What's Up In The Sky Now?
October, 2024
Our Solar System - notes by DMAS member, JoAnn Cogil
It is still possible to see the Zodiacal Lights the first couple weeks of October!!! Look to the eastern sky about 2 hours before sunrise
Mercury
MERCURY - on the 3rd, the Moon will be about 1.8° S-SW of the planet in the evening sky. But by mid-month Mercury will be lost in the Sun’s glare as it sets quickly after sunset.
Venus
VENUS - remains in the evening sky till March 2025. But as it sets this month almost 1 hour after sunset, we may get some great viewing opportunities of this beauty with its -3.9 magnitude. On the 14th, the Moon & Venus pair up nicely in the W-SW evening sky. Venus will be about 3° upper right of the star Antares on the 25th, in the SW after sunset. Antares is a 1st magnitude star.
Earth
EARTH - October brings colorful leaves falling to the ground, Happy Halloween and a GREAT month for night sky stargazing!!
Mars
MARS - rises after midnight this month with a magnitude of 0.5 & brightening to 0.1 at month’s end. On the early morning of the 20th in the eastern sky, the red planet crosses a straight line we find running from Pollux to Procyon. Enjoy Mars about 4° south of the Moon on the 23rd.
Jupiter
JUPITER - moves into retrograde (westward movement) by the 9th this month. Find the planet between the horns of Taurus with a magnitude of -2.5. Early morning provides the best viewing times. On the 19th, Jupiter follows the Moon as it trails after the Pleiades (M45).
Saturn
SATURN - The planet is always a fan-favorite during public viewing on Saturday nights at Ashton! This beauty is still in its retrograde motion and is in the SE evening sky as it rises after sunset. It will be in the constellation Aquarius and the moons are quite active this month. On the 14th, the planet will be about 3½° to the upper right of the Moon. Gotta love it with a magnitude of +0.7.
Uranus
URANUS - Another planet in retrograde motion, found in Taurus. Uranus is about 6° SW of the Pleiades all month. It has a magnitude of 5.6 this month with the best viewing in the pre-dawn hours. So set you alarms, Rise & Shine for this one!!
Neptune
NEPTUNE - remains in Pisces with a magnitude of 7.8. It rises before sunset in the SE.
The Moon
- New Moon, October 02
- First Quarter, October 10
- Full Moon, October 17 (super moon)
- Last Quarter, October 24