Venus and Regulus meet over Spina Lake in Turin, Italy. Credit score: Stefano De Rosa
Friday, October 6
Final Quarter Moon happens at 9:48 A.M. EDT. Throughout this phase, our satellite rises late and dominates the morning sky, leaving the night darkish for some deep-sky observing. The galaxy group we’re going to intention for is in Canes Venatici, which is setting because the Solar sinks under the horizon and greatest for early-evening observing earlier than it will get too low. Admittedly this goal is greatest for large-scope (10 inches or extra) observers or astrophotographers, however even in case you have a barely smaller scope, darkish skies might assist your search, so see if you will discover our targets.
About an hour after sundown, look northwest, the place you’ll spot the Massive Dipper low within the sky. The Dipper’s lengthy deal with (in reality the tail of Ursa Main) arcs above the faint constellation Canes Venatici the Looking Canines, the place we’re searching for magnitude 11.1 galaxy NGC 5353, which is a part of Hickson Compact Galaxy Group 68. It’s positioned 9.2° south-southeast of Alkaid, the final star within the Massive Dipper’s deal with.
Simply north of NGC 5353, so shut the 2 smudges might seem to your eye to be touching, is magnitude 11.4 NGC 5354. About 5′ north of NGC 5353 is magnitude 11.5 NGC 5350, which lies close to a shiny Sixth-magnitude orange area star, HD 121197.
There are much more members to this group you possibly can attempt for in the event you’re bold: NGC 5358 sits about 6.5′ east of NGC 5353; you might or might not be capable to choose it up at magnitude 14.6. Barely simpler (however nonetheless difficult) might be magnitude 13.2 NGC 5355, about 5′ northeast of NGC 5353.
Small-scope customers, we gained’t go away you out: Canes Venatici can be residence to quite a few different — and brighter — targets, together with the fabulous globular cluster M3 close to the constellation’s border with Boötes. Look about 11.7° northwest of shiny Arcturus in Boötes to seek out Sixth-magnitude M3, an historical ball of some half one million stars protecting almost 20′ of sky.
Dawn: 7:01 A.M.
Sundown: 6:34 P.M.
Moonrise: 11:50 P.M.
Moonset: 2:55 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (49%)
*Instances for dawn, sundown, moonrise, and moonset are given in native time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 P.M. native time from the identical location.
Saturday, October 7
The winter constellation Orion is now effectively above the horizon within the hours earlier than daybreak. The Hunter’s belt is without doubt one of the most recognizable patterns of stars within the sky, shaped by (from west to east) Mintaka, Alnilam, and Alnitak.
Let’s begin with Mintaka, a magnitude 2.3 star that lies simply ¼° south of the celestial equator. By way of a telescope, you possibly can spot its a number of nature — the brighter major is flanked by a Seventh-magnitude companion star about 1′ away. (The system is extra advanced nonetheless, with many different elements, although they will’t be simply seen in yard scopes — if in any respect.)
Transferring east (towards the bottom because the constellation rises), we land on Alnilam. At magnitude 1.7, it’s the brightest of the three Belt stars and can be the farthest from Earth. Astronomers estimate this luminous star is about 4 million years outdated and already operating out of hydrogen to fuse into helium, as scorching, large stars burn so brightly that they exhaust their gasoline provides way more rapidly than smaller, cooler Solar-like stars.
On the japanese finish of the belt is Alnitak, which matches Alnilam’s magnitude of 1.7. In line with the late Jim Kaler, Alnitak is the brightest O-class star within the sky. It lies simply ½° north of the well-known Horsehead Nebula, which is shaped not by glowing gasoline however by a darkish cloud that blocks out the sunshine of the nebula IC 434 behind it. Swing your telescope up and see how a lot element you possibly can discern — does the Horsehead certainly appear like a horse’s head, or extra of an oval-shaped smudge in opposition to the brighter glow? You may need probably the most luck by sliding your area of view simply barely to place blazing Alnitak out of body.
Dawn: 7:02 A.M.
Sundown: 6:33 P.M.
Moonrise: —
Moonset: 3:37 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (39%)
Sunday, October 8
Cassiopeia is a circumpolar constellation, that means it seems to circle across the North Star within the Northern Hemisphere. A couple of hours after darkish, the Queen is excessive within the northern sky, providing wonderful views of the numerous objects she incorporates, together with our purpose for tonight: NGC 457, additionally known as the Owl Cluster.
