A coronal mass ejection reached Earth today, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a G1 (minor) geomagnetic storm watch for tonight, October 2. If the storm holds, the aurora may become visible across the northern tier of the United States, including Michigan. The best window is just after dark, before the moon rises later in the evening. Visibility depends on cloud cover and local conditions, so check NOAA’s real-time aurora forecast at spaceweather.gov before heading out, and look toward the northern horizon from a dark, open vantage point on the property.
Early risers should also set an alarm for the morning of October 6. The moon will pass in front of Jupiter beginning around 4:15 a.m. Eastern time, blocking the planet, and in sequence, its four largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto, from view for just over an hour. Binoculars or a small telescope will bring out the best detail.
The moon continues to wane through the week, and the sky darkens quickly as the New Moon approaches on October 10. The darkest, clearest viewing of the month will run from roughly October 6 through 14, a good window for a stargazing walk on the golf course or a visit to Brockway Mountain.
Looking further ahead, mark the calendar for the Orionid meteor shower, which peaks the night of October 21 into the morning of October 22. The Orionids are debris from Halley’s Comet and typically produce around twenty meteors per hour at their peak. A waxing gibbous moon will interfere during the early evening this year, so the better show will be in the hour or two before dawn, once the moon has set.
Guests of the Keweenaw Mountain Lodge may borrow a telescope from the Outdoor Activity Center to make the most of any of these nights.