SkyEye

The Calendar

Time to dust off the telescope and point it at Uranus, at opposition late this month and as bright as it gets in the sky.

The Solar System

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for 'wanderer'. Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Virgo → Libra

Mercury Virgo → Libra

Another aphelion occurs on the third day of the month. Of more interest is Mercury's attainment of greatest elongation east (nearly 25°) on 20 October and its conjunction with Venus ten days later. Mercury is virtually unobservable from northern temperate latitudes during this apparition, with the planet staying close to the western horizon.

Venus Virgo → Libra

The evening star continues to gain altitude above the western horizon, favouring viewers in the southern hemisphere. Shining at magnitude −3.9, Venus appears to be 94% illuminated when observed through a telescope. It appears within 3° of fainter Mercury on 30 October.

Earth and Moon

Both the Draconid meteor shower on 9 October and the Orionid meteor shower on 22 October fall victim to moonlit skies.

Mars Virgo

Now a second-magnitude morning sky object, Mars is just visible low in the east before sunrise. Mars reaches solstice on 8 October, bringing summer sunshine to the northern hemisphere and cold winter to the south.

Jupiter Ophiuchus

The waxing crescent Moon visits Jupiter twice this month. On the third day of the month, the Moon passes less than 2° north of the giant planet. Later, on the last day of the month, the Moon makes an even closer approach. Jupiter is an evening sky object visible in the west after sunset.

Saturn Sagittarius

Saturn is occulted again this month, with the Moon eclipsing the ringed planet on 5 October from about 18:15 UT. Two days later, Saturn reaches east quadrature. Like west quadrature in April, this is an excellent time to observe the planet through a telescope. Saturn is visible in the evening and is best viewed from tropical and southern latitudes.

Uranus Aries

This is the best time to try to observe Uranus. At opposition on 28 October, it is at its absolute brightest, shining at magnitude +5.7, and is visible for most of the night.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. At opposition last month, Neptune is an evening sky object, not setting until just before sunrise.