Astronomy News for the Month of October 2024

Excerpts from JPL mission updates are provided as a public service as part of the JPL Solar System Ambassador/NASA Outreach program. For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador website. (Click on the logo to link to the JPL SSA homepage.)

The Month At-A-Glance
A calendar displaying the daily astronomical events.

• The Moon passes Mercury on the 2nd.
• The Moon passes Venus on the 5th.
• The Moon passes Antares on the 7th.
• The Moon passes Saturn on the 14th.
• The Moon passes Neptune on the 15th.
• The Moon passes Uranus on the 19th.
• The Moon passes Jupiter on the 21st.
• The Moon passes Mars on the 23rd.

  For reference: The Full Moon subtends an angle of ~0.5°.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Experts Pick the Top Stargazing Events for 2024

  ---

  The Planets & Dwarf Planets

  Planetary Reports generated by "TheSkyX" software. These reports provide predicted data for the planets for the first of each month for the current year. The rise and set times for the Sun and the Moon for each day of the month as well as meteor shower radiants are also included in the reports. These reports have been optimized for the Denver, Colorado location, however, the times will be approximate for other locations on Earth.

  (Times are Mountain Daylight Time (MDT) unless otherwise noted. Times will vary slightly depending on your location.)

  Planetary Highlights for SOctober Mercury and Venus are in the evening sky, followed by Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter, all rising before midnight. Mars is brightening in the morning sky to the east. Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) has brightened to negative magnitudes, visible before sunrise and then will transit to the evening sky, proving to be one of the best comets to view for the year.
  	Mercury Sets at 6:48 p.m. on the 1st and about 6:43 p.m. by month's end. Mercury is visible about 30 minutes after sunset just above the western horizon after the first week of October. Mercury moves from the constellation of Virgo into Libra shining at magnitude -1.5 on the 1st.
  	Venus Sets about 7:59 p.m. on the 1st and about 7:55 p.m. by month's end. Look for Venus low to the west about 30 minutes after sunset. Venus moves from the constellation of Libra into Ophiuchus shining at magnitude -4.0 on the 15th.
  	Earth N/A.
  	Mars Rises at 11:55 p.m. on the 1st and about 10:59 p.m. by month's end. Look for Mars to the south and southwest before sunrise. Mars moves from the constellation of Gemini into Cancer shining at magnitude 0.3.
  	Jupiter Rises at 10:13 p.m. on the 1st and about 8:08 p.m. by month's end. Jupiter is easy to spot to the east late in the evening. Follow Jupiter across the sky for the rest of the evening and into the early morning hours. Jupiter is in the constellation of Taurus shining at magnitude -2.6.
  	Saturn Rises at 5:45 p.m. on the 1st and about 3:40 p.m. by month's end. Saturn is still at its best for the year. By the time the Sun sets, Saturn is high to the southeast. Follow Saturn across the sky almost all night long. Saturn is in the constellation of Aquarius shining at magnitude 0.6.
  	Uranus Rises at 6:14 p.m. on the 1st and about 4:10 p.m. by the month's end. Neptune is also still at its best for the year. Follow Neptune across the sky almost all night long. Neptune is in the constellation of Pisces shining at magnitude 7.8.
  	Dwarf Planets
  	Ceres Sets at 11:12 p.m. on the 1st and about 9:50 p.m. by month's end. Ceres is visible in the evening sky to the south and southwest. Ceres is in the constellation of Sagittarius shining at magnitude 9.0.
  	Pluto Sets at 1:05 a.m. on the 1st and about 11:00 p.m. by month's end. Pluto is visible in the evening sky to the south and southwest. Pluto is in the constellation of Capricornus shining at magnitude 15.0. As always, good luck at spotting Neptune, Ceres and Pluto, a large telescope and dark skies will be needed. Constellation information provided by Go Astronomy.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Astronomical Events

