In October, the Andromeda Galaxy is climbing the northeastern sky during evening. (Image credit: Chris Vaughan/Starry Night) Sunday, October 8 - The Andromeda Galaxy (all night) Despite swimming close to the Milky Way, Delphinus' only prominent deep sky objects are two globular clusters designated NGC 7006 and NGC 6934, which are also numbers C42 and C47, respectively on Sir Patrick Moore’s Caldwell List. Gamma Delphinus, the star marking the dolphin’s nose, is a close-together double star with one component a greenish color. Those funny appellations are actually the name of 19th-century astronomer Nicolaus Venator spelled backwards. According to Greek legend, Poseidon, god of the seas, was assisted in a matter of the heart by a friendly dolphin, so he rewarded it with a place of honor in the heavens.ĭelphinus' brightest two stars are bluish Sualocin, at the top of its head, and whitish Rotanev, at the nape of its neck. Look for its five 4th magnitude stars shining just to the lower left (or celestial southeast) of the line connecting the very bright stars Deneb and Altair. (Image credit: Chris Vaughan/Starry Night)ĭuring the evening in early October, the small constellation of Delphinus is positioned high in the southern sky. Friday, October 6 - Third Quarter Moon (at 13:48 GMT)ĭuring the evening in early October, the small constellation of Delphinus is positioned high in the southern sky. Rupes Altai is highlighted every lunar month when the waxing moon is about 5 days past new and again when the waning moon is approaching third quarter. Watch for the large crater named Piccolomini straddling the southeastern end of the cliff. Its curve runs parallel to the edge of that large, dark basin, which will appear to its upper right (lunar northeast), partly in shadow. The cliff, which climbs up to 0.6 miles or 1 km above the lunar surface, is actually part of the rim of ancient Mare Nectaris. On Tuesday night, October 3, the curved terminator on the moon will fall just to the right (or lunar east) of a large, curved escarpment on the moon known as Rupes Altai, making that feature especially easy to see with sharp eyes and through binoculars and telescopes. On Tuesday night, October 3, the curved terminator on the moon will fall just to the right (or lunar east) of a large, curved escarpment on the moon known as Rupes Altai. Tuesday, October 3 - View Rupes Altai (all night) The magnitude 5.7 blue-green dot of Uranus, which is also visible in binoculars, will be positioned about midway between the moon and Jupiter. ![]() The bright planet Jupiter will shine off to the moon’s upper right. Skywatchers viewing the scene later, or in more westerly time zones, will see the moon tucked in closer below the cluster. Instead, hide the moon beyond the lower right edge of your binoculars' field of view. ![]() The cluster, which covers a patch of sky several times larger than the moon, will be a challenge to see against the bright moon's glare. In the eastern sky on Monday evening, October 2, use your binoculars to view the scattered stars of the Pleiades cluster (also known as Messier 45) twinkling just a few finger widths to the left (or 2 degrees to the celestial north) of the bright, waning gibbous moon.
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