New Delhi

The October sky will have plenty of celestial highlights to soothe sky-gazer’s eyes. From a rare ‘ring of fire’ solar eclipse and shooting stars during the Orionid meteor shower, to a full hunter’s moon close to Halloween, October has everything a sky enthusiast wishes for. 

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In October, Saturn looks stunning in the evenings, while Jupiter nears it best for the year and is visible all night. Venus dazzles in the morning sky, rising about four hours before the Sun. The second week of October is a great time to view the zodiacal light. There are ample opportunities for stargazing, especially around the new moon. 

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Here are all the upcoming astronomical events in October 2023: 

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Upcoming astronomical events in 2023 

Draconid Meteor Shower 

Date: Oct 8-9

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Draconid Meteor Shower, also called the Giacobinds, is a rare sight in the sense that its radiant point stands highest in the sky as darkness falls. This is why the best time to see it is in the evening hours.

Annular Solar Eclipse 

Date: Oct 14

This annular eclipse is the second of three notable solar eclipses viewable from the USA. It follows the 'Great American' total eclipse of August 2017 and comes six months before the Mexico-US-Canada total eclipse of April 2024.

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New Moon 

Date: Oct 14

The new moon appears when the sun and moon are aligned, with the sun and earth on opposite sides of the moon. The best time to see the new moon will vary based on time zone.

Orionid Meteor Shower

Date: Oct 21-22

The Orionids will be the second meteor shower in October. The shower peaks on October 21-22 but usually remains active between October 2 and November 7. The best time to see these shooting stars is between midnight and sunrise.

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Partial Lunar Eclipse

Date: Oct 28-29

This partial lunar eclipse will be part of the Hunter's Moon which will be visible from Europe, Africa and Asia. The eclipse can be found between the curvature of the shadow's path and the apparent rotation of the moon's disk (which occurs due to its rotation).

Hunter's Moon

Date: Oct 28

The October Full Moon is traditionally called the Hunter's Moon. October is a time to start preparing for the coming winter by hunting or slaughtering animals and preserving meat and this is where the name Hunter's Moon comes from.

(With inputs from agencies)

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