  	Meteor Showers The Draconids - This shower is associated with periodic comet Giacobini-Zinner. The duration may extend from October 6 to 10, though the point of maximum is very sharply defined within a 4-hour interval on October 9, but the annual maximum hourly rates are not consistent. The radiant rarely produces any recognizable shower except during years especially close to the parent comet's perihelion passage. The meteors are slow and tend to be relatively faint. They are generally yellow. The Orionids - The duration of this meteor shower extends from October 15 to 29, with maximum occurring on (the morning of) October 21. The maximum hourly rate is usually about 20 and the meteors are described as fast. The Southern Taurids - This meteor shower is active from September 10 to November 20. Maximum occurs on the morning of October 10. Maximum hourly rate is 5 meteors per hour. The meteors are described as bright and move more slowly than typical meteors, making them prime subjects for imaging and viewing. Meteor Shower Radiant Report For more information about Meteor Showers, visit Gary Kronk's Meteor Showers Online web page. Meteor Scatter (or Meteor burst communications) - "is a radio propagation mode that exploits the ionized trails of meteors during atmospheric entry to establish brief communications paths between radio stations up to 2,250 kilometres (1,400 mi) apart." Tune your shortwave or your HF amateur radio to 54.310 MHz SSB and see if you can hear any pings. Try other frequencies as well... 6m FT8 digital - 50.313 Mhz & 50.276 Mhz, JP-65 digital mode and the carrier frequencies of the lower VHF bands for TV channels 2, 3 & 4. Meteor Rx How-To by Terry Bullett (WØASP)
  	Comets Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) is visible in the morning sky before sunrise early in the month. Comet Tsuchinshan passed closest to the Sun in late September. The view of Tsuchinshan continues to improve in the northern latitudes, rising out of the early morning twilight as this month progresses. Try observing this comet about 45 minutes before sunrise about 5° or so above the horizon. Tsuchinshan will quickly disappear from the morning sky only to return to the evening sky by the end of the second week of October. Predictions for brightness for this comet is from magnitude -4.3 to -4.7, brighter than Venus, around the 8th and 9th, and could be bright enough to see in daylight with the aid of binoculars or a small telescope. The comet passes closest to Earth on the 12th and be visible about 5° above the western horizon, shining at a magnitude of 0.0. By the 26th of the month, the comet will be much dimmer but about 30° above the southwestern horizon. Images and more information from Space.com For information, orbital elements and ephemerides on observable comets, visit Observable Comets. For more information about Comets, visit Gary Kronk's Cometography.com webpage.
  	Eclipses Solar Eclipses Annular solar eclipse occurs on the 2nd, visible from parts of South America, the Pacific Ocean, the Atlantic Ocean and Antarctica. Lunar Eclipses No lunar eclipse activity this month.
  	Observational Opportunities Look for Mercury, Venus, Ceres and Pluto in the evening to the southwest and west. Look for Comet Tsuchinshan in the evening to the west after mid-month. Look for Saturn, Neptune, Uranus and Jupiter in the late to the south and east. Look for Mars and Comet Tsuchinshan in the morning to the east during the first week of the month.
  	Asteroids (From west to east) Iris is in the constellation of Capricornus. Psyche is in the constellation of Capricornus. Massalia is in the constellation of Pisces. Eunomia is in the constellation of Auriga. Information about the Minor Planets can be found at the Minor Planet Observer website.
  	Ocultations Information on various occultations can be found by clicking the IOTA logo. The Moon occults Saturn on the 14th. The Moon occults Neptune on the 15th.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Member Meteor Sightings

  In this section I will post meteor, fireball, etc sightings that have been published on the American Meteor Society's web site. I want to make this an active section of the web pages and newsletter and would like to publish the links to member sightings. If you have any published sightings, please provide me with the links and I will post them here for all to enjoy.

