Observing Calendar for October – November by Steve Woodbridge

Observing Calendar

October 13th to November 12th 2009 (all times BST)

by Steve Woodbridge

Date
October 15th	Ganymede occults Io (2127)
October 16th	Mercury, Venus, Saturn and the moon all within 15 degrees looking ESE at 0725
October 16th	Ganymede occults Europa (2210)
October 18th	New Moon (the first part of this period has the darkest evening skies)
October 20th	Orionid meteors reach their broad maximum. The radiant is near the Gemini border and culminates at 5am. With up to 20 meteors per hour expected at this time it should be a reasonable display with a dark moon this year.
October 21st	Moon occults Antares in daylight (1554) at an altitude of 12°
October 23rd	Ganymede occults Io (0012)
October 24th – November 1st	International Year of Astronomy Moonwatch week
October 25th	End of British Summer Time (2am)
October 25th	Society observing session at the Beaver camp at Garner’s Field, Sheephatch Lane, Tilford
October 25th	Jupiter sets before midnight. Jupiter is still easily visible in the early evening this month. Why not try sketching it? (An attempt of mine from 25th September is shown opposite).
October 25th	Neptune sets before midnight – in Capricornus. Uranus is even better placed at the moment – although hard to find in a barren area of Aquarius.
October 27th	Moon sets after midnight
November 2nd	Full Moon
November 2nd	Europa passes in front of Ganymede (1849)
November 5th	Mercury at superior conjunction (after the best morning apparition of the year)
November 6th	Mars culminates at dawn – in Cancer (near Praesepe). It is just at the end of the winter in Mars’ Northern hemisphere now and with its North Pole facing us the North Polar cap should be prominent. The visible diameter is growing (8”), so potentially quite imageable (or drawable!)
November 9th	Europa passes in front of Ganymede (2202)
November 11th	Moon rises after midnight
November 12th	Mirfak – Alpha Persei (magnitude 1.8) culminates at midnight. Perseus is a bright late autumn  constellation. Lying in the Milky Way it is well known for its open clusters. However it is also home to a number of galaxies. Patrick Moore logged one as number 24 in his Caldwell catalogue. This peculiar 11½ magnitude galaxy (NGC1275) is part of the large Perseus Galaxy cluster which can provide fine images in large instruments (any offers?). Somewhat easier is NGC1023 (not in either the Messier or Caldwell catalogues). This elliptical galaxy is magnitude 9.5 and size 8’ x 3’, so should be visible in smaller scopes.