#OCTOBER CALENDAR STARFALL FULL#

This month there is an annular solar eclipse on October 14th. The moon still casts its shadow, but the edges of the sun’s surface can be seen behind it creating a ‘ring of fire.’ An annular solar eclipse occurs when the moon appears smaller than during a total eclipse, so it does not completely block the sun. A total solar eclipse is when the moon completely blocks the sun’s light, allowing people in the path of totality to see the sun’s corona which is typically invisible to the unaided eye.

This variable moon size is what differentiates a total solar eclipse from an annular solar eclipse. Solar eclipses are especially interesting on Earth because our moon happens to have the right combination of size and distance to appear nearly the same size as the Sun however, the moon’s apparent size does have some variation since its orbit around Earth is not completely circular.

#OCTOBER CALENDAR STARFALL FULL#

This path is called the path of totality, and it is the best place to view the full spectacle that a solar eclipse creates. When this happens, the moon’s shadow falls on a fraction of the Earth’s surface, and creates a path of darkness as it moves across the sun. There is a solar eclipse occurring this month! A solar eclipse is when the moon passes directly between the Sun and Earth. Nights will continue to grow longer until the winter solstice in December, but longer nights means more time to go out and observe! Every day, we lose an average of 2 minutes and 30 seconds of sunlight. However, the sunrise/sunset times vary greatly throughout the month. The sun rises around 7:45 am and sets around 6:50 pm, providing 11 hours of sunlight throughout the day. Happy autumn! With the September equinox behind us, we have passed into the astronomical start of the fall season! For those of us in the northern hemisphere, the sun is now below the horizon more than above it.

Constellations, Planets, and Astronomical Events Visible in October 2023

October calendar Starfall