What are the skywatching highlights for October 2023?
The “Annular Fire” solar eclipse in the Americas on October 14 is the biggest highlight of the month. Furthermore, the moon Jupiter, Saturnand Venus Strike some cool poses for stargazers and planet watchers alike.
What to look for:
It’s a partial solar eclipse! Viewers within a small radius of the Americas will be delighted by the “ring fire” solar eclipse on October 14th. Meanwhile, the moon and planets strike some dazzling poses in his October sky.
September skywatching highlights:
- October 2nd – The moon will rise a few hours after sunset and will appear very close to the Pleiades star cluster. Look for them low in the eastern sky from about 10 p.m. They then fly together across the sky all night.
- From October 3rd In the pre-dawn sky, the moon appears a few fingers away from the Pleiades star cluster. Look for them high in the southwest, on either side of Jupiter and the bright red giant star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus.
- October 10th – On October 10, look for Venus with a narrow crescent moon in the east before sunrise. Among them find the bright heart of the lion Leo, the bluish-white star Regulus.
- October 14th – Annular Solar Eclipse – Along a path approximately 125 miles wide, the Sun appears as a narrow ring of light, often called a “ring of fire.”
- The path of this partial solar eclipse will begin in southern Canada, across the western United States, across Central and South America, and across the American continent.
- Even outside the annular eclipse path, people within the viewing zone can still see the partial solar eclipse.
- The maximum amount of sun covered by the moon depends on your location.
- October 14th – new moon
- October 23rd – If you look south one to two hours after sunset, you’ll see the moon hovering directly below Saturn, about 70% brighter. These two sky-watching favorites can be easily observed with a telescope because they are so close together in the sky.
- October 24th – Find the moon just east of Saturn tonight.
- October 28th – Full Moon – The full moon will rise with Jupiter tonight. These are two of the brightest objects in the sky, and seeing them this close would make for quite an impressive sight.
video transcript
What’s happening in October? Some great moon-planet combinations, a mission to a metal-rich world, and a partial solar eclipse.
On October 2nd, the moon will rise a few hours after sunset and appear very close to the Pleiades star cluster. It will appear low in the eastern sky from around 10pm, so look for it. They travel through the sky together that night, leaving an opportunity to meet again the next morning. In the predawn sky on October 3, the moon appeared a few finger widths away from the Pleiades star cluster, having moved briefly in its orbit around Earth during the night. Look for them high in the southwest sky, adjacent to Jupiter and the bright red giant star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus.
On October 10, look for Venus with a narrow crescent moon in the eastern sky before sunrise. And between them is the bright heart of the lion Leo, the bluish-white star Regulus.
On October 23, if you look south one to two hours after sunset, you’ll see the Moon, about 70% illuminated, directly below Saturn. You can easily observe these two of his sky-watching favorites with a telescope because they are so close together in the sky. The next evening, the Moon will move east of Saturn and still be nearby.
The full moon on October 28th will rise with Jupiter. These are two of the brightest objects in the sky, and seeing them this close would make for quite an impressive sight.
When I look up at Venus, Mars, Mercury (or even the Earth beneath our feet), have you ever wondered how these planets formed from stardust? Planetary scientists think so too. And this month, NASAis launching a spacecraft in search of new insights into how “terrestrial” planets developed. NASA’s Psyche spacecraft is scheduled to launch in October on a multi-year journey to the asteroid of the same name. This is the first mission to a metal-rich asteroid, which could be part of the interior of a planetesimal, the building block of a rocky planet.
Asteroid Psyche may turn out to be another type of iron-rich object never seen before. Whatever the story turns out to be, it is hoped that the mission may show us how Earth’s core and the cores of other terrestrial planets were formed.
On October 14th, skywatchers in the Americas will have the opportunity to view a special type of solar eclipse called an annular solar eclipse. Along the path, which is about 125 miles wide, the sun appears as a thin ring of light, often referred to as the “Ring of Fire.” This narrow circle is also known as an annular ring, giving this type of solar eclipse its name.
A solar eclipse occurs when the moon comes between the Earth and the sun and covers at least part of the sun in the sky. A total solar eclipse is observed when the moon completely covers the sun. However, when a solar eclipse occurs, the moon may move a little further apart in its orbit and appear a little smaller in the sky, or a little too small to completely cover the sun. When that happens, you will be able to see an annular solar eclipse.
The path of this partial solar eclipse will begin in southern Canada, across the western United States, across Central and South America, and across the American continent. Even outside the annular eclipse path, people within the viewing zone can still see the partial solar eclipse. The maximum amount of sun covered by the moon depends on your location.
Well, eclipse fans won’t have to wait long for more excitement. A total solar eclipse will be visible across the United States next April. For information about both eclipses, where to view them, and tips for viewing them safely, check out NASA’s eclipse resources online.
Here are the phases of the moon in October.