OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

23.35°N, 101.50°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-66.2° (< −18°)

02:24:21

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 2m of true darkness · 12h 33m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset18:41

Civil Dusk19:04

Nautical19:31

Full Dark19:57

Nadir00:58

Dark Ends05:59

Nautical06:25

Civil Dawn06:52

Sunrise07:14

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE35.0°

DISTANCE379,883 km

Moonrise16:41

Moonset05:07

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX53% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

73/100

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	-67.4°	81°	Libra	07:19	12:48	18:23	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Rising / Setting	-2.0	0.7°	74°	Leo	02:20	08:47	15:18	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	45.8°	246°	Pisces	17:42	23:46	05:49	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	9.3°	74°	Cancer	01:39	08:13	14:49	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-86.9°	39°	Libra	08:50	14:14	19:41	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	77.5°	98°	Taurus	20:37	03:17	09:56	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	38.5°	249°	Pisces	17:15	23:16	05:17	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

RISES16:41

BEST TIME22:51S · 67° high

SETS05:07

Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES02:20

BEST TIME08:47S · 81° high

SETS15:18

Reaches about 81° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES17:42

BEST TIME23:46S · 68° high

SETS05:49

Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES07:19

BEST TIME12:48S · 49° high

SETS18:23

Reaches about 49° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:39

BEST TIME08:13S · 85° high

SETS14:49

Reaches about 85° 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.