October Skies by Dick Cookman

Highlights:  Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, October Moon 

Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Camelopardalis, Auriga, Perseus, Andromeda, Pegasus, Cygnus, Aquila, Lyra, Hercules

  • Comet Journals 

Comets C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) was briefly viewed in the glow of the Sun before dawn in the first week of September between Cancer and Leo then moved into evening skies, staying so close to the Sun and horizon that relatively few observers were able to enjoy its beauty as it moved through Leo in the 2nd week, and Virgo in late September before dropping into southern hemisphere skies. It may be an Oort Belt comet and was closest to Earth on September 12. It passed through perihelion on September 18. 

Comet 103P/Hartley is a nice sight at 8th magnitude in larger (50+mm) binoculars, or small (3 to 4in.) diameter telescopes. In early to mid-October it moves from Auriga, through Gemini, into Cancer. It was closest to Earth on September 26 and will reach perihelion on October 12. The green comet has a mile long tail hiding behind it so we see a slightly out of round image with one side showing a tiny bit of the tail.

  • Mars Landers

The Mars Perseverance rover is exploring Jezero Crater and collecting samples of rocks and soil that may preserve signs of ancient life. Those samples have been stowed for future return to Earth. Experiments with the onboard MOXIE instrument have been completed, proving that it can generate oxygen from the Martian atmosphere. The oxygen can be used to combust rocket fuel for the return trip to Earth for future missions, greatly reducing the need to transport oxygen from Earth for that purpose. Returning samples to Earth, would permit far more extensive testing in order to reveal details about the origin of Mars, its ancient history, and modern day conditions which influence formation and evolution of the samples. Mars has abundant CO2, H2O, an other substances which may be utilized for the production of oxygen and other substances, facilitating life support and enabling logistical advances for the eventual visitation and exploration and of Mars by humans.

  • Meteor Showers

October provides the moderate Draconid meteor shower and a better Orionid shower which is more favorable because the Moon sets well before best viewing at 4:00AM.

October 8-9, 11PM: Draconids. Active Oct. 6 – 10. Radiant 17h28m +54°. ZHR 0 to storm. 20 km/sec. Unfavorable, Waning Crescent Moon. Progenitor: Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner

October 21, 4AM: Orionids. Active October 2 – November 7. Radiant 06h20m +16°. ZHR 20. 66 km/sec. favorable – Waxing Crescent Moon. Progenitor: Comet 1P/Halley.

  • Planet Plottings

Mercury (-1.0 to -0.7) in Leo, Virgo, and Libra, Venus (-4.4 to -4.2 in Leo, and Uranus (+5.7 to +5.6) and Jupiter (-2.7 to -2.8) in Aries are morning planets. Before sunrise on the 1st, Mercury is low in the sky. By the 5th, it is lost in the Sun’s glare as it approaches superior solar conjunction on the 20th. Venus shines brightly before dawn below Leo throughout the month. It is brightest in early October and highest in the southwestern sky on the 23rd when at greatest western elongation of 46 degrees. Uranus and Jupiter rise in Aries after 8PM EDT and are best viewed when they are high in the southern sky after midnight. As Jupiter approaches solar opposition on November 3, it will get progressively brighter during October. 

Neptune and Saturn rise before sunset and are best viewed in the evening. Although Saturn’s opposition with the Sun was last month, it is still an impressive sight in southern evening skies. Mars is now on the other side of the Sun and is lost to view as it is buried in its glare and approaching solar conjunction on November 18.

A waning gibbous Moon appears to pass Jupiter on the 1st and Uranus on the 2nd. The waning crescent passes Venus on the 10th and Mercury on the 14th. The waxing Crescent passes Mars on the 15th, then the waxing gibbous Moon passes Saturn on the 24th, Neptune on the 25th, and Jupiter & Uranus on the 29th.

Planet

Constellation(s)

Magnitude

Planet Passages

Time

Date

Sun Virgo

-26.5

New Moon

1:55PM EDT

10/14

Mercury Leo, Virgo, Libra

-1.0 to -0.7

Superior Conjunction

2:00AM EDT

10/20

Venus Leo

-4.4 to -4.2

Max. West Elongation (46 degrees)

7:00PM EDT

10/23

Mars Virgo, Libra

1.7 to 1.5

Jupiter Aries

-2.7 to -2.8

Saturn Aquarius

0.6 to 0.7

Uranus Aries

5.7 to 5.6

Neptune Pisces

7.8

  • October Moon

The New Moon of October is in Virgo on the 14th at 1:55PM EDT. There will be an annular lunar eclipse in the western USA on a line from the southwest coast of Oregon to southeast coast of southern Texas. The New Moon marks the start of Lunation 1247 which ends 29.68 days later with the New Moon of November in Aquarius on the 13th at 4:26AM EST. 

