The month of October of the current year 2024 will witness many unique, exciting and eye-catching astronomical phenomena, most notably the solar eclipse, the fishing moon, conjunctions of the moon, planets, galaxies and stars, and orionid meteors.
Following most of these types of astronomical phenomena does not require any cost or complicated tools except for your naked eyes. All you need to do is climb onto the roof of your house or go out into the street to follow them, while knowing the nature of the astronomical phenomenon, when it occurs, and how to monitor it.
The most prominent astronomical phenomena in October 2024
In this regard, Dr. Ashraf Tadros, Professor of Astronomy at the National Institute for Astronomical and Geophysical Research, revealed that the month of October is associated with the appearance of many unique astronomical phenomena, which will entertain lovers of these phenomena, as well as astronomy enthusiasts and lovers of photography of these interesting astronomical phenomena.
Annular solar eclipse
The first of these phenomena will appear today, Wednesday, and this phenomenon is represented by an annular eclipse of the sun, which occurs when the moon is in the apogee zone (the region farthest from the Earth in orbit) so that it does not completely cover the disk of the sun, resulting in a ring of light around the dark moon, forming the ring of fire as It’s called an annular eclipse.
Moon conjunction with Venus
On October 5, the moon will appear in conjunction with the planet Venus, “the brightest planet in the solar system.” This conjunction can be seen with the healthy naked eye immediately after sunset toward the west, so that we see the planet Venus adjacent to the moon in the sky, and they will remain until the beginning of their sunset at approximately eight o’clock in the evening. .
Moon conjunction with the star Antares
On October 7, the moon will appear in conjunction with the giant star Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpio, immediately after sunset. This conjunction can be seen with the healthy naked eye in the sky, where the moon is next to that star, and they accompany each other in the sky until the scene begins to set. At approximately nine o’clock in the evening.
Moon conjunction with the star Antares
On October 10, the moon will appear with the star “Antares,” a giant red star 10 times more massive than the sun, and about 600 light-years away from Earth. That day will be the date of the first quarter phase of the moon, so that the moon will be seen in the middle of its path in the sky at sunset. It is almost the sun, and its luminosity is 50%.
Moon conjunction with Saturn
On October 14, the moon will be in conjunction with the planet Saturn, “the pearl of the solar system,” where they will be adjacent in the sky immediately after sunset, and will remain until the beginning of sunset at approximately 4 a.m. the next morning.
Full moon “Badr Rabi al-Akhir”
On October 17, the moon “Badr Rabi al-Akhir” will be fully round and with 100% luminosity. The moon will rise on that day immediately after sunset and remain in the sky throughout the night until it sets with sunrise the next morning.
Mars conjunction with the star Pollux
On October 19, Mars, the red planet, will rise at approximately midnight in conjunction with the star Pollux in Gemini – Gemini, where they will be adjacent in the sky towards the east, and will remain until the scene disappears in the intensity of the morning twilight light due to the sunrise in Next morning. Moon conjunction with the star cluster
On October 20, the Moon will rise on that day at approximately 8 p.m. in conjunction with the Pleiades star cluster, the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. The conjunction will remain visible until the scene disappears in the intense morning twilight light of the sunrise the next morning.
Orionid meteors light up the sky
On October 21; Orionid meteors will illuminate the sky, and they are one of the medium meteor showers, as the number of meteors in them reaches 20 meteors per hour at the peak. This occurs as a result of the Earth entering the dust remnants of Halley’s Comet, which enter the Earth’s atmosphere and burn up in it in the form of meteors.
The appearance of the moon in the second square phase
On October 24, the moon will appear on this day in the second quarter phase, as it will rise late after midnight. Its luminosity is 50%, knowing that the illuminated part of the moon always points in the direction of the sun, even if the sun is below the horizon, and thus the moon becomes almost in the middle of the sky at sunrise.
The Moon’s conjunction with Mars and the star Pollux
On the same day, October 24, the moon will rise at approximately 11:45 pm in conjunction with the planet Mars, “the fourth planet farthest from the sun,” and at the same time the moon will be in conjunction with the star “Pollux,” in Gemini – the Twins, which is a giant star. Orange in color, it is about 3 times larger than the Sun and is about 34 light-years away from Earth.
Moon conjunction with the star cluster
On October 25, the moon will rise after one o’clock in the morning, in conjunction with the Beehive star cluster in Cancer, but since it is difficult to see the Beehive star cluster with the naked eye, a telescope must be used.
Venus conjunction with the star Antares
As for the last astronomical phenomena of October, they will occur on the 26th, when the planet Venus will pair with the giant star “Antares” immediately after sunset and nightfall on that day, and this conjunction will remain visible with the naked eye until the scene sets at approximately 7:50 pm.
For more: Red sprites…a rare phenomenon that was observed during a flight
You can follow the latest news via Sayidaty’s account on the platform X