  Event ID	Date/Time	Location	Observer	Link
  3871-2015	2015-11-13 01:55 MST	CO	Charles N	3871a
  3587-2015	2015-11-22 17:38 MST	CO	Kevin S	3587aw
  3829-2015	2015-12-05 18:06 MST	CO	Burness A	3829a
  986-2020	2020-02-21 22:20 MST	CO	Lukas S	986
  3716-2020	2020-07-24 23:22 MDT	CO	Lukas S	3716
  4774-2021	2021-08-13 21:57 MDT	UT	Lukas S	4774
  7044-2021	2021-10-28 20:37 MDT	CO	Burness A	249058
  6763-2022	2022-10-06 05:56 CDT	OK	Mike C	6763
  5300-2023	2023-09-11 22:04 MDT	CO	Lukas S	5300
  578-2024	2024-01-28 23:05 MST	CO	Lukas S	578

  Return to Top

  ---

  Subscriber Gallery

  I have created a web page containing images taken and submitted by subscribers (or special images) to the email newsletter, check-ins to the Colorado Astronomy Net and readers of the online newsletter. Any one wishing to submit their own images to the gallery, please let me know. The images must be taken by the submitter and be astronomy related. Please include a description and your information so that I can give proper credit to your work.

  Featured Images

  The Moon
  Courtesy of Bryan Gunsher (K6SKI) Images taken August 2024
  "Earth's Moon is the brightest and largest object in our night sky. The Moon makes Earth a more livable planet by moderating our home planet's wobble on its axis, leading to a relatively stable climate. It also causes tides, creating a rhythm that has guided humans for thousands of years.

  The Moon was likely formed after a Mars-sized body collided with Earth several billion years ago.

  Earth's only natural satellite is simply called "the Moon" because people didn't know other moons existed until Galileo Galilei discovered four moons orbiting Jupiter in 1610. In Latin, the Moon was called Luna, which is the main adjective for all things Moon-related: lunar." NASA Science

  Return to Top

  ---

  Planetary/Lunar Exploration Missions

  (Excerpts from recent JPL mission updates)

  	JPL LATEST NEWS The Latest from Space The Origin of JPL (a Youtube video-1 Hour 29 minutes).
  	JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE Information on the James Webb Space Telescope mission is available at The James Webb Space Telescope website. The public can follow the mission on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
  	JUNO Information on the Juno mission is available at Juno and Mission Juno. Images from NASA's JunoCam. The public can follow the mission on Facebook and Twitter.
  	TESS Information on the TESS mission can be found on the Latest Tess Stories page.

  Past, Present, Future and Proposed JPL Missions.

  For special JPL programs and presentations in your area visit the JPL Solar System Ambassador web site.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Mars Missions

  Be A Martian

  

  Mars website mobile version is here!

  	Mars on the Go! NASA Be A Martian Mobile App If you want the latest news as it happens, try out the "Be A Martian" app. Download on Mobile Devices Android | iPhone | Windows Phone
  	JMARS JMARS is an acronym that stands for Java Mission-planning and Analysis for Remote Sensing. It is a geospatial information system (GIS) developed by ASU's Mars Space Flight Facility to provide mission planning and data-analysis tools to NASA's orbiters, instrument team members, students of all ages, and the general public.
  	Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics "The Laboratory for Atmospheric and Space Physics (LASP) at the University of Colorado Boulder (CU) began in 1948, a decade before NASA. We are the world's only research institute to have sent instruments to all eight planets and Pluto.
  	LASP Visit the LASP website for latest news and information.
  	MAVEN Visit the MAVEN website for latest news and information.
  	Mars 2020 - Perseverance Visit the Mars 2020 (Perseverance) mission website for mission information and news updates.
  	Mars Science Laboratory - Curiosity Visit the Mars Science Laboratory website for mission information and news updates.
  	Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Mission Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter HiRISE Images View all of the archived HiRISE images here. More information about the MRO mission is available online.
  	Mars Odyssey Daily Mars Odyssey THEMIS Images Can be found at the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) website. Visit the Mars Odyssey Mission website for mission information and news updates.
  	Mars Missions Status New Mars missions are being planned to include several new rover and sample collection missions. Check out the Mars Exploration website.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Astronomy Links and Other Space News

  (If you have a link you would like to recommend to our readers, please feel free to submit it.)

  

  Colorado Astronomy Links

  • Brighton Astronomy Group - Astronomy in Brighton, Colorado (under construction).

