CG4 is a cometary globule located in the constellation of Puppis, about 1300 light-years away. It looks like the mouth of some giant slug-like creature reaching out to devour the spiral galaxy ESO257-019, although the galaxy is actually more than 100 million light-years away. Photo: MPAS member Nik Axaris
Highlights this month
- 1TueMercury in superior conjunction with the Sun — lost in the glare. (6:57am)
- 6SunThe Moon passes Venus — 3° apart. (5:04am)
- 9WedJupiter is stationary — begins retrograde (westward) motion. (6:07pm)
- 15TueThe Moon passes Saturn — 0.1° apart. (5:08am)
- 21MonOrionids meteor shower peaks (up to 20/hr). A bright 81% Moon interferes badly this year.
- 24ThuThe Moon passes Mars — 4° apart. (8:32am)
After the wonderfully rich views of the southern winter, October night skies look rather empty, with exception to the bright planets Venus, Jupiter and Saturn. However, this does not mean there is nothing else to see. There are several objects that make good targets for even modest amateur equipment.
Look south to find the constellation Tucana, the Toucan. Within the boundaries of this constellation you can see 47 Tucanae, or NGC 104, one of the best globular clusters in the night sky. With the naked eye it appears as a slightly fuzzy star. Near 47 Tucanae lies the galaxy known as the Small Magellanic Cloud, or SMC, which is a great target for a small telescope or a pair of binoculars, and can also be seen with the naked eye.
Also occurring is the annual Orionid meteor shower. Orionids are active every year in October, this year peaking on the night of October 21-22. At its peak there are potentially up to 20 meteors visible every hour. Orionids are named after Orion, because the meteors seem to emerge or radiate from the same area in the sky as the constellation. No special equipment or a lot of skill is required to view a meteor shower. All you really need is a clear sky and lots of patience. For optimum viewing, find a secluded spot away from the city lights. Once you have found your spot, make sure you are comfortable, especially if you plan to stay out long – meteor watching can be a waiting game.
This month’s conjunctions, which is when two astronomical objects appear close to each other in the sky, include the moon and Venus on October 6, the moon and Saturn on October 15, the moon and Jupiter on October 21, and the moon and Mars on October 24. Also on October 15, the moon will pass in front of Saturn, creating a lunar occultation.
By Nerida Langcake
This article appeared in the October 2024 issue of the Mornington Peninsula Magazine.
The sky in detail — October 2024
Sun & twilight
| Date | Sunrise | Sunset | Day length | Astro. dark begins | ends |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Tue 1 | 5:55am | 6:24pm | 12h 29m | 7:54pm | 4:26am |
| Thu 10 | 6:41am | 7:33pm | 12h 51m | 9:05pm | 5:10am |
| Sun 20 | 6:27am | 7:43pm | 13h 16m | 9:17pm | 4:53am |
| Thu 31 | 6:13am | 7:54pm | 13h 41m | 9:33pm | 4:35am |
Days lengthen by about 72 minutes over the month.
The Moon
- New MoonThu 3, 4:52am
- First QuarterFri 11, 6:03am
- Full Moon SupermoonThu 17, 10:30pm
- Last QuarterThu 24, 7:00pm
Apogee 3 Oct (406,300 km) · Perigee 17 Oct (357,200 km) · Apogee 30 Oct (406,100 km)
The planets
Rise/set for mid-month at The Briars.
| Planet | In | Mag | Rise | Transit | Set | Best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Vir | −0.7 | 7:00am | 1:43pm | 8:27pm | Hidden |
| Venus | Lib | −3.8 | 8:09am | 3:20pm | 10:32pm | Evening |
| Mars | Gem | 0.3 | 2:32am | 7:19am | 12:05pm | Morning |
| Jupiter | Tau | −2.3 | 12:21am | 5:07am | 9:54am | Morning |
| Saturn | Aqr | 0.6 | 4:16pm | 10:44pm | 5:17am | Evening |
| Uranus | Tau | 5.7 | 10:19pm | 3:22am | 8:21am | Morning |
| Neptune | Psc | 7.8 | 5:28pm | 11:36pm | 5:48am | Evening |
Meteor showers
- Orionids — peaks 21 October, radiant in Orion (up to 20/hr). Also from Halley's Comet; Orion rides high after midnight from the south, giving a fair show. A bright 81% Moon interferes badly this year.
Computed for The Briars, Mt Martha. Times are local (Melbourne).
Generated automatically from the MPAS sky engine on 15 July 2026.
The solar system — October 2024
Evening sky Morning sky Up much of the night Lost in the Sun’s glare
Open the full interactive orrery ↗ — fast-forward, pick any date, toggle the Moon and more.
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