Taking an expert look at what is happening in the night sky during October is Martin Lunn, of Earby

Astronomical Society, the first of a monthly series

LOW in the east may be seen a faint shimmer of the Pleiades or seven sisters, the finest open cluster in the sky. The appearance of the Pleiades before midnight marks the approach of autumn and the period of long cold clear nights.

The Plough is at its lowest in the north, with Cassiopeia at its highest not far from the overhead point. Ophiuchus and Hercules have now set. The summer triangle Altair, Deneb and Vega are still prominent but beginning to move to the west. The southern sky is now dominated by the Square of Pegasus.

What`s up in the solar system.

The planets in October.

There will be no planets really visible in the evening sky for the next few months. If you have a really good western horizon you might just glimpse Mars and Saturn before they set just after sunset.

Jupiter is a very bright object in the morning sky. On October 18 Jupiter can be seen close to the crescent moon in the morning sky around 3.30 a.m.

Mercury can be seen just before the Sun for a few days around the 23rd.

Meteor Showers

The Orionid meteor shower can be seen between October 20 and 22 around 20 meteors per hour can be seen. The Orionids are the remains of the famous Halley’s Comet.

Phases of the Moon for October

1st Quarter 1st, Full Moon 8th, Last Quarter 15th, New Moon 23rd.

The full Moon this month is called the Hunters Moon. Following on from last month’s Harvest Moon people would have used the light from this moon to help them hunt animals to place them in their larders so they would have food over the winter months.