OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

29.72°N, 113.88°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-44.1° (< −18°)

03:09:14

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 6m of true darkness · 12h 46m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:46

Civil Dusk18:10

Nautical18:38

Full Dark19:06

Nadir00:08

Dark Ends05:11

Nautical05:39

Civil Dawn06:07

Sunrise06:31

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE13.4°

DISTANCE379,716 km

Moonrise15:51

Moonset04:17

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX22% · 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	-45.5°	86°	Libra	06:40	11:59	17:23	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	22.2°	86°	Leo	01:22	07:58	14:33	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	23.8°	257°	Pisces	16:51	22:56	05:01	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Optimal Visibility	1.0	31.1°	86°	Cancer	00:39	07:24	14:09	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-65.0°	75°	Libra	08:13	13:24	18:39	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	77.2°	229°	Taurus	19:35	02:27	09:20	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	16.5°	260°	Pisces	16:26	22:26	04:27	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

RISES15:51

BEST TIME22:00S · 61° high

SETS04:17

Reaches about 61° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:22

BEST TIME07:58S · 75° high

SETS14:33

Reaches about 75° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:51

BEST TIME22:56S · 62° high

SETS05:01

Reaches about 62° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:40

BEST TIME11:59S · 43° high

SETS17:23

Reaches about 43° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:39

BEST TIME07:24S · 78° high

SETS14:09

Reaches about 78° 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.