the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained;
What is man, that thou art mindful of him?
Psalm 8:3,4
(From Astronomy and Sky & Telescope Magazines)
Sunday, October 5
Now the action moves to the solar system’s other gas giant. The nearly Full Moon passes 4° north of Saturn at 11 P.M. EDT and sits close to the ringed planet all night. Around 9 P.M. local daylight time, Saturn is some 30° high in the southeast, beneath the Circlet of Pisces (which may be difficult to see) and to the lower right of the Moon. Saturn is the brightest point of light in the region, so should still be visible even with Luna nearby.
Now the action moves to the solar system’s other gas giant. The nearly Full Moon passes 4° north of Saturn at 11 P.M. EDT and sits close to the ringed planet all night. Around 9 P.M. local daylight time, Saturn is some 30° high in the southeast, beneath the Circlet of Pisces (which may be difficult to see) and to the lower right of the Moon. Saturn is the brightest point of light in the region, so should still be visible even with Luna nearby.
Monday, October 6
The Moon passes 3° north of Neptune at 3 A.M. EDT.
Full Moon occurs late tonight at 11:48 P.M. EDT. October’s Full Moon is traditionally called the Hunter’s Moon. But this October’s Full Moon also has two other names: It is both a Super Moon and the 2025 Harvest Moon.
A Super Moon occurs when the Full phase coincides with the Moon reaching (or close to) its nearest point to Earth in its orbit, called perigee.
Tuesday, October 7
Saturn’s two-toned moon Iapetus reaches eastern elongation today, located 9.5′ east of Saturn. Eastern elongation is when this moon is at its faintest, as its darker hemisphere is now turned toward Earth and it glows around magnitude 12.
Wednesday, October 8
Let’s visit Venus in the early-morning sky; the bright planet rises around 5 A.M. local daylight time and stands nearly 10° high in the east an hour later. Blazing at magnitude –3.9, it’s unmissable in far eastern Leo; it will cross into western Virgo by tomorrow morning.
Thursday, October 9
The waning gibbous Moon rises close to the Pleiades around the end of twilight. The Moon draws nearer to them as the night proceeds. To help see them through the Moon's glare, cover the Moon with your fingertip. Or better, two fingertips, one for each eye. Close one eye and position a fingertip onto the Moon, then do the same for the other eye with another fingertip. Then without moving, open both eyes.
Late tonight the Moon's bright limb will occult four of the Pleiades.
Friday, October 10
The Moon passes 5° north of Uranus at 5 A.M. EDT. If you’re up early, you can catch the pair high in the southwestern sky a few hours before sunrise.
Saturday, October 11
As October proceeds, Deneb replaces Vega as the zenith star of early evening (for skywatchers at mid-northern latitudes). Accordingly, Capricornus has replaced Sagittarius as the zodiacal constellation posing low in the south.
Full Moon occurs late tonight at 11:48 P.M. EDT. October’s Full Moon is traditionally called the Hunter’s Moon. But this October’s Full Moon also has two other names: It is both a Super Moon and the 2025 Harvest Moon.
A Super Moon occurs when the Full phase coincides with the Moon reaching (or close to) its nearest point to Earth in its orbit, called perigee.
Tuesday, October 7
Saturn’s two-toned moon Iapetus reaches eastern elongation today, located 9.5′ east of Saturn. Eastern elongation is when this moon is at its faintest, as its darker hemisphere is now turned toward Earth and it glows around magnitude 12.
Wednesday, October 8
Let’s visit Venus in the early-morning sky; the bright planet rises around 5 A.M. local daylight time and stands nearly 10° high in the east an hour later. Blazing at magnitude –3.9, it’s unmissable in far eastern Leo; it will cross into western Virgo by tomorrow morning.
The waning gibbous Moon rises close to the Pleiades around the end of twilight. The Moon draws nearer to them as the night proceeds. To help see them through the Moon's glare, cover the Moon with your fingertip. Or better, two fingertips, one for each eye. Close one eye and position a fingertip onto the Moon, then do the same for the other eye with another fingertip. Then without moving, open both eyes.
Late tonight the Moon's bright limb will occult four of the Pleiades.
Friday, October 10
The Moon passes 5° north of Uranus at 5 A.M. EDT. If you’re up early, you can catch the pair high in the southwestern sky a few hours before sunrise.
Saturday, October 11
As October proceeds, Deneb replaces Vega as the zenith star of early evening (for skywatchers at mid-northern latitudes). Accordingly, Capricornus has replaced Sagittarius as the zodiacal constellation posing low in the south.
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