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Night Sky: Orionids Meteor Shower, and more highlights for October
islandfreepress.org • • science
Key Points:
- A recent large nor’easter caused damage to an observatory and North Carolina Highway 12, but repairs have mostly been completed, allowing observations to resume.
- The Helix Nebula (NGC 7293), a planetary nebula about 800 light-years away with a magnitude of +7.6, is featured; it is also known as the “Eye of God” or the “Eye of Sauron.”
- In October's night sky, Venus and Mercury will be visible just after sundown near the western horizon, while Saturn will rise in the east after sunset.
- The Orionids Meteor Shower, originating from Halley’s Comet debris, is active from early October to early November, peaking on the night of October 21; optimal viewing is around midnight facing Orion, about 15 degrees above the eastern horizon.
- Key moon phases for October include Last Quarter on the 3rd, New Moon on the 10th, First Quarter on the 18th, and Full Moon on the 26th.
