The month of October dawns with Jupiter gracing our morning sky. Mars continues to be an evening star while Saturn continues to be night time star throughout the month of October. Venus will make a spectacular debut as an evening star this month as she climbs out of the western sunset. Watch for the Orionid Meteor Shower that peaks this month.
If you've noticed the bright star high above the eastern horizon before sunrise, you've spotted the planet Jupiter. Shinning slightly dimmer and above and west of Jupiter along the ecliptic is Regulus, the alpha star of the constellation Leo. On October 1st, Regulus rises around 4:30 a.m. with Jupiter following around 5:00 a.m. in the northern hemisphere. By mid-month they rise about an hour earlier: Regulus around 3:30 a.m. and Jupiter around 4:15 a.m. By month's end, Regulus rises around 2:30 a.m. with Jupiter in tow an hour later. Since Regulus is a fixed star and Jupiter is a wandering star, which is the Greek meaning of planet, we can watch as Jupiter pulls away from Regulus this month. Jupiter is moving in a direct eastern motion, observable against the backdrop of the Leo and its brightest star. This difference in rise time between the two is also indicative of Jupiter pulling east of one of the Royal Stars of Persia, whom they deemed the Watcher in the North. Southern observers will notice Regulus rising around 5:45 a.m. with Jupiter following around 6:00 a.m. on October 1st. By mid-month Regulus and Jupiter will rise around 4:45 and 5:15 respectively. At the close of the month, Regulus will rise around 3:45 with Jupiter following around 4:15.
This month Mars is rising in the east before the sun sets in the west, therefore he will be well above the horizon as the evening twilight encroaches. Mars is still very big and bright for his norm, though diminishing in size dimming in brightness from his peak in August. Mars will loose over a magnitude of brightness this month and shrink in apparent size as well. We find Mars amidst the stars of the constellation Aquarius. If you look further north, or higher than the ecliptic and slightly east, you can spot the Great Square of Pegasus. Mars sets around 3:45 a.m. at the beginning of October and about 2:30 a.m. by month's end in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere Mars sets around 5:30 a.m. at the beginning of the month and about 3:45 at the end of October.
Next to rise in the night-time sky is Saturn. In the northern hemisphere, Saturn rises around 12:45 a.m. on October 1st. By mid-month he rises around 11:35 p.m. By month's end he rises around 10:45 p.m. Saturn stations retrograde this month on the 25th. Therefore we will not notice any movement against the fixed backdrop of Gemini stars he is transiting. He will remain, rather appropriately, between the twins' knees the entire month. For southern observers, Saturn rises around 3:15 a.m. at the beginning of the month, 2:15 a.m. at mid-month, and 1:15 a.m. by month's end.
At the beginning of October, Venus is still too close to the sun to observe, being only about 12 degrees east of the Sun. By month's end this distance increases to about 19 degrees, when we will be able to catch a brief glimpse of the bedazzling beauty as she climbs east out of the sunset. If you are observing from the northern hemisphere, begin to watch for her to make her evening debut in the west around the 25th, as the sunset darkens the skies. If you are observing from the southern hemisphere she will make her evening debut before mid-month. The difference here is due to the fact that the ecliptic in the northern hemisphere is very low along the horizon, while in the southern hemisphere it is rising more perpendicular to the horizon. Hence, Venus is going to take longer to climb sideways out of the glow of sunset in the north than straight up out of the sunset in the south. This is the effect of Venus being in a sign of long ascension in the northern hemisphere and a sign of short ascension in the south. Venus is located in the constellation of Libra this month. Right behind is the constellation Scorpius. The bright red star you see east of Venus will be Antares, the alpha star of Scorpio. Being that "Ares" is the Greek name for Mars, the heart of the Scorpion translates to "Rival of Mars".
Meteor showers occur when the Earth passes through debris left behind by comets. The Orionids are compliments of Haley's comet. The Orionid Meteor Shower is active between October 15th and 29th, with peak activity occurring on the 21st and 22nd. The radiants of this shower stem from the constellation Orion, which is located beneath Taurus and Gemini along the Ecliptic. The maximum hourly rate of meteors at peak time reaches about 20 per hour for northern hemisphere observers and double that for southern hemisphere observers. The radiants rise around 11:00 p.m. While you are looking for the Orionids, watch for Saturn to rise with them if you are observing from the northern hemisphere. A sky map of Orion and Saturn on the 21st at 12:30 a.m. in the northern hemisphere when Orion is fully above the horizon is available in the OCA Public Library. http://www.astrocollege.com/campus/libraries.cgi If you are observing this spectacular shower from the southern hemisphere, Saturn will be rising well after the radiants of Orion. The Orionids should still rise around 11:00 p.m., however the difference in the slant of the ecliptic has Saturn rising about 2 hours later and more beneath Orion than next to it. A sky map of the skies above Melbourne, Australia depicting Orion and Saturn on the 21st at 3:00 a.m. is available in the OCA Public Library. http://www.astrocollege.com/campus/libraries.cgi
If you are having trouble locating the planets, the Moon will be your guide as she makes her monthly trek through the zodiac to conjunct all the planets. The First Quarter Moon occurs on the 2nd at 3:09 p.m. EDT. On the 6th the Moon is just west of Mars in the evening sky. She will pass the red planet and appear on the eastern side of him on the 7th. The Full Moon occurs on the 10th at 3:27 a.m. EDT. The Moon reaches apogee, her furthest distance from Earth on the 14th. The Moon lies west of Saturn on the 17th and to the east on the 18th. The Third Quarter Moon occurs on the 18th at 8:31 a.m. EDT. On the 21st the Moon lies west of Jupiter and next to Regulus in the early morning sky. She will pass Jupiter on her eastern trek by the 22nd. The New Moon occurs on the 25th at 8:50 a.m. EDT. A very slender sliver of the Moon conjuncts Venus on the 26th. If you are in South America or Hawaii, you can witness the occultation of Venus by the Moon. The Moon will pass directly in front of Venus in these areas and block her from view. Also on October 26th the Moon reaches perigee, her closest distance to Earth. The First Quarter Moon occurs on the 31st at 11:25 p.m. EST. (Remember daylight savings time ends on the 22nd at 2:00 a.m. be sure to have your clocks "fall back" one hour.)
For observers in the southern hemisphere, look for the Moon at sunset on the 6th. As soon as the skies darken, Mars should pop out just next to the Gibbous Moon, as the night progresses she will occult Mars. This means she will pass directly in front of the planet eclipsing him from view. Begin to watch around 11:30 p.m. for the Moon to begin the occultation. By 1:00 a.m. Mars should be completely covered by the luminary. The pair will set before Mars comes back into view on the other side of the Moon. On the 17th a Disseminating Moon will be next to Saturn in the early morning sky. On the 21st a Third Quarter Moon joins Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky. On the 27th a very slender sliver of a day young Crescent Moon dances above Venus in the sunset.
Happy stargazing!
Julene M. Johnson, NCGR-III
Media Director, OCA
Instructor, OCA
ONLINE College of Astrology
www.astrocollege.com
FIRST in Online Astrological Education