  • Cloudbait Observatory, Guffey Colorado - Submit your fireball reports here. Interesting, knowledgeable site.

  • Colorado Springs Astronomical Society - The Colorado Springs Astronomical Society (CSAS) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to the enjoyment of the nighttime sky.

  • Denver Astronomical Society - The Deep Space Exploration Society is a Colorado based nonprofit organization dedicated to practical astronomy and space science education for students, the general public, and society members.

  • Deep Space Exploration Society - Promotes the enjoyment and understanding of astronomical phenomena, history and lore by providing educational and observing opportunities for our members, general public, and outreach activities at the University of Denver's historic Chamberlin Observatory, schools, and nature centers.

  • Little Thompson Observatory - Begin or sustain your interest in astronomy at LTO! The night sky is wondrous, filled with countless swirling galaxies, the planets, the moon and so much more. Many of these sights are easily visible from Earth, but few people have witnessed them personally.

    The Little Thompson Observatory can change that for you. Our mission is to help people of all ages learn about the universe by offering a first-hand experience with astronomy...

  • National Space Science & Technology Institute - NSSTI runs the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

  • Northern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Northern Colorado Astronomical Society is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the science of astronomy and to encourage and coordinate activities of amateur astronomers.

  • Rocky Mountain Star Stare - The Premier Star Party in The Rocky Mountains

  • SkyWatchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers - Coal Creek Canyon Sky Watchers is an astronomy and space exploration group that features expert presenters on topics such as the exploration of the Moon, Mars and other planets, international space exploration missions, as well as other astronomy topics. We established Sky Watchers in 2014 and usually have about 35 attendees at our meetings.

  • Southern Colorado Astronomical Society - The Southern Colorado Astronomical Society, CSU-P and the Pueblo Nature and Raptor Center welcomes everyone to participate in the discovery of our night sky.

  • Star Cruiser Bill's Astrophotography - Great astrophotography from Aurora Colorado.

  • Star Light-Star Bright Observatory - The observatory is part of the nonprofit National Space Science & Technology Institute's education and public outreach program.

    The goal of the Star Light—Star Bright Observatory, is to put the universe within reach of primary grade students and their teachers; along with being an educational asset for the community. The observatory is an educational project that was established in 2004 to serve young and old alike and provides the only free access to viewing the universe in the Pikes Peak Region.

  Radio Astronomy Links

  • AMSAT - The Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation, or AMSAT, is a worldwide group of Amateur Radio Operators (Hams)... AMSAT's goal is to foster Amateur Radio's participation in space research and communication.

  • National Radio Astronomy Observatory - NRAO - Radio Astronomy news and information.

  • Radio JOVE Project - Radio JOVE students and amateur scientists observe and analyze natural radio emissions of Jupiter, the Sun, and our galaxy.

  • Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers - The Society of Amateur Radio Astronomers (SARA) is an international society of dedicated enthusiasts who teach, learn, trade technical information, and do their own observations of the radio sky.

  More Astronomy Links

  • "TheSky" - Astronomy Software by Software Bisque. It's where discoveries are made. Where astronomers unravel the mysteries and reveal the beauty of space. At the heart of this search lies Software Bisque and its family of precision-crafted robotic telescope mounts, astronomy software solutions and embedded systems. Tools that help quench the astronomers' thirst for scientific breakthrough and personal enrichment the world over.

  • A Sea of Stars - Voyages of a Merchant Mariner & Amateur Astronomer - I'm a retired Navy veteran, currently sailing with the US Navy's Military Sealift Command as an Operations Chief. My dominant interests are science (esp. astronomy), history and photography, and I enjoy naval and military wargaming WHEN I can find the time.

  • A Short Guide to Celestial Navigation - Celestial navigation is the art and science of finding one's geographic position by means of astronomical observations, particularly by measuring altitudes of celestial objects — sun, moon, planets, or stars.

  • The ARRL - Amateur Radio Relay League - Information about amateur radio and how to become an amateur radio operator.

