Downton Sky at Night

Downton Sky at Night in Autumn

by Michael F. Barratt FRAS

The Autumn equinox in September makes for increasingly longer periods of dark sky observations. Our next closest galaxy, Messier 31, can be seen overhead in the constellation of Andromeda.  It is the furthest object that humans can see without optical aids.

As the nights get longer, in October and November, if you stay up into the early hours of the morning the winter constellations, such as Orion (the Hunter) and Taurus (the Bull) are starting to appear over the eastern horizon.

The full moon on 26 September is called the ‘Harvest Moon’ and on 26 October is the ‘Hunter’s Moon’.

In September, Mars rises in the early hours and will be directly in line with Gemini’s leading stars, Castor and Pollux in the early morning of 25th - and of similar brightness.  The crescent moon will be seen just to the left.  In the early hours of 11 October, it will be right in the middle of the Pleiades star cluster.

Jupiter rises a bit later and will be close to the moon on 8/9 September, in the constellation of Cancer - far brighter than the stars that make up the constellation. In October it will be rising at around 2am in the constellation of Leo.

Saturn is the easiest planet to observe as it rises around 8pm and can be seen underneath the stars that make up the Square of Pegasus.  It will be at its brightest and most visible on 4 October and with a small telescope you will be able to make out its rings and possibly glimpse its moon, Titan.

You will need binoculars to spot Uranus (in Taurus) and Neptune (just to the right of Saturn).  Neptune will be at its closest point to the earth on 25 September.

The Orionid meteor shower display, consisting of fast-moving debris from Halley’s Comet smashing into the Earth’s atmosphere, will peak on the night of 21/22 October - although it will be easier to spot after midnight when the moon has set.

Contact Michaell at mootastro@yahoo.com or visit his Facebook page for more information.