October Delights
 | Author:
Jeff Ross
Contributor |
October Delights
Driving home after a meeting last Monday night I was viscerally reminded of how wonderful our October night skies can be. While heading out of town, I could see Jupiter easily, even with a few oncoming cars and my own headlights lighting the road. I pulled up to the house, shut the car off and then waited in the dark for a few minutes to let my eyes somewhat night adjust. That night adjustment process can take up to half an hour to complete (and longer the older we get!) but even a few minutes makes a huge difference in what the unaided eye can see and resolve.
Stepping out into that yet warm October night I saw the Milky Way spanning the night sky, from the northeast over the Big Belts all the way overhead and ending directly above the lights of Townsend. I could easily pick out Saturn almost due South and Jupiter was not far behind off to the east. Mars had not quite risen yet. Venus and Mercury, the remaining planets we can see without a telescope, are both too close visually to the Sun to see at all.
Are you not sure where the planets are in the sky? This page: https://mt43news.com/004 will show you the rising, transit and setting times of the Sun, Moon and all of the planets (including Pluto!) as well as their current location.
We've also recently had a few aurora visible. I have yet to see a good auroral display with my own eyes but my cameras have had no problem. Go to: https://mt43news.com/003 to see an auroral movie beginning at dark on October 13. The auroras first appear about 1:45 am on October 14 and last until daylight.
These sunny days and clear nights won't last forever so please get out and enjoy the wonder of the night while you can.
With clear skies, of course.
