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October Sky Guide
- Neill
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17 years 2 months ago #51533
by Neill
October Sky Guide was created by Neill
Hi all,
Guide for October is below.
OBSERVING GUIDE
(Please note all times are BST unless otherwise stated and are based on an observing location of Belfast)
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 07:25 and sets at 19:00. By the end of the month, it rises at 07:25 UT and sets at 16:50 UT.
The Planets
Mars (mag -0.1) passes less than a degree to the South of M35 (mag +5.1) on the morning of the 3rd.
Jupiter (mag -1.
has a close encounter with the globular cluster NGC 6235 (mag +10.2) on the evening of the 3rd.
Between the 11th and the 17th, Venus and Saturn will be close together in the pre-dawn sky with closest approach on the morning of the 14th when Venus passes within less than 3 degrees of Saturn.
Jupiter passes less than a degree to the North of globular cluster NGC 6287 (mag +9.2) on the evening of the 20th.
Mercury is at inferior conjunction on the 23rd. It will be very hard to observe this month as it will be low down on the horizon. At the start of the month, it sets only twenty minutes after the Sun at 19:20 and by month’s end it has become a morning object and rises over one hour before the Sun at 06:00 UT.
Venus is a prominent morning object this month, rising at the start of the month at 03:30 and by month’s end it rises at 02:50 UT. It fades from mag -4.5 at the start of the month to mag -4.4 by month’s end.
Mars rises at 22:15 at the start of month and by 19:50 UT by month’s end. It is present in Gemini throughout the month and brightens from mag -0.1 at the start of the month to mag -0.6 by month’s end.
Jupiter is to be found low in the South in Ophiuchus. At the start of the month, it sets at 21:20 and by month’s end, it sets at 18:40 UT. It fades from mag -2.0 at the start of the month to mag -1.9 by month’s end.
Saturn is a morning object. It rises at the start of the month at 04:00 and by month’s end, it rises at 01:20 UT. It can be found in Leo and fades from mag +0.7 at the start of the month to mag +0.8 by month’s end.
Uranus can be found low in the South in Aquarius. It sets at 05:25 at the start of the month and by month’s end, it sets at 02:20 UT. It fades from mag +5.7 at the start of the month to mag +5.8 by month’s end. It moves away from Phi Aquarii, a mag +4.2 star throughout the month towards Lambda Aquarii, a mag +3.7 star.
Neptune can found low in the South in Capricornus, within two degrees to the North East of Iota Capricorni, a mag +4.3 star. At the start of the month, it sets at 02:50 and by month’s end, it sets at 23:45 UT. It maintains its brightness at mag +7.9 throughout the month.
The Moon
The last quarter moon is on the 3rd, the new moon is on 11th with the first quarter moon on the 19th. The full moon this month is on the 26th.
On the morning of the 4th, a 31 % illuminated waning crescent moon passes close to M44 – The Beehive Cluster. At dawn the moon lies less than 4 degrees to the West of the cluster.
On the morning of the 7th, there is an occultation of Regulus (Alpha Leonis) by a 15% illuminated waning crescent moon. The event line for this occultation runs from Doona in County Mayo on the West coast to just South of Dundalk on the East Coast.
Any location to the North will see a near miss, on the line itself – a grazing occultation will be observed. Locations to the South will observe a full occultation. Approximate timings for this event are from 06:00 for the disappearance and from 06:40 for the reappearance of Regulus.
Venus and Saturn complete the scene with Venus less than 3 degrees to the South West and Saturn less than 5 degrees to the East of the moon.
On the morning of the 10th, a 1% illuminated waning crescent may be observed just before sunrise in the East. Moonrise will be at 06:55.
On the evening of the 20th, a 67% illuminated waxing gibbous moon lies close to Neptune, to the South West of the planet.
On the evening of the 22nd/morning of the 23rd, a 85% illuminated waxing gibbous moon passes within less than 2 degrees of Uranus.
On the evening of the 27th/morning of the 28th, there is an occultation of M45 – The Pleiades by a 95% waning gibbous moon. The moon will move through the open cluster from about 23:00.
On the evening of the 30th, a 70% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies close to Mars, to the North of the planet.
Meteors
There are three showers this month. First up is the Draconids which peak on the morning of the 9th at approximately 05:30. The ZHR is variable for this shower and meteors are characteristically very slow-moving. There will be little or no lunar interference for this shower as the 4% illuminated waning crescent moon only rises at 05:40 on the morning of the 9th.
