October night skies offer celestial views

Amateur astronomy enthusiasts will want to turn their gaze toward the evening skies this month as seven celestial events take place.

On Oct. 5 and 6, the Camelopardalid meteor shower will be visible above the horizon, near the constellation Draco. Approximately five to six meteors will be visible each hour, after 11 pm., with the greatest shower visible shortly before dawn.

From Oct. 6 to 9, the Draconid meteor shower will produce up to 10 meteors an hour, with prime viewing time between nightfall and early evening on Oct. 8 and early morning hours on Oct. 9. Look upward from Polaris, the tail of the Little Dipper, for the best viewing.

Also known as the Giocobinids, this meteor show is considered an oddity, since its radiant point is at its peak before midnight.

Nebraskans will see a partial solar eclipse, Saturday, Oct. 14, as the moon will cover the face of the sun. According to information supplied by Honey Creek Observatory director, Mark Urwiler, the eclipse will begin in the O'Neill area at approximately 10:21 a.m., with maximum coverage by 11:42 a.m. The moon will move past the sun by approximately 1:10 p.m.

"I must stress that proper eye protection must be used at all times viewing this eclipse," Urwiler said, via email.

Eclipse glasses from the 2017 totality event may be used.

Individuals in the southwestern United States will be able to see a ring of fire, or glowing circle when the moon directly covers the sun.

On Oct. 15, the Triangulum Galaxy will be at its highest point, giving stargazers the best opportunity to see this spiral, which is approximately 2.7 million light-years from Earth, according to NASA.

The Orionid meteor shower will be at its peak Oct. 21-22, between midnight and dawn. Up to 20 meteors may be visible each hour, according to NASA.

The Orionids derive from Halley's comet. Since the moon will be waxing crescent during the peak of the shower, viewers will want to head away from city lights in order to see meteors. Look for blaring fireballs flashing against the darkness.

Another meteor shower, will begin around Oct. 25, with viewing opportunities through Nov. 20, as the Leonids light up the sky. Between 10 and 20 meteors are typically viewed during a Leonid shower, with optimal viewing between midnight and dawn.

The Hunter's moon will debut Oct. 28, rising at 3:24 central time. Named for its historical significance, the Hunter's moon will allows time for late-night gathering of food, according to Time and Date.

The month closes with a partial lunar eclipse, Oct. 29, which will not be visible in the area, but will cover the northeastern U.S., according to NASA.