'Ring of fire' crosses the sky on Saturday morning

Those who love looking up are in for multiple treats this month, as October plays host to a plethora of spectacular celestial events.

Following a recent close encounter with the sun and after surviving a solar storm, the newly discovered Comet Nishimura is expected to be visible in the low south-to-southwest sky after sunset Friday. Then on Oct. 20, the comet may possibly be seen high in the northeastern sky in the hours before sunrise. Visit youtube.com/watch?v=4Cu1WYNWrSw for more information from NASA regarding this once-in-a-lifetime comet viewing event.

Saturday brings The Ring of Fire annular solar eclipse, so named because of the circle of light resulting from the moon’s direct passage in front of the sun during daylight hours. The partial eclipse will be visible in our area starting just after 8:07 a.m. Saturday, with maximum eclipse occurring right before 9:20 a.m. and concluding just prior to 11 a.m.

Remember safety first. It is absolutely necessary to wear proper eye protection when viewing a solar eclipse, or serious eye damage will result. Don’t ever look directly at the sun without specialized eye protection such as solar viewers or eclipse glasses; regular sunglasses will not adequately filter the intensity of light. And even while wearing eclipse glasses, special solar filters are needed if viewing the sun through binoculars, telescopes, camera lenses, or other devices.

NASA says solar viewers are “thousands of times darker” than regular sunglasses and should comply with the ISO 12312-2 international safety standard. Visit science.nasa.gov/eclipses/future-eclipses/eclipse-2023/safety/ for more information about on how to safely view a solar eclipse.

NASA will broadcast Saturday’s eclipse (no special glasses needed!) starting at 8:30 a.m. at this webpage: youtube.com/watch?v=LlY79zjud-Q.

The Orionids meteor shower peaks the night of Oct. 20 into the morning of the 21 this year. This meteor shower is the result of Earth passing through the dust and debris trail left behind from Comet Halley, and it takes place annually each October and November.

Light from the waxing moon will impede viewing until moonset takes place soon after midnight. Bundle up and find an open space away from other light sources for the best chance at spotting a shooting star.

The very next night, Oct. 21, is International Observe the Moon Night. Hosted by NASA’s Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter mission and the Solar System Exploration Division at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center, the goal of IOMN is to “Unite people across the globe in a night of lunar observation, science, and exploration.” The event also aims to raise awareness of NASA’s lunar science and space exploration programs; encourage and empower people to explore and learn more about the moon, space science, and the world around us; and provide an avenue for connection through story- and image-sharing using the moon as inspiration.

In addition to gazing up at the moon, other ways to participate include creating moon-themed art, watching a live stream of the moon, and making moon observations throughout the year. Visit moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/participate/10-ways-to-observe-the-moon/ for more ideas and suggestions on other ways to celebrate IOMN.

Amy Roby can be reached at ranchosroundup@hotmail.com.