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Observing Calendar for October – November by Steve Woodbridge

Sky Diary — By pcburns on October 12, 2009 at 4:00 pm

Observing Calendar

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

by Steve Woodbridge

Date
October 15^th	Ganymede occults Io (2127)
October 16^th	Mercury, Venus, Saturn and the moon all within 15 degrees looking ESE at 0725
October 16^th	Ganymede occults Europa (2210)
October 18^th	New Moon (the first part of this period has the darkest evening skies)
October 20^th	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 21^st	Moon occults Antares in daylight (1554) at an altitude of 12°
October 23^rd	Ganymede occults Io (0012)
October 24^th – November 1st	International Year of Astronomy Moonwatch week
October 25^th	End of British Summer Time (2am)
October 25^th	Society observing session at the Beaver camp at Garner’s Field, Sheephatch Lane, Tilford
October 25^th	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 25^th September is shown opposite).
October 25^th	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 27^th	Moon sets after midnight
November 2^nd	Full Moon
November 2^nd	Europa passes in front of Ganymede (1849)
November 5^th	Mercury at superior conjunction (after the best morning apparition of the year)
November 6^th	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 9^th	Europa passes in front of Ganymede (2202)
November 11^th	Moon rises after midnight
November 12^th	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.