The Epsilon Geminids peak on the evening of the 18th/morning of the 19th with a ZHR of 2. There will be little or no lunar interference for this shower as the 45% illuminated waxing crescent moon sets at 22:10 on the evening of the 18th
The Orionids peak on the evening of the 21st/morning of the 22nd with a ZHR of 25. There may be some lunar interference for this shower as the 77% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets at 02:30 on the morning of the 22nd.
Comets
There are currently no bright comets visible. However weekly updates on comets can be found at www.aerith.net and finder charts for locating comets can be found at;
www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, the summer triangle of Deneb in Cygnus, Vega in Lyra and Altair in Aquila is still prominent. Check out NGC 7000 – the North America Nebula in Cygnus. It lies 3 degrees to the East of Deneb. M31 – the Great Andromeda Galaxy can be found in Andromeda, along with its two satellite galaxies – M32 and M110. M33 – a good spiral galaxy can be found in Triangulum. The Double Cluster – NGC 869 and NGC 884 makes for a great sight in Perseus. M76 - the Little Dumbbell Nebula can also be found in Perseus. M57 – The Ring Nebula lies to the South of Vega, roughly a quarter of the way between Vega and Altair and in Vulpecula, M27 – the Dumbbell Nebula can be located. The spiral galaxy M74 can be located in Pisces. The globular clusters M2 and M72 and the open cluster M73 can be located in Aquarius. Finally there are some excellent open clusters in Auriga and Gemini - M35 in Gemini, M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga.
For further observing information, check out www.eaas.co.uk/stargazers.html
General Notes
On the morning of the 28th at 02:00, the clocks go back one hour and daylight saving ends. Always keep an eye out for Aurorae. Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae.
Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal Light and the Gegenschein. Both are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution.
Moonlight also hampers the view.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com for the latest passes of the ISS and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
Guide for October is below.
OBSERVING GUIDE
(Please note all times are BST unless otherwise stated and are based on an observing location of Belfast)
The Sun
At the start of the month the Sun rises at 07:25 and sets at 19:00. By the end of the month, it rises at 07:25 UT and sets at 16:50 UT.
The Planets
Mars (mag -0.1) passes less than a degree to the South of M35 (mag +5.1) on the morning of the 3rd.
Jupiter (mag -1.
has a close encounter with the globular cluster NGC 6235 (mag +10.2) on the evening of the 3rd.Between the 11th and the 17th, Venus and Saturn will be close together in the pre-dawn sky with closest approach on the morning of the 14th when Venus passes within less than 3 degrees of Saturn.
Jupiter passes less than a degree to the North of globular cluster NGC 6287 (mag +9.2) on the evening of the 20th.
Mercury is at inferior conjunction on the 23rd. It will be very hard to observe this month as it will be low down on the horizon. At the start of the month, it sets only twenty minutes after the Sun at 19:20 and by month’s end it has become a morning object and rises over one hour before the Sun at 06:00 UT.
Venus is a prominent morning object this month, rising at the start of the month at 03:30 and by month’s end it rises at 02:50 UT. It fades from mag -4.5 at the start of the month to mag -4.4 by month’s end.
Mars rises at 22:15 at the start of month and by 19:50 UT by month’s end. It is present in Gemini throughout the month and brightens from mag -0.1 at the start of the month to mag -0.6 by month’s end.
Jupiter is to be found low in the South in Ophiuchus. At the start of the month, it sets at 21:20 and by month’s end, it sets at 18:40 UT. It fades from mag -2.0 at the start of the month to mag -1.9 by month’s end.
Saturn is a morning object. It rises at the start of the month at 04:00 and by month’s end, it rises at 01:20 UT. It can be found in Leo and fades from mag +0.7 at the start of the month to mag +0.8 by month’s end.
Uranus can be found low in the South in Aquarius. It sets at 05:25 at the start of the month and by month’s end, it sets at 02:20 UT. It fades from mag +5.7 at the start of the month to mag +5.8 by month’s end. It moves away from Phi Aquarii, a mag +4.2 star throughout the month towards Lambda Aquarii, a mag +3.7 star.
Neptune can found low in the South in Capricornus, within two degrees to the North East of Iota Capricorni, a mag +4.3 star. At the start of the month, it sets at 02:50 and by month’s end, it sets at 23:45 UT. It maintains its brightness at mag +7.9 throughout the month.
The Moon
The last quarter moon is on the 3rd, the new moon is on 11th with the first quarter moon on the 19th. The full moon this month is on the 26th.
