2024, October 6:  Scorpion Moon

October 6, 2024: After sundown, the Scorpion Moon is in the southwestern sky.  Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars are visible during nighttime hours.

2021, October 8: The crescent moon and Venus with Scorpius.
Photo Caption – 2021, October 8: The crescent moon and Venus with Scorpius.

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by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 6:54 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:23 p.m. CDT.  Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program.

Here is the planet forecast:

Morning Sky

Morning Jupiter

2024, October 6: An hour before daybreak, bright Jupiter is nearly between Taurus’ horns, high in the south-southwest.
Chart Caption – 2024, October 6: An hour before daybreak, bright Jupiter is nearly between Taurus’ horns, high in the south-southwest.

One hour before sunrise, bright Jupiter is high in the south-southwest.  It is the brightest star in the sky this morning, although it is 60% Venus’ visual intensity.  The Jovian Giant is three days away from reversing its eastward trek and starting to retrograde. 

Jupiter is near Taurus’ horns, 6.3° to Elnath’s lower left, the northern horn, and 4.1° to the lower right of Zeta Tauri, the southern point.

Mars with Gemini

2024, October 6: During morning twilight, Mars is high in the southeast with the Gemini Twins.
Chart Caption – 2024, October 6: During morning twilight, Mars is high in the southeast with the Gemini Twins.

Dimmer Mars is high in the south-southeast.  It marches eastward in front of Gemini, 8.4° to the right of Pollux, one of the twins.  The Red Planet’s wide conjunction with the star occurs on the 19th.  Beforehand, it passes the second brother, Castor, on the 12th.

Evening Sky

Mercury sets 12 minutes after the sun.  It is visible next month, although the planet is in bright twilight on its best evenings.

Scorpion Moon, Venus

2024, October 6-7: At 40 minutes after sunset, the moon is in the southwestern sky with Scorpius, while brilliant Venus is low in the west-southwest.
Chart Caption – 2024, October 6-7: At 40 minutes after sunset, the moon is in the southwestern sky with Scorpius, while brilliant Venus is low in the west-southwest.

Forty minutes after sundown, brilliant Venus is about 7° above the west-southwest horizon and nearly 14° to the right of the crescent moon, 15% illuminated.

This evening the lunar orb is at the Scorpion’s head, 4.3° to the lower right of Dschubba, known as the crown or forehead, and 7.1° to the lower right of Graffias, known as the crab.  This is a Scorpion Moon.

Look for earthshine on the moon, reflected sunlight from Earth’s features that gently lights up the lunar night.

Tomorrow evening, the moon is near Antares, shown as the Scorpion’s heart on celestial artwork.

2024, October 6: During the early evening, Saturn is in the east-southeast.
Chart Caption – 2024, October 6: During the early evening, Saturn is in the east-southeast.

This evening, Saturn is in the east-southeast. At just 5% of Venus’ brightness, Saturn is the brightest star in the region.  While low in the sky, this is the time to find a local astronomy club, planetarium, or backyard astronomy enthusiast to see the Ringed Wonder through their telescope.

During the night, Saturn appears farther westward from Earth’s rotation.  As the calendar day ends, it is less than halfway up in the south-southwest. Rising three hours after nightfall, Jupiter is about 20° up in the east-northeast.

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