This open cluster of almost 100 younger stars stretches about 13′ on the sky and is a superb goal for binoculars or any small scope, making it extraordinarily beginner-friendly. Glowing at Sixth magnitude, you’ll discover the grouping some 2° southwest of magnitude 2.7 Ruchbah (Delta [δ] Cassiopeiae).
As soon as you notice NGC 457, you’ll probably instantly see why it’s acquired its title: The cluster’s stars give it the looks of an owl in flight, with two shiny eyes to mark its head and its wings outstretched. The brighter eye is Fifth-magnitude Phi (ϕ) Cassiopeiae, whereas the marginally fainter one is Seventh-magnitude HD 7902. They don’t seem to be brighter as a result of they’re extra luminous than the remainder of the cluster’s stars, nonetheless — as an alternative, neither lies on the distance of the cluster, however each sit within the foreground from our perspective.
Dawn: 7:03 A.M.
Sundown: 6:31 P.M.
Moonrise: 12:52 A.M.
Moonset: 4:10 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (30%)
Monday, October 9
The Moon reaches apogee, the farthest level from Earth in its orbit, late tonight at 11:42 P.M. EDT. At the moment, our satellite will sit 251,920 miles (405,426 kilometers) away.
The mighty gas giant Jupiter is nearing opposition and visual a lot of the evening, rising shortly after 8 P.M. native daylight time. Now 49″ throughout and magnitude –2.9, it’s unattainable to overlook within the constellation Aries, whose personal stars pale as compared.
Take out your telescope tonight to look at the planet’s 4 largest moons. Io sits alone to the planet’s west, whereas Europa is straight away east of the disk, with Ganymede farther out and Callisto a whopping 8′ east of the planet’s heart. Let the hours tick by and observe Europa slowly shifting west, approaching Jupiter’s limb. The icy moon’s shadow seems on the cloud tops simply after midnight EDT on the tenth, late on the Ninth in all different time zones. Europa itself lastly crosses onto the disk round 1:30 A.M. EDT on the tenth, when its shadow is already barely greater than midway throughout. The shadow transit continues for an additional hour, whereas Europa doesn’t go away the disk till about 3:40 A.M. EDT on the tenth.
On the identical time, the Nice Crimson Spot is seen as effectively, touring from east to west throughout the disk because the planet rotates. The Earth-sized storm reaches the midpoint of the disk round 12:45 A.M. EDT on the tenth (once more, nonetheless late on the Ninth within the Midwest and western U.S.).
Dawn: 7:04 A.M.
Sundown: 6:30 P.M.
Moonrise: 1:54 A.M.
Moonset: 4:38 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (22%)
Tuesday, October 10
Venus is busy as we speak! The intense planet passes 2° south of Regulus at 1 A.M. EDT, a couple of hours earlier than the Moon passes 6° north of Venus at 6 A.M. EDT. Let’s choose up the scene within the morning sky an hour earlier than dawn, when the trio is a few 30° excessive within the east.
Venus is magnitude –4.6, unattainable to overlook. To its higher left (north) is Regulus, the 1st-magnitude star marking the center of Leo the Lion. Generally known as Cor Leonis, what seems to the attention as a single star is definitely a quadruple star system — fairly becoming, maybe, given the 4 chambers that make up the center. With a telescope, you possibly can cut up two of Regulus’ elements, that are separated by about 175″. The brighter star is Regulus A, whereas the fainter one is designated Regulus B. This secondary is itself an in depth double that can not be cut up, whereas an unseen fourth star additionally orbits Regulus A.
By way of that very same telescope, take a peek at Venus. The planet seems some 43 p.c lit and is now 28″ throughout.
Rounding out the scene, the waning crescent Moon lies to the higher left (north and barely east) of Regulus. Notice how and the place our satellite is lit — as if from an unseen gentle supply under the horizon. It’s because the Solar lies farther east alongside the ecliptic, rising after the Moon and showing to gentle it from under.
The tiny, distant dwarf planet Pluto is stationary in opposition to the celebrities of Sagittarius at 8 P.M. EDT.
Dawn: 7:05 A.M.
Sundown: 6:28 P.M.
Moonrise: 2:56 A.M.
Moonset: 5:02 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (15%)
Wednesday, October 11
Comet 103P/Hartley, additionally known as Comet Hartley 2, reaches perihelion (the closest level to the Solar in its orbit) tomorrow. Now roughly Eighth magnitude, it’s a fantastic catch with binoculars or a small telescope below darkish skies because it passes close to the Ninth-magnitude Lion Nebula (NGC 2392), a well-known planetary nebula in Gemini. Even in the event you dwell below light-polluted skies, a medium to giant telescope will nonetheless choose it up, so give it a attempt!
