1 00:00:00,533 --> 00:00:03,803 ♪ 2 00:00:03,836 --> 00:00:05,538 What's Up for October? 3 00:00:05,571 --> 00:00:09,509 Moon phases, Astronomy Day, meteors and Saturn! 4 00:00:10,142 --> 00:00:11,444 Hello and welcome. 5 00:00:11,477 --> 00:00:14,480 I'm Jane Houston Jones from NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory 6 00:00:14,513 --> 00:00:15,948 in Pasadena, California. 7 00:00:17,049 --> 00:00:20,686 The new moon phase starts the month on October 1. 8 00:00:20,719 --> 00:00:22,388 Of course, the new moon isn't visible, 9 00:00:22,421 --> 00:00:24,524 because it's between Earth and the sun, 10 00:00:24,557 --> 00:00:26,959 and the unlit side is facing Earth. 11 00:00:26,992 --> 00:00:30,329 Night by night the slender crescent gets bigger 12 00:00:30,362 --> 00:00:34,534 and higher in the sky and easier to see just after sunset. 13 00:00:34,567 --> 00:00:39,205 On the 3rd and 4th, the moon will pass just above Venus! 14 00:00:39,238 --> 00:00:42,575 A week later on the 9th the moon has traveled 15 00:00:42,608 --> 00:00:46,112 through one quarter of its 29-day orbit around Earth, 16 00:00:46,145 --> 00:00:48,414 and we see the first quarter phase. 17 00:00:48,447 --> 00:00:51,751 Also look for Mars just below the moon. 18 00:00:52,351 --> 00:00:53,686 Join me in celebrating 19 00:00:53,719 --> 00:00:57,123 International Observe the Moon Night Saturday, October 8th, 20 00:00:57,156 --> 00:01:00,927 with your local astronomy club or science center. 21 00:01:00,960 --> 00:01:04,297 Conveniently, the 8th is also Fall Astronomy Day, 22 00:01:04,330 --> 00:01:09,402 celebrated internationally by astronomy clubs since 1973. 23 00:01:10,570 --> 00:01:14,073 One week later on the 16th the moon reaches opposition, 24 00:01:14,106 --> 00:01:16,008 or the full moon phase, 25 00:01:16,041 --> 00:01:18,978 when the moon and the sun are on opposite sides of Earth. 26 00:01:19,011 --> 00:01:21,380 And the sun completely illuminates the moon 27 00:01:21,413 --> 00:01:23,049 as seen from Earth. 28 00:01:23,082 --> 00:01:25,818 During this phase, the moon rises in the east 29 00:01:25,851 --> 00:01:28,654 just as the sun is setting in the west. 30 00:01:28,687 --> 00:01:32,091 Overnight, the moon crosses the sky and sets at dawn. 31 00:01:32,958 --> 00:01:35,561 A week later, on the 22nd of October, 32 00:01:35,594 --> 00:01:38,364 the last quarter moon rises at midnight. 33 00:01:38,397 --> 00:01:40,967 Later, the pretty and bright Beehive Cluster 34 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:44,070 will be visible near the moon until dawn. 35 00:01:44,103 --> 00:01:47,874 To wrap up the month, 29 days after the last new moon 36 00:01:47,907 --> 00:01:50,676 we start the lunar cycle all over again 37 00:01:50,709 --> 00:01:54,213 with another new moon phase on October 30th. 38 00:01:55,481 --> 00:01:58,985 Will you be able to spot the one-day old moon on Halloween? 39 00:01:59,018 --> 00:02:00,620 It will be a challenge! 40 00:02:00,653 --> 00:02:01,754 [Whoosh] 41 00:02:01,787 --> 00:02:04,223 There are three meteor showers in October-- 42 00:02:04,256 --> 00:02:05,491 the Draconids, 43 00:02:05,524 --> 00:02:06,459 the Taurids 44 00:02:06,492 --> 00:02:08,161 and the Orionids. 45 00:02:08,194 --> 00:02:11,998 Try for the Draconids on October 8th. 46 00:02:12,031 --> 00:02:15,835 See the Taurids on October 10th. 47 00:02:15,868 --> 00:02:19,672 The Orionids will be marred by the full moon on the 21st, 48 00:02:19,705 --> 00:02:21,908 but all three meteor showers will offer 49 00:02:21,941 --> 00:02:23,643 some possible bright meteors. 50 00:02:23,676 --> 00:02:24,777 [Whoosh] 51 00:02:24,810 --> 00:02:28,147 Finally, you'll have an especially pretty view of 52 00:02:28,180 --> 00:02:31,317 Saturn, when it forms a straight line with Venus 53 00:02:31,350 --> 00:02:34,654 and the red star Antares on the 27th. 54 00:02:35,655 --> 00:02:37,890 You can catch up on NASA's lunar mission, 55 00:02:37,923 --> 00:02:39,992 the Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter, 56 00:02:40,025 --> 00:02:41,994 the Cassini Mission to Saturn 57 00:02:42,027 --> 00:02:46,265 and all of NASA's missions at: www.nasa.gov.