What’s Up in the October Sky

October’s Evening Planets

Bright Venus will be up in Libra the Scales for one hour after sunset, close to the horizon in the first week of October. Jupiter will be in Libra the Scales until 9 PM and setting earlier every night until 7 PM by the end of October. Saturn will be in Sagittarius the Archer until 11 PM and setting earlier every night until 9 PM by the end of the month. Red Mars will be up until around 1 AM in Capricornus the Sea-goat.  Neptune is in Aquarius the Water bearer and Uranus will be in Pisces the Fish all night. Mercury up until 7 PM close to the horizon moving between Virgo the Maiden and Libra the Scales through the month.

Dwarf Pluto is in Sagittarius until around 10 PM.

October’s Evening Stars

Spot the Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle. Spot Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion, and spot Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman until 8 PM. Bright Capella is in Auriga the Charioteer and Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull. Spot the stars of constellations Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Draco, Sagittarius, Pegasus, Hercules, Aquarius, Aries, Taurus, Capricornus and the two Dippers (the Big and Little Dippers).

October’s Morning Planets

Uranus will be in Pisces the Fish until the morning. Neptune is in Aquarius the Water bearer until 5 AM and setting earlier every morning.

October’s Morning Stars

Sirius, the brightest star from Earth, will be up until the morning in Canis Major the Great Dog. Spot Capella in Auriga the charioteer, Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull, Betelgeuse and Rigel in Orion the Hunter,  and the stars of Aries, Gemini, Orion, Pisces, Pegasus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cetus, Draco, Perseus, Leo, and the two Dippers (the Big and Little Dippers).

October Skylights

Oct   2   Last Quarter Moon at  5:45  PM
Oct   5   Moon at perigee (227,700 miles away)
Oct   8   New Moon at  11:45 PM
Oct   7   Draconid Meteor Shower peaks tonight
Oct 16  First Quarter Moon at 2:00 PM
Oct 17  Moon at apogee (251,200 miles away)
Oct 21  Orionid Meteor Shower peaks, pre-dawn
Oct 24  Full Moon at 12:45 PM
Oct 31  Last Quarter Moon at  12:40  PM
Oct 30   Moon at perigee (230,000 miles away, furthest of 2018)

Times given in EDT.