Autumn is a beautiful time…there is a crispness to the air and when the sky is blue, the colours pop!
Just this evening I picked up an arrangement of ornamental gourds and their addition to the house brings to mind Thanksgiving and Halloween and the rich warm colours of autumn! I’m hoping that friends will gather here this weekend for the smells and tastes of cranberry and turkey, brussel sprouts and dressing, gravy, salad, festive turnip and mashed potato…I love the smells of Thanksgiving dinner!
I looked out this evening at an almost-full moon. According to my ‘celestial’ sites, tomorrow we will see the full…so leave some time to share it with your loved ones! I am leaving a calendar here of other events that may amuse or distract all of you from the things you are working so hard to accomplish.
I know that observations of meteor showers such as the Leonids that will begin November 17…have always caused our family to stare heavenward in amazement!
Enjoy this autumn…and the fun of trick-or-treating.
| OCT 6 | 20:13 | Full Moon | Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night |
| OCT 13 | 17:26 | Last Quarter Moon | Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon |
| OCT 16 | 07:27 | Lunar Conjunction | The Moon passes 2.0° north of Saturn. Time of closest approach and separation computed for the Earth’s center and may vary significantly depending on your location |
| OCT 16 | 21:08 | Mercury Eastern Elongation | Elusive Mercury attains its greatest angular separation from the Sun and is visible low in the west at dusk. |
| OCT 21-22 | — | Dark Sky Weekend | Best time this month to observe faint objects. Amateur astronomers may hold observing sessions at dark sites |
| OCT 21 | 22:14 | New Moon | Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun and is invisible. Moon rises at sunrise and sets at sunset |
| OCT 22 | 23:46 | Mars Conjunction | Mars passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun’s glare. |
| OCT 24 | 00:40 | Lunar Conjunction | The Moon passes 1.4° south of Mercury. Time of closest approach and separation computed for the Earth’s center and may vary significantly depending on your location |
| OCT 27 | 10:50 | Venus Superior Conjunction | Venus passes behind the Sun and is lost in the Sun’s glare. |
| OCT 29 | 02:00 | Time Change | Standard Time begins. Set clocks back one hour |
| OCT 29 | 13:25 | First Quarter Moon | Moon rises at noon and sets at midnight |
| NOV 5 | 04:58 | Full Moon | Moon rises at sunset, sets at sunrise, and is visible all night |
| NOV 8 | 13:31 | Mercury Inferior Conjunction | Mercury passes between the Eartn and the Sun and is lost in the Sun’s glare. |
| NOV 12 | 09:45 | Last Quarter Moon | Moon rises at midnight and sets at noon |
| NOV 17 | 00:00-05:00 | Leonid Meteor Shower |
Observers in dark locations should see several meteors per hour. The shower is predicted to peak on DEC 17 at 13:00 PST. |