Sky Chart For The Month of October, 2021

ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR OCTOBER 2021

The Moon

New Moon occurs on 6^that h.16–35 I.S.T	First Quarter occurs on 13^th at h.8–55 I.S.T
Full Moon occurs on 20^th at h.20–27 I.S.T	Last Quarter occurs on 29^that h.1–35 I.S.T

The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 7^th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 8^th. The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 24^th.

The Moon passes about 3½º north of Mars on 6^th, about 7º north of Mercury on 6^th, about 3º north of Venus on 10^th, about 4º south of Saturn on 14^th, about 4º south of Jupiter on 15^th, about 4º south of Neptune in the evening of 17^th and about 1½º south of Uranus after midnight of 21^st i.e. on 22^nd.

The Planets

Visibility of Planets

Mercury: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible upto 13^th of the month. Thereafter it rises about 1 hour before sunrise for the remaining days of the month, being in Inferior Conjunction with the Sun on 9^th. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth from 18^th.The planet is at Perihelion or nearest to the Sun in its orbit on 20^th. It is in Greatest Western Elongation of about 18½° from the Sun on 25^th.

Venus: The planet sets about 2½ hours to 3 hours after sunset throughout the month. The planet is at Aphelion or farthest from the Sun in its orbit on 3^rd. The planet is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 47° from the Sun on 30^th.

Mars: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible during the month, being in Conjunction with the Sun on 8^th.

Jupiter: The planet sets after local midnight throughout the month. It sets about 2½ hours to 2 hours after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 1½ hours after it upto second quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to ½ hour after it for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth from 18^th.

Saturn: The planet sets about 1 hour to ½ hour after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about ½ hour after local midnight time to close to it upto second quarter of the month, from close to local midnight time to ½ hour before it upto third quarter of the month and about ½ hour to 1 hour before it for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth from 11^th. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 30^th.

Uranus: The planet rises after sunset throughout the month. It rises about 2 hours to 1½ hours after sunset upto first quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 1 hour after it upto third quarter of the month and from about 1 hour after it too close to sunset time for the remaining days of the month.

Neptune: The planet sets before sunrise throughout the month. It sets from about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it upto first quarter of the month, about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it upto second quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 3½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Conjunction of Planets

Mercury passes about 3⁰ south of Mars on 9^th.

Venus passes about 1½⁰ north of Antares (Jyestha) on 16^th.

Mars passes about 3⁰ north of Spica (Chitra) on 20^th.

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Moves from Libra (Tula) to Virgo (Kanya) on 2^nd (Retrograde).	+1.4 to +5.0 +5.0 to 0.0 0.0 to –0.8
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Libra (Tula) to Scorpion (Vrischika) on 2^ndand moves from Scorpion (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 30^th.	–4.2 to –4.5
Mars (Mangala)	Moves from Virgo (Kanya) to Libra (Tula) on 22^nd.	+1.7 to +1.6 +1.6 to +1.7
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Capricornus (Makara).	–2.7 to –2.5
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Capricornus (Makara).	+0.5 to +0.6
Uranus	Remains in Aries (Mesha).	+6.0
Neptune	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+8.0

Source : : Director

Positional Astronomy Centre

India Meteorological Department

Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700091