2019 Week 44: (October 27-November 2)

This week in the sky there will be a number of conjunctions and an opposition!

Date	Event
October 27	New Moon
October 28	Uranus at Opposition
October 29	Venus 4°S of Moon
October 30	Mercury 3°S of Venus
October 31	Jupiter 1.3°S of Moon
November 1	Saturn 0.6°N of Moon

The week starts out coinciding with the start of a new lunar month as the Moon will be new on October 27.  This will provide us with a beautiful waxing crescent in the sky while everyone is out getting candy on Halloween.

The next evening, Uranus will be at opposition.  This is the point in the sky where it is opposite to the Sun as viewed from Earth.  It will be at its largest and brightest in the southeastern section of Aries.

Scan the region below the bright stars of Aries to find a small blue/grey spot of light that will not be twinkling like a star.  Unfortunately, there are no other bright stars in the area that you can use as a guide to find our seventh planet.  Good luck!

Uranus at Opposition

I have only ever photographed Uranus once and that was when it was in conjunction with Mars this past February.

Uranus and Mars in Conjunction

There will be a lot of action in the evening twilight this week.  Venus will be in conjunction with the brand new waxing crescent Moon on the evening of the 28th.  You'll have to find a clear view of the western horizon and a set of binoculars with you.  AFTER the Sun has gone down, look for the Moon with your binoculars.  A couple fields to the south of the Moon you should be able to see Venus and Mercury.  The sun will set around 6:15pm in the evening, followed by Mercury at 6:45pm.  Your window for viewing is small.

A few nights later, dress up as an astronomer and catch Jupiter and the Moon very close to each other in the sky.  Jupiter is quickly moving toward conjunction with the Sun and won't be visible for several weeks to once again appear in the morning. 

The next evening, try to spot the Moon next to Saturn just below the teaspoon asterism of Sagittarius.  Just like Jupiter, Saturn is also making its way toward the Sun and out of our evening view.  Setup your telescope one last time to catch the beautiful rings before they are gone.

I hope you do have the opportunity to get out under the stars while the sky is clear and the ground, for the most part, free of a thick layer of snow. 

2019 Week 43: (October 20-October 26)

I took a 6 week break from blogging as life got incredibly busy!  However, I am back and ready to go!

What is going on in the sky this upcoming week?!

Date	Event
October 21	Last Quarter
October 21	Orionid Meteors Peak
October 21	Moon 0.7°S of Beehive Cluster (M44)
October 26	Zodiacal Light Visible in Northern Latitudes
October 26	Mars 5°S of Moon

We have the Moon reaching its last quarter phase on the same evening the Orionid meteor shower peaks.

The Orionid Meteor Shower comprises the dust and debris leftover from Halley's Comet.  If you missed Halley's Comet back in 1986 you get a chance to see its debris twice a year: The Eta Aquariid Shower and the Orionid Shower.

The Orionids peak around October 21 every year and the best time to see this shower is in the middle of the early Morning.  Orion will be rising in the southeast around midnight and you should start to see meteors soon thereafter.  The radiant point is just to the East of Orion's club as shown in the image below.

Orionid Radiant

The Orionids peak at around 10-20 meteors per hour and are best seen away from the light pollution of urban centres and the Moon.  While you are waiting, take in the sights of the Pleiades Star Cluster or the Great Orion Nebula.  This year the Moon will be wandering in nearby Cancer and will provide ample light pollution to lower the counts.

City	Suburbs	Rural	Optimal
5	10	15	23

As with other meteor showers I have provided a log chart for recording your observations.  Please find it below.

Orionid Meteor Shower

Instructions for filling it out can be found: Explore the Universe - Meteor Showers

As mentioned above, the Moon will be hanging out in the constellation of Cancer.  This brings it right next to the Beehive Cluster which forms the heart of the crab.  While you are out chasing down some Orionid meteors, throw your binoculars onto the Moon.  You should see a beautiful cluster of stars in the same field of view!

Later in the week, the Zodiacal Light may be visible to those who have very dark skies and a keen eye.  More information about sighting this phenomenon can be found below:

https://simonjastronomy.blogspot.com/2017/02/what-is-zodiacal-light.html

To finish off the week the slim waning crescent Moon can be found sitting right above the red planet, Mars.  This can be found in the early morning twilight between Spica and Porrima in the constellation Virgo.

What can you expect in the coming weeks?

• Mercury will transit across the face of the Sun on November 11 at sunrise!  
• Open cluster M36 will be in conjunction with a magnitude 12 comet C/2017 Panstarrs.
• Mare Orientale will be in view on the Moon from November 12-16 for those keen enough to explore the libration regions of our lunar neighbour.

Stay tuned to our page for updates on these great celestial events as the time gets closer!  Even though it is getting colder, don't forget to look up and explore the night sky with your eyes!