Early this morning, Hartley 2 is simply 1° northeast of Wasat (Delta Geminorum) and about 1.5° northwest of NGC 2392. Tomorrow and Friday, the comet will move inside 0.5° of the planetary, so be certain to revisit the scene over the subsequent few mornings in the event you can. Gemini rises round native midnight and continues to climb increased within the early-morning sky; for the very best views, choose to look an hour or two earlier than morning twilight begins to lighten the sky.
Astroimagers particularly will wish to contemplate snapping some photographs of the comet and the nebula collectively — the 2 might look visually related by way of an eyepiece, however filters and longer exposures will start to carry out their variations. Comets are icy, rocky solar system our bodies that fling off gasoline and dust once they close to the Solar; planetary nebulae just like the Lion are created from glowing gasoline blown away by a dying star, whose corpse now lights the cloud from inside.
Due to the orientation and size of the orbits of Earth and Hartley 2, we solely get good views of it infrequently — and that is considered one of them. This apparition is our final probability to catch it brighter than tenth magnitude for the subsequent few many years.
Dawn: 7:06 A.M.
Sundown: 6:26 P.M.
Moonrise: 3:57 A.M.
Moonset: 5:23 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (9%)
Thursday, October 12
With solely a skinny crescent Moon within the japanese sky earlier than dawn this morning, it’s a good time to search for the mushy glow of the zodiacal gentle. Seen within the east within the hours earlier than daybreak at the moment of 12 months, the zodiacal gentle comes from daylight scattering off dust particles within the internal solar system. This dust is basically left behind by comets as they around the Solar, although some might have been liberated from Mars by the Crimson Planet’s large dust storms!
The zodiacal gentle follows the ecliptic, the airplane of the solar system, rising as a broad glow from the japanese horizon and spreading up by way of Leo, narrowing into Most cancers. Vivid Venus, now 3.5° southeast of Regulus, makes a fantastic signpost for the attention to observe — Earth’s sister planet needs to be embedded inside the glow, because the planets all orbit alongside that very same airplane.
Nearer to the horizon, check out the fragile crescent Moon because it rises about two hours earlier than the Solar. Only a sliver of its western limb is instantly illuminated by the Solar, however you might even see that the remainder of its rugged floor isn’t utterly darkish. It’s because it’s lit by earthshine, mirrored daylight that bounces off our planet to disclose the portion of the Moon that lies in Earth’s shadow.
Dawn: 7:07 A.M.
Sundown: 6:25 P.M.
Moonrise: 4:57 A.M.
Moonset: 5:43 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (4%)
Friday, October 13
This Friday the thirteenth, get into the spooky spirit with an object off Astronomy columnist Stephen James O’Meara’s Ghost Hunt challenge list. Tonight, we’re going with the Ghost of Saturn, which lies in Aquarius — conveniently close to the present place of the particular planet Saturn!
This is a superb goal to go looking out earlier within the night, when it sits above the southern horizon. About two hours after sundown, you’ll discover Saturn roughly 30° excessive within the south, shining at magnitude 0.6. Take a while to first benefit from the ringed planet, whose attractive ring system stretches greater than 40″ vast by way of a telescope. You may also catch its brightest moon, Eighth-magnitude Titan, some 3′ east of the planet’s disk.
When you’ve seemed your fill, transfer on to the ghostly model. Additionally cataloged as NGC 7009, the Ghost of Saturn or Saturn Nebula is a planetary nebula, similar to the Lion Nebula we seen earlier this week. And on this case, astronomers assume interactions with a companion star on the heart has brought about the Saturn Nebula to develop its namesake “rings,” which give it the looks of — you guessed it — a faint, ghostly planet Saturn.
At Eighth magnitude and stretching almost 2′ lengthy on its lengthy axis, it’s a comparatively simple catch by way of a midsize or bigger telescope. The nebula lies simply over 1° west of magnitude 4.5 Nu (ν) Aquarii in far southwestern Aquarius, or about 5.5° north of magnitude 4.1 Theta (θ) Capricorni.
The Ghost of Saturn, like many planetary nebulae, will glow solely faintly by way of the telescope eyepiece. Attempt utilizing averted imaginative and prescient, centering the item in your area of view after which deliberately trying towards the sting of the sector, to carry out higher distinction within the nook of your eye.
Dawn: 7:08 A.M.
Sundown: 4:23 P.M.
Moonrise: 5:58 A.M.
Moonset: 6:03 P.M.
Moon Part: Waning crescent (1%)
Sky This Week is dropped at you partially by Celestron.
