Eclipses, meteor showers, zodiacal light and Venus: Florida skies will be busy in October
It's going to be a busy Florida sky in October.
The biggest event will be the annular solar eclipse, of course, coming Oct. 14. But there's also a lunar eclipse, two meteor showers, several planets and the zodiacal light that will all be visible in the night skies this month.
Here's when to look up.
Oct. 8, 9: Draconid meteor shower
The Draconid meteor shower isn't one of the most spectacular showers, averaging just 10 meteors per hour on a moonless night, according to EarthSky.org, but skywatchers turn out just in case because on rare occasions there can be bursts of hundreds for brief periods.
The show will peak from Oct. 8-10 in the northwest sky, with the best times to watch in the evening hours before midnight (unusual for meteor showers; most of them are more visible after midnight). There will be a crescent moon this year, which shouldn't interfere with viewing, but most forecasts around Florida are calling for partly or mostly cloudy skies so visibility in your area may not be great.
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Oct. 12-26: Zodiacal light
During October, especially the last two weeks around the time of the new moon, early in the morning, you may see what looks like a pyramid of light or an insanely powerful spotlight rising up from the horizon. That's zodiacal light, sunlight glinting off interplanetary a belt of dust grains that circles the sun. It's also called a "false dawn."
It's visible in the evenings in the springtime and just before dawn in the fall, for those of us in the Northern Hemisphere. Zodiacal light is also best seen with no or little moon, so the days leading up to Oct. 14 is a great time to check it out. You'll probably be gearing up to watch the eclipse that day anyway.
Oct. 14: Annular solar eclipse
On Saturday, Oct. 14, an annular solar eclipse will be visible across portions of North and South America.
An annular solar eclipse is what it's called when the moon passes between the Earth and the sun while the sun is at its farthest point away from Earth where the moon won't appear large enough to cover it completely. That leaves a "ring of fire" effect around the moon and a spectacular display.
We won't see that in Florida, though. The eclipse will create a path of darkness across the middle of the country, starting in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. Pacific time and ending in south Texas at 12:03 p.m. Central.
What we'll see will look like a bite is being taken out of the sun, with coverage from 67% to 73%, depending on how far west you are in the state. Floridians in West Pensacola will see it first, starting at 10:39 a.m. Central time, while it'll be 11:56 a.m. Eastern time in West Palm Beach when it begins on that side of the state. Once it begins, the eclipse will take about an hour and a half to get to maximum coverage.
At eclipse2024.org, you can see a graphic representation of what the eclipse will look like from where you are. Remember, looking at the sun directly even for a short time can cause permanent damage or blindness, according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology. Be sure to use special eye protection or special filters for telescopes and cameras specifically designed for this.
And start getting ready for the next total eclipse, in April 2024.
Oct. 21-22: Orionid meteor shower
While the Orionid meteor shower also tends to top out at just 10-20 meteors per hour under a dark sky, these remnants from Halley's Comet are coming our way while we're moving the other so the meteors come in fast and tend to leave bright, persistent trains and occasional fireballs.
The Orionids will be radiating from the east after midnight, peaking on the mornings of Oct. 21 and 22, but they can appear all over the sky, according to EarthSky.org.
The Orionid meteor shower goes on from Sept. 26 to Nov. 22 this year.
Oct. 28: Partial lunar eclipse
This will only be a partial eclipse and will be mostly visible in Europe, Africa, India and Asia.
Here in Florida, we may see a full moon with a "dusky southern edge," according to Astronomy.com
Planets in the October sky
Saturn: The ringed planet will be visible all month in the evenings, high in the south before midnight. On Oct. 23 & 24 it'll be just northeast of the moon.
Venus: If you prefer morning skywatching, look east for Venus. It rises bright and shining at about 3:30 a.m. but will fade slightly as it moves farther from the sun during the month.
Jupiter: Jupiter rises just after 8 p.m. and will be visible until dawn/ The big planet will appear larger throughout the month, peaking at the end of October at its most brilliant of the year, Astronomy.com said. On Oct. 29, it'll be near the moon.
Neptune and Uranus: You'll need binoculars or a telescope, but they'll both be bright and bluish this month. On the early morning of the 29th, Uranus will be just south of the moon.
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This article originally appeared on The Daytona Beach News-Journal: Solar eclipse, Draconid and Orionid meteor showers in October skies
