OBSERVATORY ALMANAC · NOCTURNAL DISPATCH

Tonight under the Sky

24.21°N, 113.40°EAsia/Shanghai

Deep Astronomical Night-46.4° (< −18°)

03:05:30

Sat, Oct 24, 2026

PHOTOMETRIC TWILIGHT SPECTRUM10h 2m of true darkness · 12h 35m total night

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

TRUE DARK SKY WINDOW

Sunset17:53

Civil Dusk18:16

Nautical18:43

Full Dark19:09

Nadir00:10

Dark Ends05:12

Nautical05:38

Civil Dawn06:05

Sunrise06:28

LIVE REAL-TIME OBSERVATION

SunsetSunrise

LOCAL SKY PLANISPHERE · STEREOGRAPHIC PROJECTION

All-Sky Nocturnal Dome

Click any body to inspect telemetry

LUNAR EPHEMERISWaxing Gibbous

ILLUMINATION93%

ALTITUDE15.1°

DISTANCE379,730 km

Moonrise15:53

Moonset04:17

HorizonAbove

LUNAR INTERFERENCE INDEX24% · Minimal Lunar Glare

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

ATMOSPHERIC SEEING & CLOUD PROFILETonight's Index

83/100

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	-46.9°	91°	Libra	06:33	12:01	17:34	Naked Eye
Jupiter♃	Visible Low	-2.0	20.4°	83°	Leo	01:31	08:00	14:28	Naked Eye
Saturn♄	Visible Low	0.3	26.1°	259°	Pisces	16:54	22:58	05:02	Naked Eye
Mars♂	Visible Low	1.0	29.3°	82°	Cancer	00:50	07:26	14:01	Naked Eye
Mercury☿	Below Horizon	0.4	-67.2°	87°	Libra	08:04	13:26	18:52	Binoculars
Uranus♅	Optimal Visibility	5.6	81.1°	250°	Taurus	19:48	02:29	09:11	Binoculars
Neptune♆	Visible Low	7.8	18.6°	261°	Pisces	16:28	22:28	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

RISES15:53

BEST TIME22:02S · 66° high

SETS04:17

Reaches about 66° above the horizon at its highest point.Waxing Gibbous (93% illuminated). Minimal Lunar Glare.

JupiterNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES01:31

BEST TIME08:00S · 80° high

SETS14:28

Reaches about 80° above the horizon at its highest point.Bright golden disc; four Galilean moons easily seen in 7x50 binoculars.

SaturnNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES16:54

BEST TIME22:58S · 67° high

SETS05:02

Reaches about 67° above the horizon at its highest point.Pale amber jewel; majestic ring system visible in any 60mm telescope.

VenusNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES06:33

BEST TIME12:01S · 48° high

SETS17:34

Reaches about 48° above the horizon at its highest point.Brilliant dazzling beacon; visible crescent phase in small telescope.

MarsNaked Eye · High in the sky

RISES00:50

BEST TIME07:26S · 84° high

SETS14:01

Reaches about 84° 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.