Of the five planets visible to the unaided eye, three are lurking in the shadowy realms of twilight this month. Venus is just climbing into visibility as the “evening star” in the southwest shortly after sunset, while Mars disappears below it. Mercury puts in a meager performance in the morning twilight. Saturn is pulling out of the dawn glow, but is pretty low in the east at first light. Only Jupiter sallies boldly forth, shining in the south at nightfall. Taurus, the bull, is starting to charge into evening skies, while the aquatic constellations that form the celestial sea drift across the south and east.
October Sky Almanac: http://stardate.org/nightsky/almanac
Weekly Stargazing Tips: http://stardate.org/nightsky/weekly.php
SkyTips is a publication of the University of Texas McDonald Observatory Education and Outreach Office, 1 University Station A2100, Austin, TX 78712. Reproduction of SkyTips content is permitted with proper credit given to McDonald Observatory.
Terri, Events Coordinator
Email: Events@PASAz.org
Phoenix Astronomical Society