The Full Moon on the 28th occurs at 4:24PM in Sagittarius. It is called the Hunter’s Moon. It was called the Blood Moon in Medieval England. For Celts, it was the Harvest Moon and, in China, it is the Kindly Moon. The Harvest Moon was in September this year and Colonial Americans called the succeeding full moon the Hunter’s Moon because hunters can easily see and hunt any animals attracted by the produce left behind in the newly harvested fields,

Anishnaabe (Odawa and Ojibwe) first people recognize the 10th Moon of the year as “Binaakwe-giizis” (Falling Leaves Moon). Ontario’s Earth Haven Farm presents cultural teachings explaining the cycle of life and nature of October’s Grandmother Moon of Creation: “The tenth moon of Creation is the Falling Leaves Moon, a time when Mother Earth is honoured with the grandest of colours. As all of Creation makes their offerings to her, we become aware of all the miracles of Creation before us and our spiritual energies are once again awakened.” 

Lunar Apogee (maximum lunar distance) is on October 9 at 11:42PM EDT when the Moon’s distance is 251,920 mi. (63.57 Earth radii). Lunar perigee is on the 25th when the Moon is at 226,721 mi. (57.21 Earth radii) at 11:02PM EDT. 

Planet

Constellation

Magnitude

Moon Passages

Moon Phase

Moon Age

Sun Virgo

-26.8

1:55PM EDT, 10/14 New 0 Days
Mercury Virgo

-1.3

0.65°S, 6:00AM EDT, 10/14 Waning Crescent 29.39 Days
Venus Leo

-4.3

6.0°N, 6:00AM EDT, 10/10 Waning Crescent 25.35 Days
Mars Virgo

1.7

0.94°S, Noon EDT, 10/15 Waxing Crescent 0.92 Days
Jupiter Aries

-2.7

3.0°N, 11:00PM EDT, 10/1 Waning Gibbous 17.06 Days
Jupiter Aries

-2.8

3.0°N, 4:00AM EDT, 10/29 Waning Gibbous 14.59 Days
Saturn Aquarius

0.7

3.0°S, 4:00AM EDT, 10/24 Waxing Gibbous 9.59 Days
Uranus Aries

5.7

3.0°N, 1:00PM EDT, 10/2 Waning Gibbous 17.64 Days
Uranus Aries

5.6

3.0°N, 10:00PM EDT, 10/29 Waning Gibbous 15.34 Days
Neptune Pisces

7.8

1.5° S, 9:00PM EDT, 10/25 Waxing Gibbous 11.30 Days

September Skies by Dick Cookman

Highlights:  Comet Journal, Martian Landers, Meteor Showers, Planet Plotting, September Moon 

Focus Constellations: Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Draco, Cepheus, Cassiopeia, Camelopardalis, Perseus, Andromeda, Pegasus, Cygnus, Aquila, Lyra, Hercules, Corona Borealis, Bootes

  • Comet Journals 

Comets C/2023 P1 (Nishimura) is at magnitude 6 and could possibly reach naked eye visibility at magnitude 4 or even brighter. It will be best viewed before dawn in the first week of September between Cancer and Leo. It will move through Leo in the 2nd week and Virgo in late September before dropping into southern hemisphere skies. It is a Oort Belt comet and will be closest to Earth on September 12 when it will pass through perihelion on September 18. Comet 103P/Hartley 2 is in Perseus and will be closest to Earth on September 26 and will reach perihelion on October 12. It will pass into and through Auriga in September, Gemini and Cancer in October, then circle through southern hemisphere skies as it leaves the inner solar system and travels beyond Jupiter.

  • Mars Landers

The Mars rovers have been gathering evidence about Mars for more than a quarter century. Scientists on Earth are flooded with data gathered over that time. They have surveyed the information that appears to be most important but are far from comprehensive examination of the tremendous amount of data gathered. It will require decades for the current number of scientists to dig through this data and more is coming in daily. We need a whole lot more scientists, a situation not restricted to planetary science! Curiosity collected evidence of preserved ancient mud cracks on June 20, 2021. Analysis was finally made and the conclusion that the surface of Gale Crater on Mars underwent high frequency wet-dry cycling was published in August of this year in Nature. Data collected by the Insight lander during its 4 year mission was examined and the conclusion that the rotation rate of Mars is slowly speeding up in its rotation rate, possibly due to climatic changes which redistribute H2O globally. The story goes on, we will be mining Mars data for years, deducing its geologic history, life potential, and hints about Earth’s future.

  • Meteor Showers

September hosts the moderate Alpha Aurigid meteor shower and the minor Delta Aurigids and Piscids (9/20). Neither one is very favorable due to lunar glare or relatively scarce meteors.

September 1, 4AM: Alpha Aurigids. Active Aug 25 – September 5. Radiant 05h36m +42°. ZHR 10. 66 km/sec. Unfavorable, Waning Gibbous Moon. Progenitor: Comet Kiess (C/1911 N1).

September 29, 4AM: Delta Aurigids. Active September 18 – October 10. Radiant 04h00m +47°. ZHR 6. 64 km/sec. Unfavorable –  Full Moon glare. Progenitor: Comet Keiss.

