This month’s new moon occurs at a particular time.
The new moon happens on Tuesday, Oct. 25, at 6:49 a.m. EDT (1049 GMT), and observers in a area stretching from western Greenland, throughout a lot of Europe and as far east as western China will see a partial solar eclipse, in keeping with NASA’s Eclipse site (opens in new tab).Â
A new moon is a phase of the moon that’s normally invisible from Earth, as a result of the moon is instantly between our planet and the sun. About each 29.5 days the 2 our bodies share the identical celestial longitude, an alignment technically referred to as a conjunction. If one attracts a line from Polaris, the North Star due south towards the sun, that line additionally hits the new moon.Â
Associated: Night sky, October 2022: What you can see tonight [maps]
Often the moon can be misplaced within the solar glare however this month it would cross in entrance of the sun, leading to a partial eclipse. (Timing of lunar phases relies on the place of the moon in its orbit, so that they happen concurrently throughout the Earth, with the hour relying on one’s tine zone).
Throughout a partial eclipse, the moon passes in entrance of the sun, however does not cowl it fully. In contrast to a total eclipse, the sky does not get darkish and the change in mild is not so noticeable with the bare eye. With a great set of eclipse glasses, or viewing by way of a pinhole projected on a floor, one can see the sun tackle a crescent form. Close to sundown or dawn one can generally observe the sun by way of clouds or haze, and see a purple crescent sun close to the horizon. Typically, one ought to by no means strive trying instantly on the sun with out a set of eclipse glasses designed for the aim, and definitely by no means accomplish that even with such glasses by way of binoculars or a telescope. Any magnification concentrates the sun’s mild and will increase the chance of retinal burns and everlasting blindness. Be sure you learn our information on how to observe the sun safely for extra protected solar viewing ideas.
The utmost eclipse shall be seen in Siberia, close to the town of Nizhnevartovsk, Russia (the precise latitude and longitude of the place to see the maximal eclipse is 61.8 levels N, 77.3 levels east). At 2:53 p.m. native time the moon is available in contact with the sun, which shall be solely about 7 levels above the horizon. At 4:01 p.m. native time, the eclipse reaches a most, with about 82 % of the sun’s disk coated. The top of the eclipse occurs after native sundown, at 4:13 p.m.Â
For these that may’t get to central Russia, different cities the place the eclipse shall be substantial embody Warsaw, the place about 41 % of the sun shall be coated at most eclipse, which occurs at 12:23 p.m. native time. The eclipse begins at 11:13 a.m., and ends at 1:32 p.m. The sun shall be excessive within the sky – 25 levels – when the eclipse reaches most. In Helsinki, the eclipse begins at 12:11 p.m. native time, reaches most at 1:21 p.m., and ends at 2:31 p.m. About 54 percent of the sun’s disk (opens in new tab) shall be obscured.Â
Learn extra: How to watch the last solar eclipse of 2022 online this week for free (Oct. 25)
Seen Planets
For these that may’t see the eclipse, on the evening of Oct. 25, three planets shall be seen without delay; in mid-northern latitudes, by about 10 p.m. Mars shall be rising simply north of east, within the constellation Taurus, whereas Jupiter shall be about 47 levels excessive within the southeast in Pisces, and Saturn within the south in Capricorn. The latter two planets will stand out because the constellations they’re in are comparatively faint. In New York, Saturn is the primary to rise, at about 3:03 p.m. EDT (1903 GMT). Jupiter rises at 4:46 p.m. (2046 GMT), and Mars follows at 8:49 p.m. (0049 GMT on Oct. 26), in keeping with Heavens-Above.com calculations (opens in new tab). Mars will get fairly excessive within the sky within the predawn hours – when the planet crosses the meridian at about 4:20 a.m. (0820 GMT), it is going to be a fill 73 levels above the southern horizon.Â
Venus will not be seen – the planet reaches superior conjunction on Oct. 22, which is when it’s precisely on the other facet of the sun from Earth, so it is going to be misplaced within the solar glare. Mercury rises barely an hour earlier than the sun does; it too will get misplaced within the approaching daylight (although one would possibly catch it if one has a flat horizon and completely clear climate). Mercury rises at 6:31 a.m. native time in New York (1031 GMT), whereas the sun rises at 7:18 a.m. (1118 GMT), so the sky is already getting mild when Mercury comes up.Â
For Southern Hemisphere sky watchers the planets shall be greater, and positioned within the northern half of the sky. For instance, in Cape City, the place the sun units at 7:08 p.m. on Oct. 25 (opens in new tab) (the new moon is at 12:49 p.m.) the planet Saturn rises within the afternoon (at 1:09 p.m. local time (opens in new tab)) and crosses the meridian at 7:54 p.m., and can attain an altitude of 73 levels. Jupiter rises at 4:29 p.m. and reaches about 58 levels, whereas Mars, which rises simply after midnight at 11:17 p.m. native time reaches 33 levels at 4:07 a.m. on Oct. 26.Â
Stars and constellations
In mid-northern latitudes, by late October, the summer season constellations of the zodiac – Sagittarius, Ophiuchus and Scorpio – are exiting the stage. Scorpius is beneath the horizon by 8 p.m. and Sagittarius is low within the southwest; Ophiuchus can also be headed in the direction of the horizon. Wanting south, one sees “moist area” of the sky, referred to as as a result of so lots of the constellations are water-themed; one sees Capricorn (the Water Goat), Aquarius (Water Service), and Pisces (the Fishes) as one strikes the standpoint to the east. Just under Pisces is Cetus, the whale. All of those constellations are comparatively faint; none has a first-magnitude star and from city places they are often troublesome to see.Â
Nearer to the southern horizon one can see Fomalhaut, the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, the Southern Fish. Fomalhaut is a first-magnitude star that can also be one of many sun’s nearer neighbors, “solely” 25 light-years away.
To the north from Aquarius you can see the constellations of Pegasus and Andromeda, marked by an asterism referred to as the Nice Sq.. One nook of the sq. is Andromeda’s head, whereas the opposite three make up the wing of Pegasus, the legendary flying horse ridden by Perseus to save Andromeda from Cetus, the sea monster.
From Andromeda’s head one can hint two traces of stars and discover the Andromeda Galaxy, which will be noticed from a darkish sky web site with the bare eye.Â
In the meantime, the Southern Hemisphere, Scorpius remains to be above the horizon on the latitude of Cape City or Melbourne, however it’s “the other way up” with the pinnacle pointed to the horizon within the west-southwest by about 8 p.m. native time.  Observers will see the Southern Cross low within the southwest, practically setting, and above it Alpha Centauri, also referred to as Rigil Kentaurus. Alpha Centauri is sort of brilliant and in a kind of cluster of brilliant stars in that area of the sky – one can discover it utilizing the Southern Cross and tracing a line throughout the “spar” of the cross to the north.Â
Wanting excessive within the southeast, one can see the Brightstar Achernar, which is the top of the River, Eridanus. If one follows the celebrities of the river as they wind throughout the sky, one passes the Phoenix, Horologium (the Clock), and Fornax (the Furnace). None of those teams of stars are notably brilliant, so they’re greatest seen from darker skies. In the direction of the top of Eridanus one passes Cetus, and later within the evening – by about 10:30 p.m. – one can see the very finish of Eridanus subsequent to the ft of Orion because it rises.Â
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