Azerbaijan National Academy of Sciences

Here's a guide for October skywatchers: First catch Saturn, then Jupiter, Mars and Venus, and finally Mercury in the night sky as this month's planetary parade begins.

As October opens, we find only one bright evening planet — Saturn — and by month's end, it will be gone, thanks to its lowering altitude and it's setting progressively closer to sunset. Meanwhile, three —eventually four — bright planets put on a great show for those who manage to get up at the crack of dawn. During the first half of October, Jupiter, Mars and Venus will be readily evident in the eastern sky, 60 to 90 minutes before sunrise.

Regulus, the brightest star in Leo, the Lion, will hover near Venus when a waning crescent moon passes by on the mornings of Oct. 8 and 9. During the second week of October, Mercury begins to appear down low near the eastern horizon; it will become more favorably placed later in the month. And on the morning of Oct. 17, Jupiter and Mars draw close together, less than the apparent width of the moon. Last, but not least, Jupiter and Venus once again engage in an eye-catching conjunction on the morning of Oct. 25.

www.space.com