Last September, we were presented with a variety of sky views, from conjunction, opposition, to meteor showers. In addition, the Earth also experiences an equinox with the Sun towards the end of the moon.
Missed the phenomenon in the September sky? No need to worry because the phenomenon in the sky in October is no less spectacular. Here are some celestial events you can see in the sky in October!
1. October 3: Venus is at the aphelion point
Starting on October 3, the 2nd planet of the solar system, Venus, will be at its furthest point from the Sun or aphelion. The distribution of the Sun’s energy on the Venusian surface will remain the same as when the planet reaches its closest distance or perihelion.
At this point, In the Sky estimates that the distance between Venus and the Sun is around 0.73 AU or nearly 110 million kilometers. Can be seen in the constellation Libra, the phenomenon of Venus at the point aphelion to the Sun can be seen at 11:07 local time.
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2. October 8: The peak of the Draconid meteor shower
meteor shower (wired.com)–
Meteor Rain Draconid active from 6 to 10 October. Well, the best time to see a meteor shower in the constellation Draco This is on the 8th of October. You can start seeing meteor showers Draconid from the northern sky since 19.00 local time.
Info Astronomy says that at its peak, you can see up to 10 meteors. No need for a telescope, this phenomenon can be witnessed in a sky free of light pollution and a wide field of view such as mountains, fields, or beaches.
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3. October 10: The moon meets Venus
illustration of the conjunction of Venus and the Moon (space.com)–
After being served a meteor shower Draconid, you can see the meeting between the Moon and the planet Venus. Still in the crescent phase, the Moon and Venus will be 4° apart.
This phenomenon can be seen at 18.30 local time in the western sky with a magnitude of -4.2. Indeed, Venus will look like a bright star. To see Venus in detail, Info Astronomy suggest using a telescope with a magnification capability of 225 times.
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4. October 11: Peak of the -Aurigid . meteor shower
meteor shower (thethaiger.com)–
Missed the meteor shower Draconid? No problem, because you can still see the peak of the meteor shower δ-Aurigid in the constellation Auriga. This meteor shower lasts from October 10 to 18, with a peak on October 11.
Seen starting at 22.00 local time, the peak of this meteor shower is predicted to have minimal intensity, 2 meteors per hour. So, keep your eyes open!
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5. October 14: The moon coincides with Saturn
Moon and Saturn illustration (adjustyoursailswithme.medium.com)–
On October 14, the planet known for its rings, Saturn, will be close to the Moon. Being in the constellation Capricornus in the eastern sky, the Moon is at magnitude -12.2, while Saturn is at 0.3 and only 3° apart from each other.
Keep in mind, because Saturn is farther away, this planet looks much dimmer than Jupiter. If you want Saturn to see in complete detail with its rings and moons, then you need a telescope with a magnification of 175 times.
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6. October 15: Jupiter’s turn to greet the Moon
conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter (wikimedia.org)–
Since December 2020, Jupiter and Saturn have been chasing each other. After Saturn, Jupiter also does not want to lose. The largest planet in the solar system is in conjunction with the Moon on October 15.
Can be seen at 18.30 local time, these two celestial bodies will be in the constellation Capricornus and are only 4° apart from each other. Although it is the largest in the solar system, from Earth, Jupiter’s distance makes it look like a small star. So, you need a telescope with a magnification of at least 75 times to see it in detail.
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7. October 17: The dwarf planet 136199 Eris is close to Earth
Image of Eris, a dwarf planet in the Kuiper Belt zone. (space.com)–
Interested in seeing a dwarf planet in Earth’s sky? Don’t miss 136199 Eris. Seen in the constellation Cetus, Eris is seen at sunrise and will set at dawn the next day.
According to the page In the Sky, Eris can be seen since 19.00 local time from the eastern sky. Unfortunately, because it is quite far from Earth, it is quite difficult to see Eris even with a telescope.
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8. 18 October: Peak of the -Geminid meteor shower
meteor shower (independent.co.uk) –
Meteor Rain ε-Geminid actually takes place from 14 to 27 October next. Well, the peak of this meteor activity is predicted on 18 October. As the name implies, this meteor shower occurs in the constellation Gemini in the eastern sky.
according to In the Sky, meteor Rain ε-Geminid will be visible from 23:00 pm and will continue to be active until dawn on 19 October. At its peak, you can watch a meteor shower with an intensity of 2-3 meteors per hour. So, make sure your field of view is wide.
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9. October 21: Peak of the Orionid meteor shower
meteor shower (cbc.ca)–
Active from October 2 to November 7, meteor shower Orionid will reach its peak on October 21 next. As the name suggests, this meteor shower occurs in the constellation Orion. This meteor shower is thought to be caused by comet 1P or the one we are familiar with Halley.
Although it has been visible since 22.30 local time in the eastern sky, Info Astronomy advise to wait until the early hours of the morning for the meteors to be seen a lot. At its peak and plus clear skies without pollution, meteor showers Orionid will fall with an intensity of 13-15 meteors per hour!
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10. October 24: The peak of the Leonis Minorid meteor shower
meteor shower (masslive.com)–
Meteor Rain Leonis Minorid will take place from 19 to 27 October. Well, the peak of the meteor shower will certainly occur on October 24 next. As the name implies, this meteor shower occurs in the constellations Leo Minor in the eastern sky.
according to In the SkyThis meteor shower can be seen since 02.00 in the morning local time and remains active until 05.00 in the morning. Unfortunately, the intensity of the meteor shower Leonis Minorid minimal, which is 0-2 meteors per hour only.
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11. October 25: Mercury at maximum elongation west
planet Mercury (pixabay.com/WikiImages)–
As the planet closest to the sun, Mercury’s existence is very predictable. Well, on October 25, you can see Mercury exactly 15° in the eastern sky.
You can see this phenomenon at 05.00 local time. At that time, Mercury will appear as a small bright star with a magnitude of 0.5. To see Mercury, Info Astronomy recommends a telescope with a magnification of 225 times.
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12. October 29: Venus in the eastern maximum elongation
planet Venus (scienceabc.com)–
Closing the month of October, you will see the planet Venus again on October 29th. This time, Venus will be at the point of maximum elongation east of the Sun.
While the Sun is in the constellation Virgo, Venus will be seen in the constellation Ophiuchus. according to In the Sky, Venus will be visible at magnitude -4.4 at around 18:00 local time.
Those are some celestial phenomena that you can see this October. How? Interesting enough to miss, right? Do not miss!
Also read: Believe it or not, these are 15 of the strangest but real galaxies
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