Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Oct.1 6:37 6:24

Sat., Oct. 2 6:39 6:22

Sun., Oct. 3 6:40 6:20

Mon., Oct. 4 6:41 6:18

Tues., Oct. 5 6:42 6:17

Wed., Oct. 6 6:43 6:15

Thurs., Oct. 7 6:44 6:13

Fri., Oct. 8 6:45 6:12

How far away is winter? If you step outside at midnight, winter already is here. All the constellations of the night at midnight are what we can expect to see in January after the sun has set.

The last quarter moon rises at about midnight. As it rises in the east, it will be clear that the moon is in Gemini, a zodiacal constellation we associate with frozen lakes and a landscape of snow. The winter constellation Orion, the hunter, rises at midnight too.

Planets

The ringed-planet Saturn, which was high in our evening sky during most of last summer, is in conjunction with the sun today. The planet is behind the sun, visible neither at night nor in the morning. But later this month, Saturn reappears out of the glare of the sun as a morning planet.

Remember Venus hovering high in the western sky last summer? It is now hovering so close to the western horizon it is almost impossible to see. The planet is just too close to the glare of the sun. But it is there, visible only for those who have an unobstructed view of where the sun sets. Venus sets a short time after the sun. Those at the beach in Menemsha have the best chance to see the planet just above the Elizabeth Islands, early in twilight, at least 25 minutes after sunset. Venus won’t be visible at all in two weeks’ time.

M.A.L.