The new moon in October will bring us a spectacular “Ring of Fire” eclipse

The new moon will take place on Wednesday, October 2nd at 2:49 p.m. Eastern Daylight Time (1849 GMT). US Naval Observatoryand there will be one for observers in the southeastern Pacific Islands and southern Chile and Argentina annular solar eclipse.

A new moon phase occurs when the sun and the moon lie on the same line that runs from one celestial pole to the other. Normally, the moon appears to be above or below the sun when viewed from Earth – it is “missing” – but about twice a year the two are aligned just right so that we see a solar eclipse, the only time a new moon is visible at all. There are two types of solar eclipses: total and annular. During a total solar eclipse, the sun appears to dim and turn black, although you can still see the solar corona solar atmosphere. During an annular solar eclipse, one can still see a ring (or ring) of light around the moon without seeing the corona, which is obscured by the small visible portion of the sun's disk. The solar eclipse on October 2nd is of the latter type. The reason for the different types of eclipses is that the moon's orbit is not a perfect circle; Sometimes the moon is a little closer or a little further away. Although the difference is small, it is just enough to change the apparent size of the moon in the sky.

An important note about observing solar eclipses: always Use appropriate safety equipment and never You can view the sun directly through any kind of optical aid. Even when the sun appears dim (like during sunsets or sunrises), a camera lens, low-power binoculars, or spotting scope, let alone a telescope, concentrates the sun's light and energy into your eye. This can lead to retinal burns and permanent vision damage, including blindness. The safest way is to view a solar eclipse through filter glasses designed specifically for this purpose, or to project an image of the eclipse onto a large flat surface behind a telescope or mounted binoculars. In general, unless it is specifically designed for observing the sun, you should not use it to observe a solar eclipse.

Related: How to Watch the Sun Safely (and What to Watch for)

The solar eclipse path begins on the morning of October 3rd in the central Pacific (as it is on the other side of the International Date Line – 12 hours earlier). UTC), near Palmyra Atoll (which has no permanent population). The closest populated areas that will experience at least a partial solar eclipse are Hawaii and American Samoa. In Hawaii, the largest partial solar eclipse will be visible from the south side of Hawaii Island (Big Island). In the city of Na'alehu, the solar eclipse will begin before sunrise on October 3, at 6:13 a.m. Hawaii Standard Time. The maximum solar eclipse is at 6:46 a.m. and the solar eclipse ends at 7:57 a.m. The moon will cover about 53 percent of the sun. When the sun rises above the horizon, the moon is at the top. The “horns” of the partially eclipsed Sun will point upward.

In American Samoa, observers from Āpia will be able to see the solar eclipse already underway when the sun rises at 6:08 a.m. local time. The maximum eclipse, when about 29 percent of the sun is covered by the moon, is at 6:18 a.m. and the solar eclipse ends an hour later at 7:18 a.m. Because American Samoa is in the southern hemisphere, the horns point downward. Towards the horizon.

The full annular solar eclipse will be visible from Easter Island, where it will begin at 12:23 p.m. local time on October 2 (as the moon's shadow has crossed the date line). The sun will be in the northeast. At 2:04 p.m. the sun forms the annular ring around the moon. The maximum eclipse is at 2:07 p.m. and the annularity ends at 2:10 p.m., with the solar eclipse ending at 3:52 p.m

Related: Why I'm going to Easter Island for the annular solar eclipse

The solar eclipse will then reach mainland Chile and Argentina; In Argentina, the annular solar eclipse will be visible in Bahia Laura, Santa Cruz province, where it will begin at 4:05 p.m. local time. The annularity begins at 5:25 p.m. and ends at 5:31 p.m. The solar eclipse ends at 6:43 p.m. with the sun low in the west.

The night planets

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For those who can't see this Solar eclipsethere are still the night planets. At the latitude of New York City, Chicago, or Sacramento, Venus will be fairly close to the horizon at sunset; With a clear, flat horizon and a cloudless sky you can see it – it's setting in New York City October 2, 7:52 p.ma little over an hour after sunset 6:35 p.m

Around 8 p.m Saturn will be visible in the southeast, about 25 degrees above the horizon in New York City. The planet reaches its highest altitude of about 41 degrees 11:12 p.m. local time and it starts 4:45 a.m., Oct. 3.

Jupiter rises 10:02 p.m. local time in New York, so the planet will be visible most of the night as it travels across the southern half of the sky. The planet reaches its highest point (called a meridian crossing or transit) at 5:28 a.m. Eastern Time on October 3, at an elevation of about 72 degrees. The planet sets during the day; at 12:53 p.m. on October 3rd.

