Tag Archives: moon

International Observe the Moon Night

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   Saturday October 20th is International Observe the Moon Night. That evening the 12-day old waxing gibbous Moon rises around 5 pm local time and will be over the southeast horizon during the evening hours. Joining the Moon are several planets – all located to the west, right, from the Moon. Early, shortly after sunset the inner planet Mercury will be just above the western horizon. Moving east from Mercury is Jupiter, then Saturn, then Mars. The planet Neptune is only a few degrees above the Moon but because of the Moon’s reflected light Neptune will not be visible.

   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.


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Moon Passes Mars

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   Over the next 2 evenings, Wednesday October 17th and Thursday the 18th the waxing gibbous Moon will be passing the planet Mars coming within about 2-3o from Mars.


   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.


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October Moon at Apogee and at Descending Node

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   Wednesday October 17th the 9-day old waxing gibbous Moon will be crossing the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.
   Also on the same day the waxing gibbous Moon reaches apogee, (greatest distance from Earth), on Wednesday October 17th. At that time the Moon will more or less be at a distance of 31.69 Earth diameters, (251,175 miles (404,227 km), from the Earth.

   

   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.


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Crescent Moon Near Jupiter, Then Near Antares

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   The next two evenings watch for the waxing crescent Moon to move past Jupiter on the 11th, then pass near the reddish star Antares in Scorpius the Scorpion on the 12th.

   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.


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October Moon at Perigee

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   Our Moon reaches perigee, (closest distance to Earth), for this orbit on Friday October 5th. At that time the Moon will be at a distance of 28.72 Earth diameters (227,668 miles (366,396 km) from the Earth.

   Friday morning October 5th the very thin 25-day old waning crescent Moon will be about 4-5o from the star Regulus in Leo the Lion.

   Does our Moon actually go around the Earth as this graphic shows? From our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle around the Earth. However, in reality, the Moon orbits the Sun together with the Earth*
   *Click here to read my 2006 Scope on the Sky column “The Real Shape of the Moon’s Orbit”. (PDF)

   Read this very informative article about the Earth-Moon system and their orbital motions, written by Joe Hanson. “Do We Orbit the Moon?”

   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to go to bobs-spaces.


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Moon Meets the Twins

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   Wednesday morning October 3rd the 23-day old waning crescent Moon will be a few degrees from Pollux and Castor, the two stars making up the head of each of the Gemini Twins.

   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.


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Moon in a Face-Off with Taurus

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   Sunday September 30th the 20-day old waning gibbous Moon will be within 1-2o from the reddish star Aldebaran in the open star cluster the Hyades. The Hyades are a v-shaped group of stars making up the face of Taurus the Bull.
Aldebaran is at the tip of one of the
lines making up the v-shape and, with its reddish color, represents the ‘angry eye’ of the Bull.
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   
   

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.


Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.