October Skylights with Night Skies Tenerife

Meteor Shower Alert!

The Draconids – October 7 & 8

The Draconids meteor shower is an annual event, associated with the comet Giacobini-Zinner offers a unique and potentially thrilling viewing experience.

Although its activity can vary greatly from year to year, it remains a beloved event for astronomy enthusiasts and casual observers alike.

The Orionids – October 20 & 21

The Orionid meteor shower is a wonderful celestial event that captivates stargazers every October, named after the constellation Orion.

With its association with Halley’s Comet, the shower not only provides beautiful meteors but also connects observers with a historic comet known for its long orbital journey through the solar system.

Zodiac Constellations

In October, several zodiac constellations dominate the night sky:

• Pisces: This water sign is prominent, especially in the evening sky, marking the path of the zodiac in the heavens.

• Aquarius: The Water Bearer is also visible, located close to Pisces. Though not as bright as other constellations, its stars are easy to spot in the dark, clear skies of Tenerife.

• Aries: Rising toward the later part of the night, Aries becomes more visible as the month progresses.

These zodiac constellations form the backdrop for much of the night sky and are easily spotted in Tenerife's dark-sky locations.

Milky Way Core

Still Visible for Three Weeks: In October, the core of the Milky Way remains visible for most of the month, particularly in the first three weeks.

The Milky Way stretches across the sky like a faint, glowing band, with its core in the constellation Sagittarius.

Albireo Star

Albireo is a famous double star located in the constellation Cygnus (the Swan) and is one of the most beautiful binary star systems visible to the naked eye. It is often considered one of the finest targets for amateur astronomers due to the stunning color contrast between its two components.

The Ring Nebula (M57)

The Ring Nebula (M57) is one of the most famous planetary nebulae in the night sky, located in the constellation Lyra approximately 2,300 light years away. This nebula is the remnant of a dying star that has expelled its gasses and formed a distinctive ring-like white dwarf star.

Great Globular Cluster in Hercules (M13)

The Great Globular Cluster in Hercules is one of the most prominent and well-known globular clusters in the northern sky. It’s located in the constellation Hercules some 25,000 light years away and is a favourite target for stargazers due to its brightness, size, and the sheer number of stars (300,000) it contains.

Saturn

Everyone’s favourite, Saturn is the sixth planet from the Sun and the second-largest planet in our solar system, famous for its stunning ring system. It’s a gas giant, primarily composed of hydrogen and helium, and is easily visible in the night sky, often appearing as a bright, yellowish star to the naked eye.

Andromeda Galaxy (M31)

The Andromeda Galaxy is our closest neighbouring galaxy at 2.5 million light years away, hurtling towards the Milky Way at 75 miles per second. Don’t worry through, at that speed it will take 4.6 billion years to collide with our galaxy. A majestic object in the night sky, visible to the naked eye under dark skies, it is one of the most studied galaxies due to its proximity.

The Moon Phases

New Moon

October 2 - The moon will be completely dark and not visible from Earth.

First Quarter

October 10 - The right half of the moon will be illuminated, providing good viewing conditions.

Full Moon

October 17 - The entire face of the moon will be illuminated, making it bright and prominent in the night sky.

Last Quarter

October 24 - The left half of the moon will be illuminated as it transitions back to a new moon.