This month’s full moon has already taken place, but according to astronomers, a trio of planets will make prominent appearances in the night sky through the remainder of October, and a meteor shower will provide some additional spectacles for those with access to clear, dark skies.
Typically the planet Venus is the second-brightest object in the night sky, but this month that won’t be the case, according to experts at the Adler Planetarium, as Venus will stick close to the sun in October and will be impossible to see with the naked eye.
Fortunately for stargazers, three other planets will be in the sky during the evening and overnight hours, including Mars, which will be very prominent during October.
According to astronomers at the Adler, Mars will rise between 9 and 10 p.m. for most of the month, and will rise in the east-northeast portion of the sky.
On the night of Oct. 14 and into the morning of Oct. 15, Mars will form a triangle with Betelgeuse, which will appear on its left, and Aldebaran, which will appear on its right. That triangle will actually surround the waning gibbous moon on that night, making for an incredible spectacle for those willing to stay up late to see the show.
Jupiter and Saturn will also be visible throughout the month, and those looking toward the southern sky could potentially see both planets at the same time.
According to NASA, Jupiter will rise shortly after sunset in the eastern sky, and approximately 40 degrees to its right, Saturn will do the same, and both planets will be visible to the naked eye. The planets will form a triangle with the star Fomalhaut during the month.
Local
Saturn will set sooner than Jupiter, just before 2 a.m. early in the month and around midnight by Halloween. Jupiter will rise higher in the sky than Saturn, and won’t set until just before morning twilight early in the month and around 4 a.m. by the end of the month, according to Adler scientists.
NASA also is reminding stargazers that the Orionid meteor shower will be active throughout the months of October and November, and will hit its peak on Oct. 20.
Feeling out of the loop? We'll catch you up on the Chicago news you need to know. Sign up for the weekly Chicago Catch-Up newsletter.
While not quite as prolific as other meteor showers, approximately 10-to-20 meteors per hour will be seen at its peak on the 20th, but the moon could scrub out some of the fainter meteors in the early morning hours.
Residents will need to find a dark area underneath clear skies to see the show.