  • American Meteor Society - Provides amateur observers a place to learn about and report meteor, fireball and related sightings.

  • AstroBackyard - Welcome to the AstroBackyard Backyard of the Week! This is a place where we honor the hard work and dedication put into building an astrophotography rig to capture the glorious night sky. There are many ways to tackle this hobby, with varying types of telescopes, cameras, and mounts with one thing in common — they produce results!

  • Astrogirl Homepage - Astrogirl.org exists to educate, encourage and promote the hobby of amateur astronomy to people of all ages. It is the goal of this site to provide relevant information and resources to the amateur astronomer as an aid in their enjoyment of the night sky. It is a family-friendly, educational site and has been rated as a safe site for all ages.

  • Astronomia - Online web applications that use catalogues of astronomical objects. Applications and their description are also prepared in English.

  • Astronomy Picture of the Day - Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation written by a professional astronomer.

  • Astronomy Resources - This site has some good links a young, interested student wishes to share.

  • Beginners Guide To Astrophotography - A Quick & Easy Tutorial Of How To Take DSLR Astro Photography

  • Be an Astronomer right from your Window - At-home astronomy techniques.

  • Black Hole Encyclopedia - Excellent site from StarDate - University of Texas McDonald Observatory

  • Caelum Observatory - The LARGEST dedicated public telescope in the Southwest at the Mount Lemmon SkyCenter!

  • Celestron Telescopes - Celestron telescopes.

  • Citizen Science - Citizen Science Projects - NASA's citizen science projects are collaborations between scientists and interested members of the public.

  • Clear Skies Observing Guides - CSOG, short for Clear Skies Observing Guides is a new concept in visual amateur astronomy. It is a digital publication that will enable observers to target all deepsky objects and carbon stars within reach of their equipment.

  • The Constellations of the Night Sky - Good site for finding out more about the 88 constellations and their associated stars. Links to the constellations mentioned in the newsletter can be found on this page.

  • CosmoQuest - The place where you map other worlds, explore out universe and contribute to science.

  • Distant Suns - Desktop Astronomy package for PCs.

  • Dwarf II Smart Telescope - Introducing DWARF II - the world's most portable smart telescope controlled by the mobile app DWARFLAB.

  • EarthSky - Astronomy news.

  • Go Astronomy - Links to constellations, noted in this newsletter, as well as to promote and educate people about amateur astronomy.

  • Heavens-Above - As the name implies - What's up in the heavens, particularly satellite passes.

  • The International Dark-Sky Association - To preserve and protect the nighttime environment and our heritage of dark skies.

  • informED: 10 Teaching Tools for Educators - informED - Teacher Resources.

  • Isa's Astrophotography Atelier - Isabel Streit's exceptional astrophotography web page.

  • iTelescope.net - iTelescope.Net is the world's premier network of Internet connected telescopes, allowing members to take astronomical images of the night sky for the purposes of education, scientific research and astrophotography.

  • JPL Solar System Ambassador Program - "Volunteers Bringing the Solar System to the Public"

  • JPL Solar System - Jet Propulsion Laboratory information on our solar system.

  • K8JTK.ORG - Welcome to the home page of Jeffrey Kopcak. You will find pages and posts I wrote about my hobbies, interests, projects, and things I'm involved in.

  • Kids Space Center - Telescopes and Astronomy - Another site suggested by a young student - Great info about telescopes.

  • Mars Exploration, Mars Rovers Information, Facts, News, Photos - National Geographic - Mars Exploration - Investigating the Red Planet.

  • Meade Advanced Products Users Group - Mapug-Astronomy Topical Archive & information resource, containing a massive 335 page archive of discussions about Meade equipment, and much more: observatories, observing lists, permanent piers, equatorial wedges, remote operations, software, eyepieces, etc.

  • NASA - Lunar and Planetary Science - General information, Missions to Comets, Data, Press Releases, Meteors and Meteorites, Other topics of Interest.

  • NASA Science News - NASA missions, updates, astronomy news, excellent resource.