  • Planet Plottings

Mercury (4.9 to -0.9) in Leo, Venus (-4.3 to -4.4) in Cancer and Leo, and Uranus (+5.8) and Jupiter (-2.5 to -2.6) in Aries are morning planets. In mid September, after its inferior conjunction with the Sun on the 6th, Mercury appears right above the eastern horizon below Regulus in Leo before sunrise. During the next week it moves higher in the sky until reaching greatest western elongation from the Sun (17.9°) on the 22nd, when Mercury presents its best morning apparition of 2023 slightly less than 18 hours before the Autumn Equinox at 2:50AM EDT on the 23rd, Venus shines brightly before dawn above Regulus throughout the month. It is brightest at -4.8 on the 9th. Uranus and Jupiter rise in Aries about 10PM EDT and are best viewed when they are high in the southern sky before dawn. Neptune rises at sunset and sets at sunrise on the19th when it reaches Opposition with the Sun  Saturn is low in the eastern sky after sunset and is best viewed when it is high in the southern sky around midnight. It was brightest when at Opposition on August 27, and presents its most stunning apparition in early September. Mars is hard to find low in the western sky in the early evening and rapidly drops into the glow of sunset.

A waning gibbous Moon appears to pass Neptune on the 1st, Jupiter on the 4th, and Uranus on the 5th. The waning crescent passes Venus on the 11th and Mercury on the 13. The waxing Crescent passes Mars on the 16th, then the waxing gibbous Moon passes Saturn on the 26th and Neptune on the 28th.

Planet

Constellation(s)

Magnitude

Planet Passages

Time

Date

Sun

Leo, Virgo

-26.5

New Moon

9:40PM EDT

9/14

Mercury

Leo

4.9

Inferior Conjunction

7:00AM EDT

9/6

Mercury

Leo

-0.3

Max. West Elongation

9:00AM EDT

9/22

Venus

Cancer, Leo

-4.3 to -4.8 to -4.4

Mars

Leo, Virgo

1.8 to 1.7

Jupiter

Aries

-2.5 to -2.6

Saturn

Aquarius

+0.4 to +0.6

Uranus

Aries

5.7

Neptune

Pisces

7.8

Opposition

7:00AM EDT

9/19

  • September Moon

September’s New Moon is at the boundary of Leo and Virgo on the 14th at 9:40PM EDT. The New Moon marks the start of Lunation 1246 which ends 29.58 days later with the New Moon of October in Aquarius on the 14th at 1:55PM EDT. The Full Moon in September is a “Supermoon” which occurs 32 hours 59 minutes after lunar perigee (when the Moon is closest to Earth in its orbit and appears unusually large). The Full Moon on the 29th occurs at 5:58AM in Pisces. It is called the Fruit Moon. It occurs nearer to the Sept. 23rd Autumnal Equinox than its October successor, so it is defined as the “Harvest Moon”. It was called the “Barley Moon” in Medieval England and for Celts it was the “Singing Moon”. In China, it is the “Chrysanthemum Moon” and Colonial Americans called it “Harvest Moon” due to the low angle the rising Moon makes with the horizon, lighting up the farmers fields for a harvesting well into the evening. Anishnaabe (Odawa and Ojibwe) first people recognize the 9th Moon of the year as “Waatebagaa-giizis” (Leaves Turning Moon). Ontario’s Earth Haven Farm presents cultural teachings explaining the cycle of life and nature of September’s Grandmother Moon of Creation: “The ninth moon of Creation is the Corn Moon, during which time we learn about the cycle of life. Each cob of corn has thirteen rows of multicoloured seeds which represent all the spirits waiting to begin their Earth Walk. These will be the future generations for whom we must prepare.” 

Lunar Apogee (max. lunar distance) is on September 12 at 11:43AM EDT. The Moon’s distance is 252,457 mi. (63.70 Earth radii). Perigee is on the 27th at 8:59PM EDT. The Moon is at 223,639 mi. (56.43 Earth radii).  

Planet

Constellation

Magnitude

Moon Passages

Moon Phase

Moon Age

Sun Leo, Virgo

-26.5

9:40PM EDT, 9/14 New 0 Days
Mercury Leo

1.9

5.4°N, 8:00PM EDT, 9/13 Waning Crescent 28.6 Days
Venus Cancer

-4.4

11.0°N, 9:00AM EDT, 9/11 Waning Crescent 26.14 Days
Mars Virgo

1.7

0.7°N, 3:00PM EDT, 9/16 Waxing Crescent 1.72 Days
Jupiter Aries

-2.5

3.0°N, 4:00PM EDT, 9/4 Waning Gibbous 19.43 Days
Saturn Aquarius

0.5

3.0°S, 9:00PM EDT, 9/26 Waxing Gibbous 11.97 Days
Uranus Aries

5.8

3.0°N, 9:00PM EDT, 9/5 Waning Gibbous 20.64 Days
Neptune Pisces

7.8

1.4° S, 3:00AM EDT, 9/1 Waning Gibbous 15.89 Days
Neptune Pisces

7.8

1.4° S, 1:00PM EDT, 9/28 Waxing Gibbous 13.64 Days