Night Sky in October

If you managed to find Neptune last month, then Uranus this month should be easy. It is bigger, brighter, further north, and has more reasonably bright stars nearby to help the star hopping.

Uranus has for some years been making its way along the tail of Pisces, the constellation below the square of Pegasus. The map below shows  – with a blue dot – where it has got to this year. You should be able to identify it by position in binoculars or with a finder scope. Any reasonable size telescope should confirm the find by revealing the blue colour and small disc.

Uranus in October 2015

 

 

You may have noticed that there have been no bright planets in the evening sky for some time. Some have recently been in conjunction (ie lined up with the sun) and therefore not observable. But by mid October they will all be quite close together, but  in the morning sky. If you can get yourself out of bed at 6.30 (BST) or so on October 10, and look east through the pre dawn glow (if the sky is clear), you should be able to see, working up from the horizon, Mercury, the crescent Moon, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus. Quite a sight!