The night sky this week

Every Monday I select North America's sky highlights for the week ahead (which also apply to the mid-northern latitudes of the Northern Hemisphere). Check out my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses and more.

This week's night sky: 14th-20th October 2024

This week it's all about the complete Hunter's Supermoon. However, there are several other notable celestial sights – not least the possibility of a glimpse of Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, an eclipse of Saturn and a glimpse of the Moon near the beautiful Pleiades star cluster.

Here's everything you need to know about stargazing and astronomy this week:

Monday, Oct. 14th – Wednesday, Oct. 16th: Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS after sunset

These early evenings are ideal for viewing comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) and its tail after sunset and sunrise. The best views are those located north of the equator. It's just visible to the naked eye, but with binoculars you'll get a great view.

Monday, October 14th: Moon and Saturn

Look southeast after dark this evening to see a 91% waxing, bulging Moon rising less than one degree from Saturn. You'll need a small telescope to see Saturn's ring pattern. This near-full moon will obscure Saturn in some parts of Asia and Africa.

Thursday, October 17: Full “Hunter’s Supermoon”

The tenth of 2024's 12 full moons, the “Hunter's Moon,” will be the largest and brightest “supermoon” of the year. From North America, the best time to see it is at moonrise, which is dusk.

Friday, October 18th: “Hunter’s Moon”

Although it will be a 97% illuminated waning moon tonight, this is the perfect night to watch the full-fledged “Hunter's Moon” appear on the horizon at twilight.

Saturday October 19th: Moon and Pleiades

Look east a few hours after sunset this evening and you'll see a bright, waning, domed moon next to the Pleiades (pronounced “plee-er-deez”) – also known as the “Seven Sisters” for their bright stars , the closest open star cluster in the solar system and a spectacular sight both to the naked eye and through binoculars.

Look closely and you'll see about six stars forming the shape of a “Mini Big Dipper.” Look slightly to the side and you'll see a bright, nebulous patch that has the collective brightness of about 800 young blue stars. The stars of the Pleiades are about 444 light-years away.

The times and dates given are for mid-northern latitudes. The most accurate location-specific information can be found in online planetariums such as: Sky Safari Pro, Stellarium And The Sky Live. Check Planet rising/planet setting, Sunrise/SunsetAnd Moonrise/moonset Let's see where you are.

Pick up my books Stargazing in 2024, A stargazing program for beginnersAnd When is the next solar eclipse?

I wish you clear skies and big eyes.