Mars is rising 11:46 p.m. Oct. 2 and reaches a high of 66 degrees at 6 a.m. on October 3 as the sky brightens (New York sunrise). 6:55 am)

The timing of the planet's rising and setting roughly corresponds to the latitude; Observing conditions will be similar in cities such as Boston, Chicago, Denver or Sacramento; local times will be similar (for example, Jupiter will rise on October 2nd at 9:53 p.m. in Chicago and at 10:09 p.m. in Denver).

For sky watchers in the southern hemisphere the situation will be different as the sky is “inverted”. Venus is much easier to detect from Southern Hemisphere locations; the planet sets in Santiago, Chile at 10:18 p.m.; Sunset is October 2nd at 7:46 p.m.; At 8 p.m. Venus will be 27 degrees high in the west.

Jupiter rises 1:20 a.m. in Santiago, Chile on October 2nd and transits at 6:18 a.m. local time, when it is about 34 degrees above the northern horizon, about an hour before the local sunrise at 7:17 a.m. Saturn, which rises at 5:35 p.m. local time in the afternoon; Sunset is at 5:45 p.m. The planet is cycling around 11:59 p.m at an altitude of 65 degrees.

Mars rises in Santiago on October 2nd at 3:07 a.m. At sunrise at 7:17 a.m., the planet will be visible for about two and a half hours before the sun drowns it out.

And if you want to photograph this night skywe have tips for photographing the night sky and photographing the planets, as well as guides to the best cameras for astrophotography and the best lenses for astrophotography.

Stars and constellations

The summer constellations begin at the beginning of October from the mid-northern latitudes Zodiac – Protect, Ophiuchus and Scorpio – leave the sky to make way for the fall groupings Stars. At 8 p.m. the Sagittarius low point is in the south-southwest; Scorpio sets and lies half below the horizon. The Summer Triangle, consisting of Vega, Altair and Deneb, is near the zenith; Vega is the highest of the three stars with Deneb to the left and Altair on the horizon.

If you turn north, you can see this Big wagon Near the horizon, the spoon appears right side up (the bowl faces up). One can use the pointers, stars called Dubhe and Merak on the right side – the “front” of the bowl – to find them Polaristhe North Star. Dubhe is the supreme star; Merak lies below.

Polaris is the brightest star in Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper, and when the sky is dark and you are away from city lights, the curvature of the Little Dipper's handle is easier to see. Continuing the line from the Big Dipper through Polaris one reaches Caph or Beta Cassiopeiae. Together with four other bright stars, it forms Cassiopeia, a “W”-shaped constellation. Between Cassiopeia and Ursa Minor stands Cepheus, the king, Cassiopeia's husband. Cepheus' brightest stars form a triangle on a square; more like a man in a stocking cap. Among them is Cassiopeia Perseusthe hero, rises in the northeast.

Looking south from the bottom of Cassiopeia's “W” (that's to the right if you're looking east before about 10 p.m.), you'll encounter the two long, curving lines of stars that mark Andromeda, Cassiopeia's daughter. If you follow the stars of Andromeda up and to the right, you will reach the head of Andromeda, which is part of a Asterism called the Great Square. One corner of the square is Andromeda's head, while the other three are Pegasus' wings.

As the night progresses and one looks to the northeast one can see Capella; The star rises at 7:30 p.m. but is high enough to see it better at 10 p.m. Capella is the brightest star in Auriga, the Charioteer. Also above the horizon is the constellation Cetus – Cetus is often depicted as a whale, and its name is linked to the word cetacean, which zoologists use to describe the order of mammals that includes whales, dolphins and porpoises. Looking south (to the right) from Cetus and closer to the southern horizon, one can see Fomalhaut, the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish. Fomalhaut is a firstSize Star, which is also one of the Sun's closest neighbors, 25 light-years away.

In the Southern Hemisphere, sunsets are later as southern summer approaches, so the sky doesn't really get dark until around 9 p.m. Observers there will see the Southern Cross deep in the southwest, directly below Hadar and Rigil Kentaurus, which can be found following the “spar” of the cross north (up from the horizon). If one turns left and looks southeast, one sees Achernar, the end of the Eridanus River, about 37 degrees high. If you look the other way, to the west, you can see Antaresthe Heart of Scorpio (which is below the horizon in mid-northern latitudes) – you can find it because Venus, the brightest planet, will be below it. The scorpion is “upside down” – the scorpion's claws point toward the horizon and the tail curves toward the zenith, creating a fishhook shape that ends about 60 degrees above the horizon. Above the scorpion is the teapot shape of Sagittarius.

On October 2, 2024 By John Fenwick

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The new moon in October will bring us a spectacular “Ring of Fire” eclipse

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