Look up! The October sky has lots of interesting things to keep an eye out for
Monday will see a full moon. It’s known as the Hunter’s or Harvest Moon.
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October is here and it’s a fine time of the year to do some stargazing. Our nights are getting longer and it’s also still mild enough to spend a lot of time outdoors at night.
Monday will see a full moon. It’s known as the Hunter’s or Harvest Moon. This year, it's closer to the equinox, which would make it more of a Harvest moon. This full moon will also be considered a supermoon.
The term supermoon isn’t an official astronomical term. It was coined by an astrologer back in the late 1970s. It’s now being used by many to describe when the moon comes closer to the Earth. According to NASA, the full moons that come within 90% of perigee are considered supermoons.
October’s full moon will be the third closest supermoon for this year, with the closest one being in November.
To the casual observer, you might not be able to tell if the moon is indeed closer or brighter. But compared to when the moon is farthest from Earth (a micromoon or apogee), it will be 14% larger and 30% brighter.
The one thing that helps is to look for the moon when it’s either rising or setting. It always looks much larger when it’s close to the horizon.
Another fun object to look for is bright planets. When they are near the moon, it’s even better. Jupiter and Venus can currently be seen in the morning sky and Saturn hangs in the evenings.
Saturn will pair up with the moon on Sunday. By Monday, it will be a bit farther apart in the sky. Both objects will rise after sunset and be visible all night long. They will rise in the east and set in the west.
Later this month will be the Orionid meteor shower. This will peak on the night of Oct. 21.
