The night sky this week

Every Monday I select North America’s sky highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to the mid-northern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere). Check out my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.

This week’s night sky: 21st-27th October 2024

This week, stargazers can see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (also called C/2023 A3 and Comet A3) and the Orionid meteor shower on Monday, and enjoy the sight of Venus and the red supergiant star Antares in conjunction on Friday. In addition to Mars and the Gemini stars, there are also some beautiful views of the moon on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Here’s everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week:

Monday, October 21st: The comet and the Orionid meteor shower

The Orionid meteor shower will peak in the early hours of Monday, October 21, 2024, and should produce about 10 to 20 “shooting stars” per hour, perhaps as many as 40. They will be caused by debris left in the solar system Halley’s Comet. Go outside an hour before midnight and let your eyes adjust to the darkness for at least half an hour. Dark skies are really helpful with the Orionids, as they can be quite faint, although they tend to leave long “trains” behind them.

Here is How to see comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS this evening while you wait for the “shooting stars”.

Tuesday, October 22nd: Moon, Mars and the stars of Gemini

If you look north-northeast just before midnight, you will see a 61% illuminated, waning, domed Moon rising above the horizon alongside the bright stars Pollux and Castor in Gemini. Directly below the moon is Mars, while at the top right is Jupiter. Just to the right are bright Betelgeuse and Orion’s Belt.

Wednesday October 23rd: Moon, Mars and the stars of Gemini

Just before midnight, take another look to the north-northeast and you’ll see a 51% illuminated first quarter moon next to Mars, just below the “twins” of Gemini.

Friday, October 25th: Venus and Antares in conjunction

About an hour after sunset, look southwest to see bright Venus very close to Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius. Antares is a red supergiant with twelve times the mass of the Sun and one of the largest stars we know. It is clearly orange-red to the observer (especially through binoculars) and is known as Mars’s “rival” because of its reddish color and because Mars passes close by every 26 months. If you place it in the solar system, it would extend almost to the orbit of Jupiter.

The times and dates given are for mid-northern latitudes. The most accurate location-specific information can be found in online planetariums such as: Sky Safari Pro, Stellarium And The Sky Live. Check Planet rising/planet setting, Sunrise/SunsetAnd Moonrise/moonset Let’s see where you are.

Pick up my books Stargazing in 2024, A stargazing program for beginnersAnd When is the next solar eclipse?

I wish you clear skies and big eyes.