  • National Archives info on space exploration - Archives Library Information Center (ALIC) - Space Exploration - Information about the United States' space flight programs, including NASA missions and the astronauts who participate in the efforts to explore space.

  • Phys.org - Science News including Nanotechnology, Physics, Earth, Astronomy & Space, Technology, Chemistry, Biology and Other Sciences.

  • Predictions for Solar and Lunar Eclipses - A website dedicated to predictions and information on eclipses of the Sun and Moon.

  • Sky360 - What's in our skies? - Observational Citizen Science of Earth's Atmosphere and Beyond.

  • Skymaps.com - Free sky maps each month.

  • SKY-MAP.ORG - The main purpose of SKY-MAP is to consolidate astronomical, astrophysical and other information about different space objects and astrophysical facts.

  • Space.com - Interesting space and astronomy articles.

  • Spaceflight Now - Launches and satellite news.

  • SpaceLinks/Space Careers - SPACELINKS is a specialist staffing consultancy sourcing and supplying high caliber professionals for a wide range of world class organizations in the Space and Defense industry.

  • "SpaceRef.com" - SpaceRef's 21 news and reference web sites are designed to allow both the novice and specialist alike to explore outer space and Earth observation.

  • Space Weather - Check out what the sun is doing as seen from space.

  • Stellarium - Free, downloadable planetarium/astronomy software.

  • Sterling Images - Images both celestial and terrestrial by Sterling "Rip" Smith (K3XO).

  • Telecommunications satellites and space exploration (OOMA blog) - Interesting article on telecommunications satellites with supporting links. Courtesy of Ariana Miller.

  • Telescope Live - The New Home for Astrophotography and Remote Imaging - Online access to a global network of 10 robotic telescopes.

  • The Most Expensive & Amazing Telescopes In History - Some of the most expensive and amazing telescopes in history - From The Hub Post.

  • The Ultimate Beginner's Guide to Astrophotography - Looking up into the night sky with just your eyes and maybe a telescope is amazing on its own. But it can be even better when you photograph and record it for your memories.

  • Top 50 Astronomy NASA Photos of All Time - A list of the most interesting moments in the history of science - From The Hub Post.

  • Ultimate Resource Guide for Astronomy - The resources we have provided below cover everything from discussing what astronomy is all the way to social media groups that focus on this popular and interesting topic. Use this resource guide for finding some great sites on astronomy whether you are a teacher looking for lesson plan ideas, a student wanting to brush up on their knowledge, a college student looking for a career or you just love the stars and want the most from your experiences.

  • UniverseToday - Short, interesting articles about space and related topics.

  • Wildcat Astronomy - Astrophotography by James Paulson - Planetary and Deep Sky imaging at its best. Check out the Blog as well as the images for tips and tricks of astrophotography.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Astronomical Lexicon

  Definitions of astronomical terms. Many of the astronomical terms used in this newsletter are defined here.

  Return to Top

  ---

  

  Read the Universe Today Newsletter by clicking on the logo.

  Return to Top

  ---

  Acknowledgments and References

  Much of the information in this newsletter is from Astronomy® Magazine (Kalmbach Publishing), JPL mission status reports, the Internet, "Meteor Showers - A descriptive Catalog" by Gary W. Kronk, Sky & Telescope web pages, and other astronomical sources that I have stashed on my bookshelves.

  The author will accept any suggestions, constructive criticisms, and corrections. Please feel free to send me any new links or articles to share as well. I will try to accommodate any reasonable requests. Please feel free to send questions, comments, criticisms, or donations to the email address listed below. Enjoy!

  More Acknowledgements and References

  Return to Top

  ---

  Subscription Information

  • To subscribe: visit Astronews subscription page.

  • Email Newsletter archives

  Return to Top

  ---

  Keep looking UP!
  73 from KIØAR
  

  Return to Top

  ---

  Home of KIØAR
  created by Burness F. Ansell, III,
  Email me
  IAAS - COO, Director of Aerospace Technologies
  JPL Solar System Ambassador, Colorado
  last modified: October 01, 2024

  URL:http://www.ki0ar.com/astro.html