On the morning of the 4th, a 31 % illuminated waning crescent moon passes close to M44 – The Beehive Cluster. At dawn the moon lies less than 4 degrees to the West of the cluster.
On the morning of the 7th, there is an occultation of Regulus (Alpha Leonis) by a 15% illuminated waning crescent moon. The event line for this occultation runs from Doona in County Mayo on the West coast to just South of Dundalk on the East Coast.
Any location to the North will see a near miss, on the line itself – a grazing occultation will be observed. Locations to the South will observe a full occultation. Approximate timings for this event are from 06:00 for the disappearance and from 06:40 for the reappearance of Regulus.
Venus and Saturn complete the scene with Venus less than 3 degrees to the South West and Saturn less than 5 degrees to the East of the moon.
On the morning of the 10th, a 1% illuminated waning crescent may be observed just before sunrise in the East. Moonrise will be at 06:55.
On the evening of the 20th, a 67% illuminated waxing gibbous moon lies close to Neptune, to the South West of the planet.
On the evening of the 22nd/morning of the 23rd, a 85% illuminated waxing gibbous moon passes within less than 2 degrees of Uranus.
On the evening of the 27th/morning of the 28th, there is an occultation of M45 – The Pleiades by a 95% waning gibbous moon. The moon will move through the open cluster from about 23:00.
On the evening of the 30th, a 70% illuminated waning gibbous moon lies close to Mars, to the North of the planet.
Meteors
There are three showers this month. First up is the Draconids which peak on the morning of the 9th at approximately 05:30. The ZHR is variable for this shower and meteors are characteristically very slow-moving. There will be little or no lunar interference for this shower as the 4% illuminated waning crescent moon only rises at 05:40 on the morning of the 9th.
The Epsilon Geminids peak on the evening of the 18th/morning of the 19th with a ZHR of 2. There will be little or no lunar interference for this shower as the 45% illuminated waxing crescent moon sets at 22:10 on the evening of the 18th
The Orionids peak on the evening of the 21st/morning of the 22nd with a ZHR of 25. There may be some lunar interference for this shower as the 77% illuminated waxing gibbous moon sets at 02:30 on the morning of the 22nd.
Comets
There are currently no bright comets visible. However weekly updates on comets can be found at www.aerith.net and finder charts for locating comets can be found at;
www.skyhound.com/sh/comets.html
Deep Sky
On the deep sky front this month, the summer triangle of Deneb in Cygnus, Vega in Lyra and Altair in Aquila is still prominent. Check out NGC 7000 – the North America Nebula in Cygnus. It lies 3 degrees to the East of Deneb. M31 – the Great Andromeda Galaxy can be found in Andromeda, along with its two satellite galaxies – M32 and M110. M33 – a good spiral galaxy can be found in Triangulum. The Double Cluster – NGC 869 and NGC 884 makes for a great sight in Perseus. M76 - the Little Dumbbell Nebula can also be found in Perseus. M57 – The Ring Nebula lies to the South of Vega, roughly a quarter of the way between Vega and Altair and in Vulpecula, M27 – the Dumbbell Nebula can be located. The spiral galaxy M74 can be located in Pisces. The globular clusters M2 and M72 and the open cluster M73 can be located in Aquarius. Finally there are some excellent open clusters in Auriga and Gemini - M35 in Gemini, M36, M37 and M38 in Auriga.
For further observing information, check out www.eaas.co.uk/stargazers.html
General Notes
On the morning of the 28th at 02:00, the clocks go back one hour and daylight saving ends. Always keep an eye out for Aurorae. Check out www.stronge.org.uk/spaceweather.html for the most up-to-date information on the aurorae.
Other interesting naked eye phenomena to look out for include the Zodiacal Light and the Gegenschein. Both are caused by sunlight reflecting off dust particles which are present in the solar system. The Zodiacal Light can be seen in the West after evening twilight has disappeared or in the East before the morning twilight. The best time of year to see the phenomenon is late-Feb to early-April in the evening sky and September/October in the morning sky -- it's then that the ecliptic, along which the cone of the zodiacal light lies, is steepest in our skies. The Gegenschein can be seen in the area of the sky opposite the sun. To view either, you must get yourself to a very dark site to cut out the light pollution.
Moonlight also hampers the view.
Finally check out www.heavens-above.com for the latest passes of the ISS and for details of Iridium Flare activity.
Clear Skies
Neill McKeown
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