October 2024 Skywatching Tips: Comets, Planets, and Moon Phases Explained

October offers a fascinating opportunity for skywatchers with a new comet making its appearance and several planets visible throughout the month. A particularly intriguing comet, known as C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), will grace the evening skies after October 14. It remains to be seen whether it will be the brightest comet of the year, as it could become visible to the naked eye under the right conditions.

Key Planetary Events for October

October is also packed with planetary observations. Venus can be seen low in the western sky just after sunset. Saturn is visible in the southeast as soon as darkness falls, while Mars and Jupiter rise later in the evening. Mars appears around midnight, climbing high in the sky by dawn, and Jupiter can be seen rising earlier as the month progresses. These planets provide ideal viewing opportunities throughout the month for both seasoned astronomers and casual stargazers.

Europa and NASA’s Mission

NASA is set to launch its latest mission to one of Jupiter’s moons, Europa, as early as October 10. The Europa Clipper mission aims to study this moon, believed to have a vast ocean beneath its icy surface, in a bid to understand if it could harbour life. This marks the first mission dedicated to exploring an ocean world outside Earth, and it’s an exciting step forward in space exploration. For those interested in spotting Europa, the moon will be visible on October 11 and 25, when it is furthest from Jupiter and can be seen clearly with binoculars.

Comet C/2023 A3: A Chance to Witness History

From October 14 to 31, skywatchers will have the chance to spot Comet C/2023 A3 as it appears low in the western sky following sunset. If the comet’s tail is illuminated well by sunlight, it may become visible to the naked eye, particularly in the early evening between October 14 and 24. This comet, which has been travelling through the inner solar system, presents a rare sight as it journeys on an 80,000-year orbit from the Oort Cloud. Observers are encouraged to use binoculars or a small telescope for the best views.