2023, October 31:  Halloween Full Moon?  Bright Planets

Astronomy, Sky Watching
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October 31, 2023:  Is there a Full Moon on Halloween?  See Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn during the night.

A Halloween scene that includes a Full moon.
Photo Caption – A Halloween scene that includes a Full moon.(Created by Open AI)

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois:  Sunrise, 7:22 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 5:46 p.m. CDT.  Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.

Photo Caption – 2023, August 30: Perigee Blue Moon (Photo by Tim S.)

Is there a Full moon on Halloween?  Seasonal artwork presents all sorts of perceptions of ghosts, goblins, black cats, jack-o-lanterns, witches and Full moons.  The moon is not full tonight.  The Full phase, known as the Hunter’s moon, occurred three nights ago.

Certainly, the moon looks kind of Full, but yet it does not.  It is distinctly gibbous and likely those who have imbibed in adult beverages during a late-night Halloween party might call it Full.  This morning, the phase is 92% illuminated, while this evening it is slimmer, 87% lit.

A Halloween Full moon occurs every nineteen years.  The most recent occurred in 2020, while the next one 2039.  Next year’s Halloween moon is a very slim crescent moon, 1% illuminated, that is less than 10° from the sun.

Summaries of Current Sky Events
Summary for Venus as a Morning Star, 2023-24

Here is today’s planet forecast:

Morning Sky

Chart Caption – 2023, October 31: Jupiter and the gibbous moon are in the west before sunrise.

During morning twilight, the bright gibbous moon, 92% illuminated, is halfway up in the west.  It is 9.0° to the upper right of Aldebaran, Taurus’ brightest star.  Use a binocular to spot the Pleiades star cluster, over 10° to the lower right of the lunar orb.  They are too far apart to fit into the same binocular field of view.

Bright Jupiter is less than 15° above the western horizon and far below the moon.  It is nearly between Hamal, the brightest star in Aries, and Menkar, part of Cetus.

Chart Caption – 2023, October 31: Brilliant Venus is in the east-southeast with Leo during morning twilight.

Farther eastward, Venus, rising nearly four hours before sunrise, is about 30° above the east-southeast horizon.  It is 11.7° to the lower right of Denebola, the Lion’s Tail.

For most of October Leo marched eastward in front of Leo, passing Regulus October 9th.  This morning, Venus is over 20° to the lower left of that star.  Its eastward dance continues, passing Denebola in a wide conjunction tomorrow morning and crossing the Leo-Virgo border November 3rd.

Evening Sky

Chart Caption – 2023, October 31: Saturn is in the south-southeast near Deneb Algedi and above Fomalhaut.

Mercury and Mars are setting shortly after sunset and lost in the sun’s light.  Mercury is heading toward an evening appearance and Mars is moving toward its solar conjunction.

An hour after sunset, Jupiter and Saturn are visible.  Saturn is easier to see over 30° above the east-southeast horizon.  The Ringed Wonder is nearing the end of its retrograde in front of Aquarius, 6.7° to the upper left of Deneb Algedi, Capricornus’ tail and over 20° to the upper right of Fomalhaut, the mouth of the Southern Fish.

Chart Caption – 2023, October 31: During the evening Jupiter and gibbous moon are in the eastern sky.

Bright Jupiter is about 10° above the eastern horizon at this hour, but in another sixty minutes, it is over 20° up.  The moon is rising at this time, long after the trick-or-treaters have returned with their sugar caches.

By three hours after sundown, that 87%-illuminated moon is over 10° above the east-northeast horizon, 3.4° to the right of Elnath, Taurus’ northern horn, and over 13° to the left of Aldebaran.

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