SkyEye: October 2024

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events!

All times and dates are in UT with the time given to the nearest 30 minutes.
Planetary positions are geocentric apparent places, referred to the true equator and equinox of date.

The phases of the in October 2024

Day	Events
1
2	The NEW MOON passes through its descending node, resulting in an annular solar eclipse. Coincidentally, it also reaches its most distant apogee of the year at around the same time.
3	The very thin crescent Moon passes 1.8° south of Mercury at 01:00 and at 09:30, the Moon occults the first-magnitude star α Vir (Spica). Also today, the dwarf planet 136472 Makemake is at conjunction. None of these events will be visible due to the close proximity of the Sun.
4
5	The waxing crescent Moon pairs with Venus at 21:30 when the two bodies are 3.0° distant.
6
7	At 19:00, the Moon occults the first-magnitude star α Sco (Antares). Later, Jupiter attains its maximum northerly declination for the year.
8	The Draconid meteor shower peaks at around 13:00 and is largely unaffected by moonlight.
9	Jupiter reaches a stationary point and begins retrograde motion.
10	FIRST QUARTER MOON
11
12
13
14	Mars is at west quadrature today. At 17:00, the waxing gibbous Moon passes 0.1° north of Saturn, resulting in a lunar occultation for some parts of the world.
15	It is now the turn of Neptune, which is occulted by the Moon beginning around 16:30.
16	The Moon passes through its ascending node. Also, the minor planet 3 Juno is at conjunction.
17	Perigee occurs about 11 hours before FULL MOON, resulting in perigean spring tides and the largest (in apparent angular diameter) FULL MOON of the year.
18	The nineteenth-magnitude dwarf planet 136199 Eris is at opposition.
19	Mars is 5.7° south of the first-magnitude star β Gem (Pollux) at 00:30. At 17:00, the Moon is 4.5° north of Uranus and less than three hours later is occulting the open star cluster M45 (Pleiades).
20
21	The light from the waning gibbous Moon ruins this year's observations of the Orionid meteor shower but does not interfere with the sight of Jupiter 5.8° south of our satellite at 09:00.
22
23	At 17:30, the Moon is 1.7° south of the first-magnitude star β Gem (Pollux), and at 21:00, is 3.9° north of Mars.
24	The LAST QUARTER MOON is 3.1° north of the open star cluster M44 (Beehive) at 17:30. Also today, the dwarf planet 136108 Haumea is at conjunction.
25	Venus is found 3.0° north of the first-magnitude star α Sco (Antares) at 23:30.
26	At 13:30, the Moon is 2.9° north of the first-magnitude star α Leo (Regulus).
27
28
29	The Moon passes through its descending node and then arrives at apogee.
30
31	The waning crescent Moon occults the first-magnitude star α Vir (Spica) at 06:00.

The position of the Sun and planets at mid-October 2024

Sun Virgo → Libra

Mercury Virgo → Libra Mercury begins its final evening apparition of the year but it will be a poor showing for those in northern temperate latitudes. The planet begins near the horizon at a bright magnitude −1.7 but it gets fainter as it climbs into the sky, ending the month at −0.3. The Moon passes 1.8° north of the planet on the third day of the month.

Venus Virgo → Libra → Scorpius → Ophiuchus The evening star is gaining altitude above the western horizon but like its neighbour Mercury, is best viewed from equatorial and southern regions. It comes to within 3.0° of both the Moon (on 5 October) and the bright star Antares (on 25 October).

Earth and Moon The annular solar eclipse on the second day of the month corresponds to the most distant apogee of the year, and the Full Moon of 17 October occurs near perigee, leading to the "largest" Full Moon of the year. There is little moonlight early in the month when the Draconid meteor shower peaks but the Orionids are washed out during their appearance in mid-October. Both Saturn and Neptune are occulted by the Moon this month, along with the usual stellar targets of Antares, Spica, and the Pleiades.

Mars Gemini → Cancer Mars reaches west quadrature this month and presents a gibbous appearance in a telescope. It is brightening throughout the month, ending at magnitude +0.1, and is visible from late evening. It continues its travels through Gemini, passing the fourth-magnitude stars Mekbuda (ζ Gem), Wasat (δ Gem), and κ Gem on 1 October, 9 October, and 20 October respectively.

Jupiter Taurus The largest planet in the solar system begins retrograde motion early in the month. It is getting brighter, beginning at magnitude −2.5 and ending at −2.7, and is best seen from the northern hemisphere where the planet rises in the early evening.

Saturn Aquarius Saturn was at opposition last month and is already aloft when the skies darken after sunset. The ringed planet is occulted by the Moon on 14 October.

Uranus Taurus Uranus is rising earlier every night and is visible from mid-evening.

Neptune Pisces A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. It is located not far from Saturn in the sky and is occulted by the Moon one day after Saturn's event.