Midmonth Check-In: October 2026 and Perseverance Record Setting

                                

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    The first half of October has been great for stargazers and amateur astronomers. Wind, clouds, and rainstorms didn't roll in until the 10th, giving observers ample opportunity to view Saturn and many, if not all, of the other planets visible throughout the night. I watched Saturn reach opposition and Jupiter and Mars rise with Taurus and Orion in the morning, all with my unaided eye. 

    October will still offer the Orionid Meteor Shower, which peaks on the 21st, and several autumn and early winter DSOs high above the horizon for viewing pleasure. Of course, Saturn will still be a great target, as will Mars, Jupiter, Neptune, Uranus, and our closest neighbor, the Moon. I am planning one last outing with both of my visual scopes and perhaps my smart scope, before the freezing weather settles in. 

      

Perseverance

    NASA's Perseverance Rover launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on July 30, 2020. This mission aimed to search Mars for ancient microbial life, study its geology, and cache rock and regolith samples for a future return to Earth for further study. 

    The Perseverance Rover landed at Jezero Crater on Mars in February 2021, approximately 7 months after leaving Earth. During the "seven minutes of terror," NASA's Sky Crane helped lower the Perseverance Rover to the surface of Mars. In addition to its scientific survey of Mars, Perseverance carried a small helicopter, about the size of a drone, named Ingenuity. This mini helicopter completed 72 flights before being retired in 2024. 

    Perseverance also served as a prototype for a new autonomous navigation system, nicknamed AutoNav, to traverse the rocky Martian surface. This October, Perseverance set a new record, previously held by a different Mars rover, Opportunity, for the longest distance traveled on another world. The previous record was 28.06 miles (45.16 km), and Perseverance broke it at 28.08 miles (45.2 km). Obviously, this doesn't seem like a very long distance, with many of us commuting further than that each day for work or school. But remember that on Earth, we are typically driving on relatively smooth (except the potholes!) roads and can travel at high speeds. On Mars, there are no roads, and rocks often get in the way, so rovers such as Perseverance must navigate around obstacles to reach their destination.

    With an initial mission time of just one year, Perseverance is still going strong and has recently had its mission extended through 2028. With this additional time, Perseverance should be able to add more miles to its already record-breaking journey on another world.     

    Show that you support dark skies, like me, by being one of the first Utahns to get a Dark Sky license plate! Visit Dark Sky Utah to apply for a new license plate for your vehicle. 

         

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: October 2026

                           Introduction

   September was much cooler than August, making nights out under the stars much more pleasant. Utahns did receive a few end-of-summer rainstorms, which I found quite enjoyable. I also enjoyed looking up before sunrise to see Jupiter and Orion high in the sky. I'm looking forward to more cool weather and, hopefully, clear skies to enjoy the autumn constellations and deep-sky objects.

    October is typically wetter than September, and snowstorms can occur during the month, especially around Halloween. This month should be great for stargazing, with Saturn reaching opposition and the Orionid Meteor Shower peaking. Mercury will return to the evening sky but may prove difficult to see. Neptune was recently at opposition and will remain a great target for telescopes and binoculars during October. Enjoy these spectacular sights and let the night sky inspire your curiosity.   

                      

Mercury

   Mercury has transitioned to the evening sky and will be visible shortly after sunset. To spot this tiny world, try viewing during the first half of October when it's higher in the sky. Since Mercury is currently south of the ecliptic, a clear western horizon is essential, especially for Utahns with obstructed views. Use binoculars or a telescope if possible, and check local sunset times for optimal viewing windows.  

  

Venus

   Venus may also be tricky to spot during October. This world dips below the western horizon shortly after the Sun. Venus shines brightly, which may help in detecting this world low on the western horizon. Venus is quickly approaching the Sun for an inferior conjunction, which will occur on the 23rd. A clear view of the western horizon will be required to spot Venus this month.

    

Mars

    

   Rising around 2:30 AM for Utahns, Mars will be the easiest rocky world to spot during October. The Red Planet will rise about 30 minutes earlier by month's end due to its retrograde motion. This retrograde motion will have Mars moving closer to Jupiter in our night sky, with their closest approach occurring at the end of the month. The Earth's Moon will pass close by on the 5th. Unfortunately, unless an observer has a crystal-clear night with an extremely steady atmosphere, Mars will not offer any surface detail through a telescope.   

       

Jupiter

Saturn

   Jupiter is a great early morning target or for an observer who stays out all night. Its brilliance will make it easy to spot against the background stars of Leo. The Earth's Moon will pass close by on the 6th, occulting Jupiter for those in the Eastern United States. Several Galilean Moon transits will occur this month. I recommend using the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app to find the transit times for a specific location. Watching these transits can be a fascinating experience, inviting you to explore the dynamic nature of our solar system.  

