The Planets

PERTH

NIGHT SKY

FOR OCTOBER 2008

ALL times quoted are in

Western Australian Standard Time

or Western Daylight Saving Time!

The Planets.

p: previous day, f: following day.

Mercury:

Rises: 0615, Sets: 1912 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0544, Sets: 1826 on the LAST day of the month.

Due to its close proximity to the Sun, Mercury is not easy to see during this month. It may be seen LOW in the western evening twilight sky during the latter part of the month.

Venus:

Rises: 0720, Sets: 2041 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0823, Sets: 2240 on the LAST day of the month.

Venus is very easy to see during this month. It may be seen in the western evening sky during this month.

Mars:

Rises: 0651, Sets: 1950 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0654, Sets: 2029 on the LAST day of the month.

Mars can be seen only during the early evening north-western sky, during the early part of this month.

Jupiter:

Rises: 1129, Sets: 0140f on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 1047, Sets: 0055f on the LAST day of the month.

Jupiter can be seen from the early evening until soon after midnight, as a very bright star-like object. The FOUR Galilean Moons can easily be seen even in small telescopes.

Saturn:

Rises: 0501, Sets: 1628 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0412, Sets: 1545 on the LAST day of the month.

The planet is only visible in the early morning, during this month, in the eastern sky. It appears yellowish-white in colour and the rings show up very clearly, even in small telescopes. However, the rings will become increasingly more difficult to see during this year, by 2009, we will be viewing them 'edge-on'.

Uranus:

Rises: 1645, Sets: 0516f on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 1542, Sets: 0415f on the LAST day of the month.

Visible in the north-eastern sky from early evening but not easy to see because of its faintness.

Neptune:

Rises: 1432, Sets: 0354f on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 1333, Sets: 0255f on the LAST day of the month.

Neptune may be observed in the north-eastern sky from early evening during this month and like Uranus, is not easy to see because of its faintness.

Pluto:

Since re-classification as a 'dwarf' planet, rise and set times for Pluto are unavailable.

The Moon.

LUNATION 1061

New Moon: Sept 29, 2008 @ 1612,

First Quarter: Oct 7, 2008 @ 1704,

Full Moon: Oct 15, 2008 @ 0402,

Last Quarter: Oct 21, 2008 @ 1955.

New Moon: Oct 29, 2008 @ 0714,

Rises: 0632, Sets: 2020 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0718, Sets: 2204 on the LAST day of the month.

Rising and setting approximately 30-55 minutes later each night.

DNS: Does not set,

DNR: Does not rise.

Constellation of the Month.

Aquarius: The Water Bearer.

The Sun.

Rises: 0554, Sets: 1819 on the FIRST day of the month;

Rises: 0620, Sets: 1941 on the LAST day of the month.

Meteor Showers.

Best observations are from mid-night to dawn, looking eastwards.

epsilon Geminids: Oct 14 to Oct 27.

Orionids: Oct 2 to Nov 7.

Southern Taurids: Sept 25 to Nov 25.

Northern Taurids: Sept 25 to Nov 25.

Comets.

Comets: Temple-Tuttle? & Comet p-Holmes?

Special Events.

Planetary Conjunctions and Oppositions.

Oct 5: Moon at Apogee.

Oct 7: First Quarter Moon.

Oct 7: Mercury in Inferior Conjunction.

Oct 15: Full Moon.

Oct 15: Mercury stationary.

Oct 17: Moon at Perigee.

Oct 18: Maximum activity of the epsilon-Geminids Meteor Shower.

Oct 21: Maximum activity of the epsilon-Orionids Meteor Shower.

Oct 21: Last Quarter.

Oct 22: Mercury at Greatest Elongation, west.

Oct 29: New Moon.

The International Space Station(ISS) and Iridium 'Flare' Satellites.

Visible passes of the ISS and Iridium Satellites can be quite spectacular if you know where to look for them. For details on 'where & when' to look, 'click' back to our 'Home Page' and scroll down to "Astronomical Links'. Scroll down to International Space Station and Satellite Tracking and 'click' on either ISS or Iridium Flare Satellites. Register YOUR NAME AND LOCATION and then each time you 'logon' to this site in future, it will display the predictions for your location. This is a facility provided by the 'Heavens Above' programme.

This information is courtesy of the

Astronomy Almanacs 2008, published by the Perth Observatory.

Unusual Sightings

We at the Observatory are always interested to hear about any unusual objects or sightings that you may be aware of so please give us a call or send us an email so that we can follow these up.

All times quoted are Western Australian Standard Time.

For further information, please contact:

Pingelly Heights Observatory

(08) 9887 0088,

0407 380 922,

or by

e-mail: astroventures@westnet.com.au

web-site: http://myweb.westnet.com.au/astroventures