Title: October 2024’s Astronomical Highlights: Insights from NASA

NASA once again brings us a monthly overview of cosmic wonders to relish in the forthcoming weeks. The space authority has disclosed its recommendations via a video, of which we’ve provided a summary beneath.

A Galaxy of Planets

October presents an exceptional opportunity to spot numerous planets in our solar system. Here’s a brief overview of what you can witness and at what time to observe:

Venus: This month, you can spot the sun’s second neighbor, Venus, hanging low in the west right after sunset, setting as darkness fully engulfs the sky.

Saturn: Quickly after sunset, the second-largest planet in our solar system, Saturn, is visible towards the southeast and stays so until dawn.

Mars: Mars, the fiery red planet, ascends around midnight throughout October. By sunrise, it will have ascended high into the south-southeastern sky, appearing in tandem with Jupiter.

Jupiter: Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, rises during the first half of the night. As dawn nears in early October, it will be positioned high in the south.

The Europa Clipper Endeavour

NASA is preparing for its imminent solar system exploration mission to Europa, one of Jupiter’s moons, set to launch as early as October 10. The space agency believes that Europa contains a massive ocean of salty liquid water beneath its icy exterior, making it the first mission dedicated to studying an extraterrestrial ocean world. The Europa Clipper aims to determine if this icy moon could sustain life while providing insights about what conditions make a world livable.

Throughout October, provided the sky is clear, you can observe Europa with a telescope or binoculars. As a new NASA mission embarks on its journey to explore this skyborne ocean, be sure to have your own glimpse of Jupiter’s moon, Europa.

Lunar and Planetary Pairings

NASA also suggests watching for lunar and planetary conjunctions this month. Keep an eye out for the moon’s proximity to Saturn after dark towards the southeast on the 13th and 14th, and then with Jupiter in the east on the evening of October 20. Furthermore, if you’re an early bird, you can observe Mars with the moon, high overhead in the south on the mornings of October 23 and 24.

Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS

October brings an excellent opportunity to observe what might be the year’s most luminous comet. Astronauts aboard the ISS have already been photographing Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, which is currently racing through the inner solar system. It will be closest to Earth on October 13, providing prime viewing opportunities for the remainder of the month, low in the western sky, starting during twilight.

According to NASA, “As with all comets, predictions for how bright it could get are uncertain. If the comet’s tail is brilliantly illuminated by the sun, predictions show that it could become bright enough to see with the unaided eye. But comets have a way of surprising us, so we’ll just have to wait and see.”