What’s Up in the Sky – October 2023
AAA Observers’ October Guide
By Tony Faddoul
October’s Evening Planets: Bright Jupiter will be in Ares the Ram and Saturn will be in Aquarius the Water-bearer all night. Find Uranus in Taurus the Bull and Neptune in Pisces the Fish. Dwarf Pluto is in Sagittarius the Archer until midnight and setting earlier every night.
October’s Evening Stars: The Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle until 1 AM and setting earlier each night. The Winter Triangle of Sirius (the brightest star viewed from Earth) in Canis Major the Great Dog, Betelgeuse in Orion the Hunter, and Procyon in Canis Minor the Small Dog will be up as of 1 AM and rising earlier each night. 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, Cetus, Capricornus and the two Dippers (the Big and Little Dippers).
October’s Morning Planets: Bright Venus will be up as of 3 AM, moving between Cancer the Crab and Leo the Lion throughout October. Mercury will be up around 6 AM close to the horizon in Virgo the Maiden in the first week of the month. Jupiter and Aries will be in Ares the Ram until sunrise. Neptune will be in Aquarius the Water bearer until 6 AM and setting earlier every morning.
October’s Morning Stars: Spot the Winter Triangle of Sirius (the brightest star viewed from Earth) in Canis Major the Great Dog, Betelgeuse in Orion the Hunter, and Procyon in Canis Minor the Small 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, Cepheus, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Cetus, Draco, Perseus, Leo, and the two Dippers (the Big and Little Dippers).
October Skylight
Oct 2 Moon is 3° above Jupiter – midnight
Oct 6 Last Quarter Moon at 9:50 PM
Oct 12 Moon at apogee (251,900 miles away)
Oct 10 Venus is 2° below Regulus
Oct 14 Annular solar eclipse, partial in NY, Maximum around 1:22 PM; New Moon at 1:55 PM
Oct 21 Orionid Meteor Shower Peaks, Pre-dawn
Oct 22 First Quarter Moon at 11:30 PM
Oct 24 Moon is 3° below Saturn
Oct 25 Moon at perigee (226,700 miles away)
Oct 28 Full Moon at 4:25 PM
Oct 28 Partial lunar eclipse, Maximum around 6:00 PM
Oct 29 Moon is 3° above Jupiter – predawn
