Astronomical features to observe in the October night sky
NASA reports that several celestial objects, including the 'Demon Star' Algol and the Witch Head Nebula, are visible in the autumn sky. These features can be observed in the northeastern and southern skies during the month of October.
The star Algol, located in the constellation Perseus, is a triple-star system that appears to blink. According to NASA, two of the three stars orbit each other, creating an eclipsing binary effect. This causes the system's brightness to fluctuate between +2.1 and +3.4 magnitude roughly every three days, a pattern identified using data from the Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) mission.
Observers can also look for the Witch Head Nebula (IC 2118) between the Eridanus and Orion constellations. NASA describes this as a reflection nebula situated approximately 900 light-years from Earth. While it is difficult to see without the naked eye, it can be viewed through telescopes with large apertures under dark skies. Additionally, the Witch's Broom can be found within the Western Veil Nebula in the constellation Cygnus.
Source: October’s Night Sky Notes: Spooky Stargazing
