Astronomy column with Astro Dog

October is the first full month of autumn. As we enter this beautiful season, the nights are getting longer and darker, and the conditions are excellent for observing the northern lights and enjoying the night sky.

Planet Saturn is at its best this month, reaching opposition on Sunday, October 4. There are also a couple of meteor showers to enjoy, and don’t forget to turn your mechanical clocks back an hour on Sunday, October 25 as British Summer Time ends and we revert back to Greenwich Mean Time.

placeholder image — Nicole Carr and Simon Scott, Astro Dog

Here are the astronomy highlights for October:

• October 2, Moon appears close to star Elnath.

The amazing aurora display captured from Whitby Harbour. Photo: Astro Dog.

• October 3, Last quarter moon.

• October 4, Saturn reaches opposition.

• October 5, Moon appears close to Mars.

• October 6, Moon appears close to Jupiter.

• October 7, Moon appears close to bright star Regulus.

• October 9, Peak of the Draconid meteor shower.

• October 10, New Moon plus peak of the Southern Taurid meteor shower.

• October 11, Mars appears close to the Beehive Cluster.

• October 12, Mercury reaches Greatest Eastern Elongation.

• October 14, Moon appears close to bright star Antares.

• October 17, Moon appears close to star Nunki.

• October 18, First quarter moon.

• October 20, Moon appears close to star Deneb Algedi.

• October 21, Peak of the Orionid meteor shower.

• October 24, Moon appears close to Saturn.

• October 25, British Summer Time (BST) ends.

• October 26, Full Hunter’s Moon.

• October 28, Moon partially occults the Pleiades.

• October 29, Moon appears close to star Elnath.

• October 31, Moon appears close to bright star Pollux.

For more detailed information on all of these astronomical events and more, you can watch our Night Sky Guide video for October on our YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/@astrodoguk.

You can also stay up to date with future astronomical events on Facebook (www.facebook.com/astrodoguk) and Instagram, including alerts for the northern lights.

Or you can visit our website at www.astro-dog.co.uk for more information and to book a place at one of our stargazing experiences.

If you head out to enjoy the night sky at any point in the near future, we wish you all good luck and clear skies.