October offers a fascinating opportunity for sky watchers with a new comet appearing and several planets visible during the month. A particularly intriguing comet, known as C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), will grace the evening sky after October 14. It remains to be seen whether it will be the brightest comet of the year, as it could become visible to the naked eye under the right conditions.
Key planetary events for October
October is also full of planetary observations. Venus can be seen low in the western sky just after sunset. Saturn is visible in the southeast as soon as it gets dark, while Mars and Jupiter rise later in the evening. Mars appears around midnight, climbs high in the sky until dawn, and Jupiter can be seen rising earlier as the moon progresses. These planets provide ideal viewing opportunities throughout the month for both experienced astronomers and casual stargazers.
Europa and the NASA mission
NASA is ready to launch its latest mission to one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, as early as October 10. The Europa Clipper mission aims to study this moon, which is believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, in an attempt to understand whether it could have harbored life. This marks the first mission dedicated to exploring the ocean world beyond Earth and is an exciting step forward in space exploration. For those looking to see Europa, the Moon will be visible on October 11 and 25, when it is farthest from Jupiter and can be clearly seen through binoculars.
Comet C/2023 A3: an opportunity to witness history
From October 14 to 31, sky watchers will have a chance to spot Comet C/2023 A3 as it appears low in the western sky after sunset. If the comet’s tail is well lit by sunlight, it may become visible to the naked eye, especially in the early evening hours between October 14 and 24. This comet, which traveled through the interior of the solar system, presents a rare sight as it travels on an 80,000-year orbit from the Oort cloud. Viewers are encouraged to use binoculars or a small telescope for the best view.
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