October 4, 2004
October Astronomy Note
This month is yet again a good one for early risers. There are 4 planets in the morning sky. We will see 3 meteor showers. And the last full lunar eclipse for 3 years occurs this month.
The four planets visible in the early morning are Venus, Jupiter, Mars, and Saturn. Saturn's shadow is visible across it's own rings through modest telescopes.
Three middling meteor showers occur through the month at times which are essentially moonless. On 6-10 Oct are the Draconids. These are usually very slow moving meteors, and they will be radiating from Draco, which wraps itself around the Little Dipper. From 14-27 Oct are the Epsilon Geminids. Best seen after midnight, these fast meteors will be hard to distinguish from the Orionids which will be active 2Oct-7Nov. The Orionids are debris from Halley's Comet and the twin of the Aquarids shower in May. Orionid meteors often leave long, persistent trails.
On 27 October we have the last full lunar eclipse on earth until August 2007. In Arizona, it will already be in the penumbra at sunset (about 5pm). The shadow will grow darker, or redder, and then at about 6:15pm, the distinct edge of the umbra will appear on the face of the moon. The entire face will be in the umbra, and "total" eclipse will occur at about 7:20pm, early enough to let the kids stay up and watch. The period of totality will last a full 82 minutes before the edge of the umbra reappears.
Daylight Savings ends on the morning of the 31st of October.
Posted by The Naturalist at October 4, 2004 9:50 PM