1. Highlighting the Near and Deep Sky
What’s Up E W
Highlighting the Near and Deep Sky
October , 2018 S

2. General Information October 2018
Among October’s celestial happenings:
It’s time to party! Our annual picnic and star party, that is. (Well, I think it’s celestial!)
Our planet’s natural satellite sidles up twice. (It really likes us!)
We encounter two meteor showers. One’s a sleeper, literally! And, modest to begin with, the other’s phased out. Huh?
Sunset Range: 7:03 PM (October 1st) to 6:23 PM (October 31st).
End of Astronomical Twilight*: 8:29 PM (October 1st) to 7:51 PM (October 31st).
* This is “full darkness” – the sun has reached 18° below the horizon. It’s usually dark enough for observing about a half hour before this.

3. Moon Phases
October 2018
Tues., 2nd – Last Quarter (Fri./Sat. observing opportunities October 5th/6th)
(Did I mention that Saturday, October 6th is the 2018 RVAS Picnic and Star Party?)
Mon., 8th – New Moon
Tues., 16th – First Quarter
Wed., 24th – Full Moon
Wed., 31st – Last Quarter (Fri./Sat. observing opportunities November 2nd/3rd)
Roughly speaking:
First Quarter Moon is highest at sunset and sets at midnight
Full Moon rises at sunset and is in the sky all night
Last (“Third”) Quarter Moon rises at midnight and is highest at dawn
New Moon sets at sunset and is absent from the sky all night

4. Question: Celestial Events Why do the planets all orbit the sun
October 2018
Question:
Why do the planets all orbit the sun
in a counter-clockwise direction?
Fri., 5th – Venus, which is nearing the horizon – and the Sun – begins retrograde (westward) motion.
Fri., 5th – Moon at perigee; Earth-radii from Earth.
Tues., 9th – Draconid Meteor Shower (usually only a “sprinkle,” but could be better in 2018; unique in being best in the early evening).
Wed., 17th – Moon at apogee; Earth-radii from Earth. (10% farther than on the 7th.)
Sun., 21st – Orionid Meteor Shower (moonlight spoils the show on the 21st, so best before dawn on 22nd after moonset at 5:17 AM).
Sat., 27th – Mercury about 3° south of Jupiter low in the southwest at sunset.
Wed., 31st – Moon at perigee; Earth-radii from Earth.

5. (~30 min. before full darkness) (~30 min. before full darkness)
October 15th, 9:00 p.m.
(~30 min. before full darkness)
October 16th, 7:40 p.m.
(~30 min. before full darkness)
For tonight, Mar. 19th, 8:30 p.m. is about 30 min. before full darkness.
For tonight, Sept. 17th, 8:20 p.m. is about 30 min. before full darkness.
Draconids’
Radiant
Polaris
Uranus
Mizar/Alcor E
Thuban W
Neptune
Jupiter
Rastaban
Mars
Moon
Saturn S

6. Stargazers Online

7. What’s Up programs are posted on the RVAS Website!
Questions
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What’s Up programs are posted on the RVAS Website!