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Home -> Astronomy News -> Events -> October 2012
Post Info TOPIC: October 2012
Blobrana


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October 2012
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Meteor Showers

There are many minor meteor showers this month...
Orionids produce rates of 5-15/hour with occasional surges in activity that may reach 25 or even 50/hour. The shower's radiant near Betelgeuse is best-placed just before morning twilight begins. Its radiant is R.A. 6hr 20m Dec +16 degrees, which is close to Xi Orionis. They're from Halley's Comet. October 15-29 2003 Maximum Oct. 21.
Draconids have produced two major storms in 1933 and 1946, and several other significant outbursts. Draconids are very slow meteors. The parent body of the meteors is Comet Giacobini-Zinner. October 6-10, Maximum Oct. 9/10
Epsilon Geminids On the 18th, the radiant will be at RA 6h 48m, Dec +27, several degrees north of the star epsilon Gemini, (Mebsuta). These are fast meteors, at about 70 km per second. These meteors might be associated with either Comet Ikeya, C/1964 N1, or Comet Nishikawa-Takamizawa-Tago, C/1987 B1. ZHR rates for this shower are about 2 meteors per hour at maximum. October 10-27 Maximum Oct. 18/19
The Sextanids are active September 9 through October 9. Though, this one is more of a radio/radar shower
The northern Taurids and southern Taurids start to become active about October 1st, but do not reach maximums until early November. Both have fairly slow meteors, with the northern Taurids velocity at 29 km per second, and the southern at 27 km per second. At maximum in November, both showers will peak at about ZHR rates of 5 meteors per hour. These meteors are part of the Taurid stream which in turn has been associated with Comet Encke.

ShowerActivity PeriodMaximumRadiantVelocityZHR
  DateR.A.Dec.km/s 
Orionids Oct 216h20m16° 25
SextantidsSept 24-Oct 9Oct 110.5h-8.7°29.8km/s9
Eta CetidsSept 20-Nov 2Oct. 1-538°3°  
October CygnidsSept 22-Oct 11Oct. 4-9    
ArietidsSept-OctOct 8/9    
Delta Aurigidsfrom Sept 22-OctOct. 6-15  64km/s23
DraconidsOctober 6-10Oct. 9/1017.8h78.1°28.7km/s35
Epsilon GeminidsOctober 10-27Oct. 18/196h48m27°66km/s2
Leo Minorids      
Northern Piscids     3
Northern TauridsOct 1 - NovNovember3.2h17.5°29km/s5
Southern TauridsOct 1 - NovNovember  27km/s5



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Blobrana


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Mercury: at magnitude -0.4, starts the month in the constellation of Virgo.  Mercury is at Aphelion (distance to sun: 0.4667 AU) on the 8th. Mercury is 1.2° from the Moon on the 17th. Mercury is at greatest elongation 23.7° east on the 23rd.
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Venus: is at magnitude -4.1.  The planet is in constellation Leo at the start of the month. It is best seen from 2.1h -16.8h.  The Moon is 5.9° from Venus on the 12th. The planet is at Perihelion (distance to sun: 0.7184 AU) on the 31st.
(On October 1st, RA= 9h58m11s  Dec=+12°37.0' (J2000) Distance=1.056AU Phase k=70%  Diameter=15.8")

 phase.gif

 

Earth: Autumnal Equinox was at 14:49 UT, 22nd September  

The Moon:  Full Moon (diameter: 29.625', declination: 15.43°) at 19:22.2 UT, 29th October.  Lunar perigee (distance moon center to earth center: 360684.9 km apparent diameter: 33'43.7") at 00:52.9 UT, 17th.  Last Quarter Moon (diameter: 29.952', declination: 18.67°) at 07:33.3 UT, 8th October.  Lunar apogee (distance to moon center: 398752.6 km, apparent diameter: 29'58.1") at 0:37.0 UT, 5th October.  New Moon (diameter: 32.938', declination: -11.46°) at 12:02.5 UT, 15th October.  First Quarter Moon (diameter: 31.739', declination: -15.76°) at 3:32.0 UT, 22nd October.

Mars: at magnitude 1.2 starts the month in the constellation Libra. The Moon is 1.9° from Mars on the 18th. 
(On October 1st, RA=15h34m03s  Dec=-20°04.4' (J2000) Distance=1.945AU  Phase k=93%  Diameter=4.8")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Taurus. At magnitude -2.6, the planet is observable in the morning sky.   Jupiter is 0.9° from the Moon on the 5th.

Transit times of the Great Red Spot are posted in a seprate thread.
(On October 1st, RA= 5h00m21s  Dec=+21°54.2' (J2000) Distance=4.565AU  Diameter=43.1")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.7 sits in the constellation Virgo. The planet is best seen from 18.0h -18.3h.  Saturn is 4.5° from the Moon on the 16th September. Saturn is in conjunction on the 25th September.
(On October 1st, RA=13h52m22s  Dec= -9°08.1' (J2000) Distance=10.698AU  Diameter=15.5")

Uranus: is in the constellation Pisces. Uranus at magnitude 5.7, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.6 arcseconds wide.  Uranus is 4.8° from the Moon on the 27th. Uranus was at opposition on the 29th September.
(On October 1st, RA= 0h24m12s  Dec= +1°47.9' (J2000) Distance=19.063AU  Diameter=3.7")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.8 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen from 20.6h -22.6h. Neptune is 5.8° from the Moon on the 24th.
(On October 1st, RA=22h11m34s  Dec=-11°50.5' (J2000) Distance=29.202AU Diameter=2.3")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.1). Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.13" diameter dwarf planet. The dwarf planet is best seen from 19.5h - 4.5h.  Pluto is 0.2° from the Moon on the 20th. Pluto was stationary on the 17th September.
(On October 1st, RA=18h28m56s  Dec=-19°41.4' (J2000) Distance=32.328AU  Diameter=0.1")

The Sun enters the zodiac sign Scorpio at 00:14 UT, 23rd October.



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                                 October
 d  h                                  d  h
 1 12  Mercury 1.6N of Spica          17  1  Moon at perigee
 3  7  Venus 0.1S of Regulus          17  2  Mercury 1.2S of Moon    Occn
 4 13  Jupiter stationary             18 13  Mars 1.9S of Moon
 4 23  Moon at apogee                 18 16  Antares 5.7S of Moon
 5  8  Aldebaran 4.3S of Moon         19  6  Moon furthest South (-21.1)
 5 10  Mercury 3.2S of Saturn         20 13  Pluto 0.2N of Moon      Occn
 5 21  Jupiter 0.9N of Moon    Occn   21  0  Mars 3.6N of Antares 
 6  1  Moon furthest North (21.1)     22  3  FIRST QUARTER
 8  7  LAST QUARTER                   24 11  Neptune 5.8S of Moon
11 19  Regulus 5.6N of Moon           25  8  Saturn at conjunction
12 14  Venus 5.9N of Moon             26 15  Mercury greatest elong E(24)
15 11  NEW MOON                       27  6  Uranus 4.8S of Moon
15 14  Spica 0.7N of Moon      Occn   29 19  FULL MOON
16  2  Saturn 4.5N of Moon


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