October 2024 Tips for Skywatching: Comets, Planets and Moon Phases Explained

October offers a fascinating opportunity for skywatchers: a new comet appears and several planets are visible throughout the month. A particularly intriguing comet, known as C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), will grace the evening sky after October 14. It remains to be seen whether it will be the brightest comet of the year as it could become visible to the naked eye. eye under the right conditions.

Major planetary events for October

October is also packed with planetary observations. Venus can be seen low in the western sky just after sunset. Saturn will be visible in the southeast as darkness falls, while Mars and Jupiter will rise later in the evening. Mars appears around midnight and climbs high in the sky at sunrise, and Jupiter rises earlier as the month progresses. These planets offer ideal to look at opportunities throughout the month for both seasoned astronomers and casual stargazers.

Europe and NASA’s mission

NASA will launch its latest mission to one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, as early as October 10. The Europa Clipper mission aims to study this moon, which is believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, in an effort to understand whether this moon could harbor life. This marks the first mission dedicated to exploring an ocean world beyond Earth, and it is an exciting step forward in space exploration. For those interested in spotting Europa, the moon will be visible on October 11 and 25, when it is farthest from Jupiter and clearly visible with binoculars.

Comet C/2023 A3: a chance to witness history

From October 14 to 31, sky watchers will have the chance to spot comet C/2023 A3 as it appears low in the western sky after sunset. If the comet’s tail is well illuminated by sunlight, it may become visible to the naked eye, especially in the early evening between October 14 and 24. This comet, which has traveled through the inner solar system, offers a rare sight during its journey. in an orbit of 80,000 years from the Oort cloud. Observers are encouraged to use binoculars or a small telescope for the best views.