    Saturn reaches opposition on the 4th, making October the best time of the year to view this world. It will remain visible from sunset to sunrise during the month, giving observers ample opportunities to view Saturn. The Earth's Moon will pass close by on the 24th. Saturn's moons constantly change position around their parent planet, allowing transits to be seen from Earth. I recommend using the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app to find when these transits will occur at your specific location.

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

   Uranus will remain between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters of Taurus throughout October. We are only a month away from this world reaching opposition from our vantage point. You can see Uranus with the unaided eye from a dark-sky site on a moonless night, though it's easier to distinguish it from the background stars with a telescope or pair of binoculars. Earth's nearly Full Moon will pass close to Uranus on the 28th. 

  Neptune reached opposition in late September and will remain a great target throughout October. This world will be visible from sunset until sunrise in Pisces. Wait until close to midnight for this distant world to rise high in the sky. Neptune will require optical aid to view and will appear as a blue disk against the pinpoint background stars. If an observer can locate Saturn, Neptune is a little further southwest along the ecliptic since it rises above the horizon shortly before the Ringed World. The Earth's own Moon will pass close by on the 23rd.

Orionid Meteor Shower

   We've had a brief period with no major meteor showers; October will remedy that with the Orionid Meteor Shower! As the name suggests, these meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation of Orion. These meteors are active from October 2nd to November 7th, peaking on the 21st. During a Moon-free peak, observers could expect up to 20 meteors per hour, but this year a First Quarter Moon occurs three days before, meaning the Moon won't set until about 4:00 AM and will obscure all but the brightest meteors. This year, observers should plan to venture outside after 4:00 AM for a chance to see nearly the max rate of 18 meteors per hour. 

Monthly Breakdown

October 03: Last Quarter Moon🌗 
October 04: Saturn reaches opposition
October 05: Moon passes within 1° of Mars

October 06: Moon passes within 0.5° of Jupiter 

October 10: New Moon 🌑

October 11: Moon passes within 3° of Venus 

October 12: Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation

October 12: Moon passes within 2° of Mercury 

October 18: First Quarter Moon 🌓 

October 21: Orionid Meteor Shower peaks

October 23: Moon passes within 5° of Neptune 

October 23: Venus reaches inferior conjunction

October 24: Moon passes within 7° of Saturn 

October 26: Full Moon 🌕 

October 28: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus 

 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

   

Midmonth Check-In: September 2026 and Fish Lake

                               

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    The first half of September has been relatively clear and cool. I haven't had a chance to use any of my gear, but I hope to soon. I was, however, able to watch the Moon go from fully lit to completely dark. During its transition, I observed Jupiter rising in the early morning sky, and I'm looking forward to watching it rise earlier with each passing day. Orion is also returning to the morning sky, which is one of my favorite times of the year since it signals cooler temperatures for the Northern Hemisphere observers. 

    The remainder of the month will give observers the chance to see the Moon pass close to Saturn, Uranus, and Neptune. The Autumnal Equinox will occur on the 22nd, giving the Northern Hemisphere an equal amount (12 hours) of daylight and night. This also marks the time when days get shorter, nights get longer, and the weather gets colder. Many observers start bundling up while stargazing! Neptune will reach opposition on the 25th, and the Full Moon will be visible on the 26th. 

      

Fish Lake Adventure

    As mentioned earlier, I traveled to Fish Lake, Utah, near the peak of the Perseids on August 12. I took my new scope, a 100mm refractor, and my DSLR camera. I wasn't expecting much, since the forecast predicted rain and clouds for my entire stay. I actually debated bringing any of my gear because of that forecast. Thankfully, it wasn't 100% accurate, and some stargazing was possible.

    We left on the 12th, with the entire day and night plagued by rain and clouds. Perhaps "plagued" is the wrong word, since I really do enjoy the rain, clouds, and cooler temperatures that accompany this type of weather. Of course, the astronomer in me does not like this weather at all and often gets frustrated planning trips like this one when the weather does not cooperate. 

    Friday started mostly clear, but clouds quickly rolled in and blocked out the sky for most of the day. We went on a nice hike during this time while the temperatures were cool, likely in the low 60s, and then returned to camp to read and play games for a while. I wasn't expecting much in the way of stargazing due to the clouds. However, after having dinner and playing some card games, which I won, of course, I stepped outside to see what I could see. I was shocked to see that there were only a few wispy clouds in the sky! We quickly loaded my DSLR camera and phone tripod and headed to the northern end of Fish Lake. I took a few decent pictures, but we were disappointed by how few meteors we saw. We each only saw one. We only stayed out until approximately 10:30 because it was cold. The temperatures dropped into the 30s that night, and we weren't prepared for temperatures like that. At least the few pictures I took turned out! 

