• Timothy Johnson

October Conjunctions

Mornings this month offer a stellar planetary show. Three bright planets fill the eastern sky. In this month alone there are two conjunctions, or two events when planets appear as a pair. The planets Mars and Jupiter, two masculine mythological leaders, get together in mid-October. And by the end of the month, Jupiter and Venus will again partner as they did last summer.

Take a look outside an hour before sunrise and the eastern sky is loaded with bright celestial objects. Venus is the brightest planet, highest in the east, followed by Jupiter. This weekend, the red planet Mars is right now between the two, and that will change in the next two weeks.

All three planets are in the zodiacal constellation Leo with the principal star Regulus, so it looks like four friends are gathered for a lineup.

The crescent moon will make the scene even prettier. Next Thursday morning, the moon appears in the mix with the three planets lined up. On the next morning, Friday morning, the moon appears between Jupiter and Venus and near Mars. Look and you’ll see that the moon forms a tight triangle with Mars and Jupiter.

Saturn, one lone planet, is not participating in the show. Saturn is our evening planet, located low in the southwestern sky after sunset and in the zodiacal constellation Scorpius.
 

Sunrise and Sunset
Day Sunrise Sunset
Fri., Oct. 2 6:39 6:22
Sat., Oct. 3 6:40 6:20
Sun., Oct. 4 6:41 6:18
Mon., Oct. 5 6:42 6:17
Tues., Oct. 6 6:43 6:15
Wed., Oct. 7 6:44 6:13
Thurs., Oct. 8 6:45 6:12
Fri., Oct. 9 6:46 6:10
Temperatures and Precipitation
Day Max (Fº) Min (Fº) Inches
Sept. 25 74 61 0.00
Sept. 26 70 58 0.00
Sept. 27 67 46 0.00
Sept. 28 70 53 0.00
Sept. 29 78 65 0.00
Sept. 30 78-- 65 0.75
Oct. 1 72 56 1.01

 

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 67º F

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