Downloadable version of the newsletter in PDF Format
(Right click and select "Save target as" to begin download.)
(Always check the PDF link above if the web page is not updated.
I always publish the PDF before I upload the web page.) PDF updated 1st of every month!
For amateur radio operators and scanner enthusiasts around the world, please join the Colorado Astronomy Net on the Rocky Mountain Radio League'sK1DUN repeater on 449.450 MHz or other digital and analog repeaters, Allstar nodes, Echolinks, DMR and internet links connected to the SKYHUBLINK system. The net meets on Tuesday nights at 7 P.M. Mountain Time (US) (Wednesday at 0200 GMT). Connecting to the SkyHubLink system has expanded our coverage in the U.S., Canada and internationally. All Amateur radio operators worldwide are welcome. Anyone may listen to the net. The RMRL provides a "Live Audio Feed" using Broadcastify.
Obtain your Amateur Radio (Ham) License or your General Radio Operator's License (GROL)! Visit the South Metro VE Team website for more information. The South Metro VE Team provides test sessions by appointment only. Check the website for current information. All others interested in Amateur Radio, check out the Amateur Radio Relay League website to find out more information about becoming an Amateur Radio operator.
Donate to the IAAS!
Your contributions are tax deductible.
Thank you for your support!
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.)
Apologies! I did not have one of my valuable resources to write up the newsletter for October, so I am missing most of the images and some of the write-ups. I did pull up a fair amount of info on the internet though. The November issue will have images back in the newsletter. Unfortunately, I will be traveling for several weeks and will not be able to update the newsletter this month with better data and images.
I appreciate your continued support.
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.)
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
CometC/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.
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.
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
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 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.
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...
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.
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 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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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 - 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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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