Kingston Skies in October - compiled by Rick Wagner
Date Time (EDT) Event In the Sky
01 Oct - Full Moon
01 Oct - Mercury at GEE - greatest elongation east - visible low in the west after sunset.
06 Oct - Mars closest approach to Earth for this apparition, about 61 million km,22.6” diameter.
06 Oct - possible enhanced burst of Draconid meteors this evening (~9:30PM EDT) based on predictions of two thin streams of dust. These meteors are also sometimes called the Giacobinids since they result from dust released from comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner. Start observing as the sky gets dark (by 8PM.) Draconids tend to be faint so a site with dark skies will give best results.
09 Oct - last quarter Moon
10 Oct - South Taurid meteor shower, zenithal hourly rate ~5/hr
13 Oct - Mars at opposition, mag -2.6
16 Oct - New Moon
- while in the dark of the Moon this month it might be a good time to try to see the gegenschein, the very faint glow of sunlight reflecting from dust in the plane of the ecliptic. However, it will be very near Mars in the sky which is probably bright enough to wash it out.
17 Oct - double moon shadow transit on Jupiter in daylight sky; 5:26PM EDT.
21 Oct - Orionid meteor shower before dawn
23 Oct - asteroid 11 Parthenope at opposition, mag 9.4.
23 Oct - first quarter Moon
31 Oct - Uranus at opposition, mag 5.7
31 Oct - Full Moon
30 Sep - asteroid 68 Leto at opposition (mag 9.5)
