Will you be trick and treating this Halloween? If you are, you’re in for stargazing treats of a cosmic kind.
After the sun sets at 6.40pm, keep an eye out for a special trio that will appear in the evening sky. Mars, Mercury and the bright red star of Antares will line up like children in a queue for trick or treat sweets! Help our younger trick or treaters identify each object. Mars is the closest to the western horizon. Above is brighter Mercury and Antares.
When and where to look:
After sunset, 31st October in the west.
Use the above image as a guide. Astronomical images provided by SkySafari, a Simulation Curriculum Company, All rights reserved www.simulationcurriculum.com.
Something interesting
Antares is a supergiant red star that is about 550 light years away from Earth. The light you see from Antares has been travelling through space for over 500 years to get to Earth!
Get More Stargazing Tips
There’s always something interesting happening in the night sky and country WA is the best place to catch all the action!