SkyEye

The Calendar

The Solar System

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for 'wanderer'. Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Virgo → Libra

Mercury Leo → Virgo → Libra

The nearest planet to the Sun is well-placed for viewing above the eastern horizon before sunrise from the northern hemisphere, at least until mid-month. It is soon lost to view as it undergoes superior conjunction on 27 October. Viewers in the southern latitudes will struggle to see this tiny planet this month.

Venus Libra → Scorpius → Ophiuchus

The evening star is high in the sky for those seeing it from the southern hemisphere but Venus remains quite low in the west when viewed from northern latitudes.

Mars Sagittarius

The red planet maintains its distance from the Sun in the sky, setting well after sunset.

1 Ceres Cetus

The first and largest asteroid discovered and the only dwarf planet in the asteroid belt, Ceres reaches opposition on 21 October. Optical aids will be required to see as it reaches only seventh magnitude. The spacecraft, Dawn, still in orbit about Ceres, continues to send back fascinating and unexpected data from this distance world.

Jupiter Virgo

At solar conjunction late last month, the king of the planets is lost to view in the Sun's glare. It reappears in the morning sky next month.

Saturn Ophiuchus

Look for the ringed planet in the west after sundown before it gets too low to the horizon to be seen.

Uranus Pisces

At opposition on 15 October, this green-coloured ice giant is at its brightest. Look for it at any time of the night.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. At opposition early last month, Neptune is still up for most of the night. It is occulted by the Moon on 13 October.