Sky Events October 2014

Moon Phases

Wednesday, October 1, 3:33 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 2:15 p.m. and sets around 12:30 a.m. It dominates the evening sky. This is the first of two First Quarter Moons this month.

Wednesday, October 8, 5:51 a.m. EDT

Full Moon

The Full Moon of October is known as the Hunter’s Moon because it is the Full Moon following the Harvest Moon; it is also sometimes known as the “Blood Moon” or “Sanguine Moon.” It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Wednesday, October 15, 3:12 p.m. EDT

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11:30 p.m. and sets around 2:15 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Thursday, October 23, 5:57 p.m. EDT

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Thursday, October 30, 10:48 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 1:45 p.m. and sets around 12:30 a.m. It dominates the evening sky. This is the second of two First Quarter Moons this month.

Observing Highlights

Tuesday, October 7, 5 p.m. EDT

Uranus at opposition

The planet Uranus reaches opposition, located exactly opposite the Sun in the sky. It is visible all night. You can locate it by projecting a diagonal of the Square of Pegasus to two stars in Pisces just north of Uranus.

Wednesday, October 8, early morning

Total eclipse of the Moon

This eclipse is visible over much of the World, except for Europe and Africa. It occurs in the early morning in the Americas, and in the early evening in Asia and Australia. As shown here, the Moon enters the umbra, the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, at 5:15 a.m. EDT. Greatest eclipse will be at 6:55 a.m. EDT.

Wednesday, October 8, 7 a.m. EDT

Moon in conjunction with Uranus

In the middle of tonight’s lunar eclipse, the Moon will be just north of the planet Uranus. Use the eclipsed Moon to locate Uranus with binoculars.

Sunday, October 12, 6 a.m. EDT

Moon in conjunction with Aldebaran

The Moon will pass just to the north of the bright red giant star Aldebaran, located in the Hyades star cluster.

Thursday, October 23, afternoon

Partial eclipse of the Sun

This partial solar eclipse will be visible most of North America and eastern Siberia. The Sun will be covered to the greatest extent at sunset from the Canadian arctic to the American Mid-west. It is shown here as seen from Yellowknife NWT. Partial solar eclipses are particularly dangerous if viewed without adequate protection, so use a special solar filter (“eclipse glasses”) to look at it.

Saturday, October 25, evening

Saturn and the Moon

The Moon passes just north of the Saturn in the constellation Libra. Viewers in central Europe will see the Moon occult Saturn, as shown here from Vienna, Austria at 6:30 p.m.

Planets

Mercury will too close to the Sun to observe most of the month, but begins a good morning apparition at the end of the month for observers in the Northern Hemisphere.

Venus is in superior conjunction with the Sun on the 25th, so will be hard to see all month. Look for it during the partial solar eclipse on the 23rd.

Mars is now fading rapidly in brightness as it moves towards the far side of the Sun.

Jupiter rises well after midnight in the constellation Cancer, moving into Leo in mid-month.

Saturn, in Libra, vanishes into evening twilight late in the month.

Uranus is in opposition on October 7 in Pisces, visible all night.

Neptune is well placed in the evening sky in Aquarius.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
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