OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

44.53°N, 130.37°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-30.9° (< −18°)

02:51:29

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 23m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset16:21

Civil Dusk16:51

Nautical17:25

Full Dark17:58

Nadir23:03

Dark Ends04:07

Nautical04:40

Civil Dawn05:14

Sunrise05:44

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE2.9°

DISTANCE379,782 km

Moonrise15:05

Moonset03:12

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX5% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

90/100

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	-34.0°	81°	Libra	06:05	10:53	15:46	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Optimal Visibility	-2.0	31.1°	101°	Leo	23:51	06:52	13:53	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	11.5°	261°	Pisces	15:43	21:50	03:58	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	39.4°	104°	Cancer	23:01	06:18	13:35	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-50.7°	65°	Libra	07:44	12:18	16:56	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	60.1°	225°	Taurus	17:51	01:22	08:53	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Rising / Setting	7.8	5.0°	265°	Pisces	15:20	21:21	03:21	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

RISES15:05

BEST TIME20:52S · 45° high

SETS03:12

Reaches about 45° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:51

BEST TIME06:52S · 60° high

SETS13:53

Reaches about 60° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES15:43

BEST TIME21:50S · 47° high

SETS03:58

Reaches about 47° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:05

BEST TIME10:53S · 28° high

SETS15:46

Reaches about 28° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:01

BEST TIME06:18S · 63° high

SETS13:35

Reaches about 63° 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.