| Observatory |
What's Up...
Some observing hilights
to look forward to...
The following tips on current and upcoming astronomical events
have been assembled for our Okanagan region by Dave Gamble
with the objective of giving OC RASC members a heads-up on
special personal astro-experiences to look forward to.
Sat. Oct. 3 – As we are increasingly able to enjoy the night sky at earlier hours, Saturn will be a choice target in telescopes this evening since it has reached opposition. As the night progresses, the ringed planet will be showcased among the faint stars of Pisces with Andromeda and its M31 treasure looking on from above.
Sun. Oct. 4 – The early morning sky before dawn will beckon star gazers today. First of all, the now waning crescent Moon will shine down from just below the Gemini twins Castor and Pollux, below it to the left will be ruddy Mars continuing its climb into the night sky, and below it again will be brilliant Jupiter, completing the parade of luminaries.
Mon. Oct. 5 – We are back to an early morning sky that has changed dramatically in one day. The narrowing crescent Luna has moved along into the realm of M44 the Beehive Cluster in Cancer with Mars just to her upper right, and blazing Jupiter to the lower left.
Tues. Oct. 6 – The early morning celestial performers are back at it this morning! A still narrower Lunar crescent has now moved very close to Jupiter creating a dramatic pairing. As exciting as this may be, our cousins in eastern Canada will really have had a show with Luna actually eclipsing the banded gas giant and its Galilean retinue!
Wed. Oct. 7 - A reminder that we are still in the fall Zodiacal Light season. With the dark moon period underway, if you have dark sky conditions and a clear view of the eastern horizon (or can travel to a location that does, such as our Okanagan Observatory), you might be able to glimpse the ghostly pyramid of faint light which reaches up from the horizon into the constellations Cancer and Gemini before morning twilight sets in. The effect is subtle, but dramatic, as sunlight reflecting off dust particles in the equatorial plane of the solar system creates the phenomenon.
Sun. Oct 11 – We often get excited about Luna either skimming or even occulting members of M44 the Beehive Cluster. Something different will happen in the pre-dawn hours this morning, and it’s even more dramatic! This time it will be Mars that will traverse the faint swarm of Beehive stars! Binoculars will give you a view of the action, but your telescope will put you into a front row seat as our ruddy outer neighbour slowly moves through the hive!
Wed. Oct. 14 - There will be an opportunity to see Algol do its slow blink tonight. ‘The Devil Star’ will reach its minimum brightness in a two hour time period centered around 10.03pm tonight. The brightness of Algol can be compared with its neighbouring stars in Perseus before 9pm and then revisited for its dim phase sometime during the following two hours.
Sat. Oct. 17 - If you missed Algol’s blink last wednesday, tonight will offer another chance to catch ‘the Demon Star’ in action. The eclipsing binary will reach its minimum brightness in a two hour time period centered around 9.52pm. Check it out around 8.30pm to see it in its full glory, then revisit it after 9pm to observe it in its dim mode. The stars of Perseus will appear in the north-northeast sky to the lower left of the familiar ‘W’ of Cassiopeia.
Sun. Oct. 18 – This is First Quarter Moon night, and we again find the neatly divided lunar disk peeping over the southern horizon for the occasion. As the sky darkens, the beautiful star pattern of Sagittarius complements the southern sky view to the right.
Wed. Oct. 21 - The Orionid meteor shower will peak tonight and early tomorrow morning and though Luna is in her waxing gibbous phase, she shouldn’t be much of a problem from 1am onward since she’ll be tucked low in the southwest while the radiant near Orion’s club to the upper left of Betegeuse will be rising in the southeast. Orionids can yield about 20 – 40 fast moving meteors per hour from a dark sky location. May Aquarids and October Orionids share the same famous parent: Halley’s Comet. In May Earth encounters dust shed by the comet on its outward path, while tonight we will cross Halley’s inbound track.
Fri. Oct 23 – Something to enjoy in the late evening sky tonight will be the waxing gibbous Moon posing just to the upper right of Saturn. For those who will add to their enjoyment with their telescope, there will be a bonus! The outer ice giant Neptune will form a triangle with the two of them, located to their lower right, about 5 degrees from Luna.
Mon. Oct. 26 – This is Full Moon night, which, if it’s clear, will provide us with another dramatic experience. Placed high in the southern sky Luna may be surveying how things are progressing in the Okanagan as fall quietly begins its transition to the early steps leading toward winter.
Tues. Oct. 27 – Tonight the just past Full Moon will perform a pas de deux with the Pleiades open cluster. The ballet will be underway whenever Luna rises over your eastern horizon, and as the evening advances she’ll slowly en pointe away to the east.
Sat. Oct. 31 – Some early Halloween fireworks will be on display before dawn this morning. The waning gibbous Luna will be positioned comfortably among the stars of Gemini… to her lower left will be Mars and not much farther away will be brilliant Jupiter. Carry the line a bit farther and Regulus in Leo will complete the celestial parade.