OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

36.92°N, 121.53°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-64.0° (< −18°)

23:59:25

Fri, Oct 23, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 8m of true darkness · 13h 2m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:07

Civil Dusk17:33

Nautical18:04

Full Dark18:34

Nadir23:38

Dark Ends04:42

Nautical05:12

Civil Dawn05:43

Sunrise06:09

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION92%

ALTITUDE40.4°

DISTANCE380,426 km

Moonrise15:20

Moonset03:47

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX60% · Moderate Lunar Glow

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

71/100

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	-70.0°	20°	Libra	06:23	11:28	16:39	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Below Horizon	-2.0	-7.7°	65°	Leo	00:41	07:27	14:17	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Optimal Visibility	0.3	48.5°	217°	Pisces	16:20	22:26	04:32	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Rising / Setting	1.0	0.7°	68°	Cancer	23:55	06:53	13:54	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-69.7°	318°	Libra	07:58	12:57	17:53	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	59.8°	114°	Taurus	18:48	01:57	09:06	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Optimal Visibility	7.8	43.0°	225°	Pisces	15:55	21:56	03:57	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

RISES15:20

BEST TIME21:28S · 53° high

SETS03:47

Reaches about 53° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (92% illuminated). Moderate Lunar Glow.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:41

BEST TIME07:27S · 68° high

SETS14:17

Reaches about 68° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:20

BEST TIME22:26S · 55° high

SETS04:32

Reaches about 55° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · Good height

RISES06:23

BEST TIME11:28S · 35° high

SETS16:39

Reaches about 35° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES23:55

BEST TIME06:53S · 71° high

SETS13:54

Reaches about 71° 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.