The October sky features several meteor showers and a parade of planets in the wee, small, hours all month long. British Summer Time ends on 25 October at 2 am.
The Sun passes from Virgo (The Maiden) on 31 October 11:43 am and enters Libra (The Scales) and comes closer by 1,292,784 km (0.009 AU) over the whole month. Daylight shortens from 11:33 (11.543 hours) on 1 October to 09:17 (9.287 hours) on 31 October so we gain 2 hours and 15 minutes of night time, by the end of the month.
The Moon begins the month in Taurus (The Bull) and ends in Gemini
(The Twins) but recedes by 353 km. Lunar perigee (closest to Earth)
on 1 October at 10:01 pm finds the Moon some 369,301 km away from
Earth—around 15,099 km closer than average—subtending an angle of
32.3 arc-minutes. This is followed by last quarter on 3 October at
2:25 pm in Gemini (The Twins). The new Moon appears on 10 October at
4:50 pm in Virgo (The Maiden) beginning a new synodic (Lunar) month
which will last 29 days, 15 hours and 12 minutes. Lunar apogee
(furthest from Earth) occurs on 17 October at 12:00 am and takes the
Moon to 404,681 km away from Earth—around 20,281 km further than
average—subtending an angle of 29.5 arc-minutes. The first quarter
of the new Lunar cycle shows up on 18 October at 5:13 pm in
Sagittarius (The Archer). The full Hunter’s Moon appears on 26
October at 4:12 am in Aries (The Ram). Finally, a second Lunar
perigee (closest to Earth) occurs on 28 October at 6:15 pm finds the
Moon some 364,386 km away from Earth—around 20,014 km closer than
average—subtending an angle of 32.8 arc-minutes.
We have several conjunctions of the Moon with bright stars in
October. On 4 October, the waning crescent Moon meets Pollux in
Gemini (The Twins) in the wee, small, hours. On 7 October, the waning
crescent Moon conjuncts with Regulus in Leo (The Lion) in the
pre-dawn hours. On 14 October, the waxing crescent Moon appears very
low on the southern horizon, in the later evening, to meet up with
Antares in Scorpio (The Scorpion). Finally, the Pleiades (Seven
Sisters, M45) meet with the waning gibbous Moon after midnight on 28
October.
For the inferior planets: Mercury begins the month in Virgo (The
Maiden) and ends in Libra (The Scales) and approaches by 73,931,507
km (0.494 AU). The swift planet decreases in magnitude from -0.08 to
3.16 (19.79 times in brightness) over the month. On 12 month, Mercury
reaches greatest elongation east. On 24 month, Mercury’s orbit
becomes retrograde. Mercury will be difficult to see all month due to
low altitude and civil twilight. Venus remains in Virgo (The Maiden)
all month and approaches by 10,155,697 km (0.068 AU). The evening
star planet decreases in magnitude from -4.78 to -4.17 (1.75 times in
brightness) but remains bright. Venus’ orbit becomes retrograde on 2
October. Venus reaches inferior conjunction on 24 October. Earth and
Venus will be closest all year at 41 million km. Even though Venus
remains bright, observing will be poor due, again, to low altitude
and civil twilight.
I have adjusted the sky map this month, to show 3 am as opposed to
the usual 10 pm, since there will be 5 planets visible in the sky
around this time all month long. To be sure Uranus and Neptune will
require ocular enhancement but the primary superior planets are
bright enough to see with the naked eye.
For the superior planets: Mars begins the month in Cancer (The Crab)
and ends in Leo (The Lion) and approaches by 34,845,628 km (0.233
AU). The red planet increases in magnitude from 1.11 to 0.86 (1.26
times in brightness) over October. On 5 October, just before sunrise,
Mars will begin being occulted by the waning crescent Moon. Jupiter
remains in Leo (The Lion) all month and approaches by 63,008,371 km
(0.421 AU). The giant planet increases in magnitude from -1.87 to
-2.00 (1.13 times in brightness) over the month. Like Mars, but a day
later on 6 October, Jupiter will be occulted by the waning crescent
Moon in the late morning. Although the occultation will not be
visible from Edinburgh and Lothian, Jupiter will conjunct with the
Moon beforehand before sunrise.
Saturn remains in Cetus (The Sea Monster) all month but recedes by
16,703,656 km (0.112 AU). The ringed planet decreases in magnitude
from 0.35 to 0.46 (1.11 times in brightness) over the month. On 4
October, Saturn reaches opposition so it will be highly visible in
the overnight sky. It will also be closest to Earth, all year, at
this time. Uranus remains in Taurus (The Bull) all month and
approaches by 52,099,658 km (0.348 AU). The green giant planet
increases in magnitude from 5.65 to 5.61 (1.04 times in brightness).
Neptune remains in Pisces (The Fishes) all month but recedes by
28,884,719 km (0.193 AU). The blue giant planet decreases in
magnitude from 7.68 to 7.69 (1.01 times in brightness).
October is a reasonably good month, this year, for shooting star
watchers. On 6 October we have the October Camelopardalids (281 OCT)
and on 9 October we have the October Draconids (009 DRA). Both of
these constellations are circumpolar so the meteors should be visible
all night. Activity is low but both are free of strong moonlight. The
epsilon-Geminids (023 EGE) on 18 October, also with a lowly ZHR,
should be fine as Gemini (The Twins) rises as the quarter Moon sets.
The Orionids (008 ORI) will peak on 21 October with a ZHR of 20. The
waxing gibbous Moon is bright but sets around 1 am the following
morning leaving, at least, 6–7 hours before sunrise. The parent
comet is the most famous of them all: 1/P Halley. The radiant point
is close to another famous object: Betelgeuse in Orion (The Hunter).
Finally, on 24 October we have the Leonis Minorid (022 LMI) meteor
shower. Since the radiant point is between the hind legs of Ursa
Major (The Great Bear), they are circumpolar and visible all night.
Reserve your energy, though, because the almost full Moon will spoil
the show and it’s barely worth trying to catch the, at best, 1 meteor
every half hour!
At the time of our sky map, some constellations visible are
Cassiopeia (The Seated Queen) at zenith, Draco (The Dragon) in the
north, Lynx (The Lynx) in the east, Pegasus (The Winged Horse) in the
west and Eridanus (The River) in the south. The ecliptic hosts Leo
(The Lion), Cancer (The Crab), Gemini (The Twins), Taurus (The Bull),
Aries (The Ram), Pisces (The Fishes) and Aquarius (The Water Bearer)
at that time.
The ‘Winter Triangle’—Procyon in Canis Minor (The Lesser Dog),
Sirius in Canis Major (The Greater Dog) and Betelgeuse in Orion (The
Hunter) is prominent in the south-east. Circumpolar constellations,
those always above the horizon, include Camelopardalis (The Giraffe),
Cepheus (The King) and Perseus (The Hero).
