° high

SETS05:04

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

RISES06:52

BEST TIME12:01S · 37° high

SETS17:15

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

RISES00:31

BEST TIME07:26S · 73° high

SETS14:23

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.