October has a good mix of planets, two meteor showers, and some dark-sky time around the new moon.
Planets
- Saturn: It reached opposition on October 4, so it’s visible throughout the night. It’s at its biggest and brightest for the year right now, and a small telescope will show the rings. astrobackyard
- Mars and Jupiter before sunrise: The Moon passes Mars and Jupiter over the mornings of October 5 and 6. Tomorrow morning’s Moon-Jupiter meeting is the one still ahead of you. The Moon will actually pass in front of Jupiter from some locations, though most observers will see a close pairing instead.
- Mercury and Venus: They sit low in the evening twilight, so you need a clear western horizon after sunset.
Click here for details from Cosmic Pursuits.
Tom Kimber – News