The Sky This Week - Thursday October 3 to Thursday October 10

The First Quarter Moon is Sunday October 6, daylight savings starts.  October 5, International Observe the Moon night. Venus and Mercury climb higher in the evening twilight. Jupiter is easily visible as the brightest object in the western evening skies. The Moon is close to Jupiter on the 4th. Saturn is near Jupiter, is high in the north-western evening skies. The Moon is close to Saturn on the 5th and 6th.

The First Quarter Moon is Sunday October 6, daylight savings starts. October 5, International Observe the Moon night.

Sky at 19:46 ACST on Friday, 4 September (90 minutes after sunset) looking west as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter is above the western horizon. Saturn is high above the north-western horizon. The waxing Moon is close to Jupiter

The left upper insert shows the telescopic view of Jupiter at 19:35. Io will move away from Jupiter and Ganymede comes closer during the night. The left lower inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at the same time and scale

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen.

Sky at 19:47 ACST on Saturday, October 5 (90 minutes after sunset) looking west as seen from Adelaide. Jupiter is above the western horizon. Saturn is high above the north-western horizon and near the nearly first quarter Moon.

This is International Observe the Moon night which is an opportunity to go out and investigate the Moon with some of its best craters visible. Even in binoculars the caters are obvious and a small telescope will brigh out many more.. 

Similar views will be seen elsewhere in Australia 90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen.

The western horizon at 18:46 ACST on Saturday, October 5 (30 minutes after sunset) as seen from Adelaide. Mercury and Venus are above the horizon and you will need a flat, clear horizon to see Venus at its best.

Venus is close to the bright star Spica, which may become clearer if you wait 5 -10 minutes more for the sky to darken. click to embiggen.

Venus is low above the western horizon in the evening twilight. You will need a level clear horizon to see it at its best. Venus is close to the bright star Spica, Mercury is above the pair in the evening twilight.

Mercury is climbing higher above the western horizon in the evening twilight, forming a triangle with Venus and SPica.

Jupiter is now well past opposition. However, it is still well worth observing. Jupiter is easily visible as the brightest object in the western sky (aside from the Moon) and is located beside the distinctive constellation of Scorpius and the bright red star Antares. It is visible all evening long and is a good telescope target in the evening. the Moon is close to Jupiter on the 4th.

Mars is lost in the twilight.

Saturn  is to the east of Jupiter and jnear the “handle” of the “teapot of Sagittarius. It is best for telescopic viewing from just around astronomical twilight local time until the early morning and is highest above the northern horizon, around 6:30 pm local time (which is in twilight). The Moon is close to Saturn on the 5th and 6th.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what’s up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to current time.

Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.

Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/