Andromeda and aircraft taken with DSLR

Meteor and Milky Way taken with DSLR

Milky Way Pilot taken with DSLR

Milky Way, Meteor, and Fish Lake taken with smartphone

Aircraft and the night sky taken with smartphone

Aircraft, Andromeda, and the Milky Way taken with smartphone

    Saturday started out very much the same as Friday. However, the clouds stayed away for most of the day and didn't start rolling in until late afternoon. During the day, we went on a different hike and sat by the lake for a few hours before returning to our cabin to really relax and soak up the mountain air. We were really hoping for a clear night for our last night there, but the patchy clouds didn't seem ready to leave. We loaded up the telescope and camera anyway and drove to the north end of Fish Lake again to see if the astronomy gods would grant us another clear night. To my amazement and delight, the clouds mostly hugged the eastern horizon, and I felt confident rain would stay away, so I set up my new scope. I futzed around with the scope for a few hours trying to get a good star alignment but was unsuccessful. We did still manage to view the Andromeda Galaxy and a couple of double stars, but nothing more. I also set up my DSLR to take a timelapse of the sky to try to catch some meteors, and everything was going great until some people came to the same location with their headlights, ruining part of the images. Below are the best images from the attempted timelapse and from my phone. 

Andromeda with Perseid Meteor and some strangers taken with DSLR

Bright Milky Way taken with smartphone

Milky Way in Fish Lake taken with smartphone

    All in all, it was a fantastic end-of-summer trip. Even though the tracking was off and I grew frustrated, I was still impressed by the views of the stars through my new scope. The views through my big Dobsonian are better since it's about three times as large; I feel the new scope is a great addition to my mini fleet of astronomy gear. Once I work out the bugs, I should be able to set up my new scope more quickly. While my Dobsonian breaks down into smaller units for easier transport than a typical Dobsonian, it's still large, takes up a lot of space in a car, and takes time to assemble and collimate. My new scope is much smaller, takes up less space, and assembles more quickly. I look forward to my next outing with either one, or even both, of these scopes.   

    Show that you support dark skies, like me, by being one of the first Utahns to get a Dark Sky license plate! Visit Dark Sky Utah to apply for a new license plate for your vehicle. 

         

    

Now get outside and look up!

   

Monthly Night Sky Report: September 2026

                          Introduction

   August was still warm, with a few cooler, rainy days mixed in. Utahns experienced some evening thunderstorms, reminiscent of the summer storms I remember as a kid. I saw a few Perseid meteors and took one of my scopes out to view the stars. I also saw part of the Partial Lunar Eclipse before the clouds rolled in. 

    September should offer some great nights of stargazing. Cooler temperatures bring a steadier atmosphere and let observers use high-powered eyepieces to better reveal the details of the Moon, planets, and deep-sky objects. This month will be a less exciting month for stargazers, with no major meteor showers and no eclipses. Neptune will reach opposition during September, making it the best time of the year to view the most distant planet in our solar system.   

                      

Mercury

   Mercury will be a difficult target for Northern Hemisphere observers in September. The ecliptic brings Mercury close to the horizon, so a high, clear view of the western sky will be needed shortly after sunset. The best chance to see this tiny world will come on the 12th when the Moon is just 11° away. Venus will also be nearby. 

  

Venus

   Venus will be easy to spot after sunset, even before the glow of the Sun retreats from the evening sky. This world will sink below the western horizon earlier with each passing day, but it will remain prominent in the sky. Venus will reach its greatest illumination on the 18th, shining brightly at -4.8 magnitude. Observers with binoculars or a telescope can see the planet's different phases, with about 25% of its disk illuminated on the 21st.

    

Mars

    

   Mars can be found rising with the stars of Gemini in early September, around 2:30 AM. By the end of the month, the Red Planet will have crossed into Cancer, the Crab, and rise approximately an hour earlier. This outer rocky world will not offer much detail through a telescope because of its distance from Earth, but better views will present themselves in early 2027.

       

Jupiter

Saturn

   Jupiter will begin the month among the stars of Cancer. This giant planet rises above the eastern horizon around 4:30 AM as the month begins. Close to the time that Mars is crossing into Cancer, Jupiter will leave this region of the night sky and move to the stars of Leo. At the end of the month, Jupiter can be found just 11° from Regulus, the brightest star in Leo. The early morning hours are a great time to view this planet. A telescope will easily reveal Jupiter's four large Galilean Moons and the cloud bands in its atmosphere. Colored filters can help reveal Jupiter's band structure. Several moon transits are visible during September. I recommend using the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app to find the transit times for a specific location.  

