October 2020 Sky

  • Posted by OCastronomy
  • On October 1, 2020
  • 0 Comments
  • Aldebaran, Antares, Beehive cluster M44, Castor, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, Mercury at inferior conjunction, Orionid meteor shower peaks, Pleiades, Pollux, Regulus, Saturn, Uranus, Venus

October 2020 Sky

1 Mercury at greatest elongation east (26° from Sun, evening sky) at 16h UT. Mag. 0.1.
1 Full Moon at 21:06 UT.
3 Venus 0.1° S of Regulus (morning sky) at 0h UT. Mags. −4.1 & 1.4.
3 Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 5h UT. Mag. −2.5. Occultation visible from southern South America.
3 Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 17h UT (distance 406,321 km; angular size 29.4′).
6 Moon near the Pleiades at 6h UT (morning sky).
6 Mars nearest to Earth at 14h UT (62.1 million km).
7 Moon near Aldebaran at 0h UT (morning sky).
10 Last Quarter Moon at 0:40 UT.
10 Moon near Castor (morning sky) at 9h UT.
10 Moon near Pollux (morning sky) at 14h UT.
11 Moon near Beehive cluster M44 (71° from Sun, morning sky) at 15h UT.
13 Moon near Regulus (morning sky) at 6h UT.
13 Mars at opposition at 23h UT. Mag. −2.6. The brightest the red planet will appear till 2035.
14 Moon near Venus (morning sky) at 4h UT. Mag. −4.0.
16 New Moon at 19:31 UT. Start of lunation 1210.
16 Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 23:57 UT (distance 356,912 km; angular size 33.5′).
19 Moon near Antares (evening sky) at 23h UT.
20 Orionid meteor shower peaks at 23h UT. Arises from the debris field of Comet Halley. Active from October 2 to November 7. Produces very fast (67 km/sec), generally faint meteors (20 per hour). Radiant located near OrionÕs club asterism. Best observed after midnight on nights of Oct 20-21.
22 Moon near Jupiter (evening sky) at 18h UT. Mag. −2.2.
23 Moon near Saturn (evening sky) at 5h UT. Mag. 0.6.
23 First Quarter Moon at 13:23 UT.
25 Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 18h UT. Mercury passes into the morning sky.
29 Moon near Mars (morning sky) at 19h UT. Mag. −2.2.
30 Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 19h UT (distance 406,394 km; angular size 29.4′).
31 Full Moon at 14:50 UT.
31 Uranus at opposition at 16h UT. Mag. 5.7.
October 2020 Sky All times Universal Time (UT).