October 2014
Moon
October and already we feel the bite of winter. Heavy dews too and the gradual loss of the summer stars. But we have the winter ones to look forward to Orion is beginning to show it's face.
Planets
Mercury is very close to the Sun on the 1st, it's Mag 0.5/8 arcsec disc setting almost level with the Sun though a little to the south. Don't try looking at it with optical aid, but it will have a 37% phase. It will set at 6:30pm. By mid-month it will be even closer, within 3°, so out of limits for observing, though it will be brighter, mag 4.8. It will set at 5:50pm. At month's end it will be mag -0.5/7 arcsec and show a 53% phase. It will be out of contention as a morning object till towards the end of the month when it will show itself as dawn breaks from the 22nd. Before this it will be too close to the Sun.
Venus rises on the 1st at 6:30am, half an hour before the Sun in bright twilight, so not worth looking for it, though it's brightness should show, but don't do it with optical aid! As the month progresses it gets worse. So, not good for Venus this month.
Similarly, not a good month for Mars which sets on the 1st at 8:40pm, just as the sky has darkened. As the month goes by, it sets earlier, till on the 31st it sets at 6:40pm in dark dusk.
Jupiter however, is available from 2:15am on the 1st. at mag -1.9/34arcsec, rising in the east. On the 15th it will be at mag -2.0.35arcsec, rising at 1:30am, and at the end of the month it will rise at 11:40pm at mag -2.1.36arcsec. Certainly worth a look all this month.
Saturn is out of contention this month, being too close to the Sun and rising and setting in twilight through the month. not worth the effort.
Uranus will rise on the 1st at 7:00pm in darkening twilight and its mag 5.7/4arcsec blue disc will be available all night. Similarly through the month, setting each night in the west as dawn brightens the eastern sky. On the 15th it will rise at 6:15pm and on the 31st at 4:00pm in twilight.
Neptune will rise a little before Uranus, at 6:00pm in light twilight and will be visible an hour later as the sky darkens. It will set at 4:00am in darkness. It will show a mag 7.8/2arcsec disc of light blue, very tiny and difficult to see until it gets really dark. By mid-month it will rise at 5:00pm and set at 3:00am, without any change in size. On the 31st it will rise at 3:00pm in daylight and set at 12:45am. During the month it will rise no higher than 22° above the southern horizon.
Meteor Showers. Just the Orionids as a watchable shower this month with a ZHR of 25 at peak on the 21st. Usually a reasonable shower of fast meteors coming from Orion, without the Moon lightening the sky this year. Might be worth a watch if the weather is helpful.
Comets. Comet Jacques is still there but fading. Not visible, but could be photographed.
If you need a star chart of any area of the sky, or have any questions, email me at the observatory.
Good Hunting.