    It is nearly peak Saturn observation time as it approaches opposition in October. For the time being, the Ringed World can be found rising above the eastern horizon around 10:30 PM at the start of the month and by approximately 8:30 PM by month's end. A telescope will reveal Saturn's ring structure and its largest moons. You can observe several moon transits this month. I recommend using the Moons of Jupiter & Saturn app to find when these transits will occur at your location.

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

   Uranus can be found hiding among the stars of Taurus. This distant world is about halfway between the Pleiades and the Hyades star clusters throughout September. While technically visible to the unaided eye from a dark, Moon-free sky, binoculars or a telescope will help you distinguish it from the background stars. 

   Neptune reaches opposition on the 25th, making this date one of the best times of the year to view this most distant world. Neptune can be found rising with Saturn and the stars of Pisces. You will need binoculars or a telescope to see this world.

Deep Sky Objects

   This September, there aren't many exciting astronomy targets to view. However, plenty of DSOs are visible with a telescope. Observers may also catch up to seven meteors per hour during any night of the month, although the best time to view will come during the New Moon phase. I recommend bringing a comfortable chair and warm clothing to a dark-sky site, relaxing, and looking up at the wonders of our night sky.   

Monthly Breakdown

September 03: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus

September 04: Last Quarter Moon🌗 

September 06: Moon passes within 3° of Mars

September 08: Moon passes within 1° of Jupiter

September 10: New Moon 🌑

September 14: Moon passes within 1° of Venus 

September 18: First Quarter Moon 🌓 

September 22: Autumnal Equinox

September 25: Neptune reaches opposition 

September 26: Full Moon 🌕 

September 26: Moon passes within 5° of Neptune

September 27: Moon passes within 7° of Saturn 

September 30: Moon passes within 5° of Uranus 

 

 

         

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos image was taken by Jeff Greenland.

The Milky Way and Trees image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

Orion, Taurus, and Pleiades image was taken by Andrew Greenland.

                

   

Midmonth Check-In: August 2026 and the Ecliptic

                              

  Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    August has been quite warm. A little too warm for my taste, which discourages me from taking my gear out at night. The smoke has also been a deterrent, but I still spotted Venus in the early evening sky and followed the Moon through its phases. It's currently approaching the New Moon phase to set up a Total Solar Eclipse. During the New Moon phase, the Perseids will also peak, creating a spectacular show for those with cloud-free skies.

    I traveled to Fish Lake, Utah during the peak of the Perseids. I wasn't expecting much, since the forecast predicted rainstorms for the entire trip. Fortunately, it was only overcast for one of the three nights! I have not looked at all the pictures I took of the night sky during the two clear nights, but the few I have reviewed look great, and I'm excited to share them and my trip to Fish Lake in my next Midmonth Check-In post!

    The remaining days of August will still offer observers a chance to catch some Perseid meteors and the Moon moving against the background stars. On the 28th, Utahns will see a Partial Lunar Eclipse. Several of the planets may also be seen in the early morning sky before sunrise. 

The Ecliptic

      I often mention the ecliptic and how the planets and Sun seem to follow this imaginary line through our sky, but what is it and why do these celestial objects follow this path?

    Approximately 4.6 billion years ago, an event occurred, most likely a distant supernova, which agitated an otherwise peaceful cloud of dust in an otherwise lonely region of space. This agitation caused the cloud of dust to begin spinning and collapsing inward. As the cloud spun faster, it flattened out, much like a pizza maker throws dough in the air and spins it. Over time, the Sun and planets formed from this disk, all of which lie roughly on the same plane, like a pizza pan or dinner plate.

    Before the solar system became what we know today, with the planets in their current positions and the moons around them, several collisions or near-collisions occurred. These events caused some planets, like Earth, to tilt on their polar axis. For Earth, this axial tilt allows us to experience seasons. 

    The path the Sun takes through our daytime sky is known as the ecliptic. This path changes throughout the year because of Earth's axial tilt. Since the planets were formed from the same rotating disc of dust as the Sun, they closely follow the ecliptic as well. In fact, if an observer were standing on another planet in our solar system, they would also experience the Sun and planets following an imaginary line, an ecliptic, in their sky. Think of the swing ride, Turn of the Century, at Lagoon. Everyone on the ride sits on the same plane and follows the same arc as the speed increases. This is the same concept as the arc that the Sun and planets follow in the sky.       

    Show that you support dark skies, like me, by being one of the first Utahns to get a Dark Sky license plate! Visit Dark Sky Utah to apply for a new license plate for your vehicle. 

         

    

Now get outside and look up!