Sun, Moon, and Stars: October 2002

Updated August 5, 2020 | Infoplease Staff

October 2002 Overview Week by Week Go to week 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 Major phenomena 6 New Moon 13 First Quarter 21 Full Moon 29 Last Quarter UT (universal time) Other Months Month February JanuaryFebruaryMarchAprilMayJuneJulyAugustSeptemberOctoberNovemberDecember Year 20072006200520042003200220012000 (available through 3/2007) Celestial Links Astronomical terms Sunrise/Sunset, Moonrise/Moonset Equinoxes and Solstices Eclipses in 2002 Calendar 2002 Universal Time Visit the Astronomy Center for more on the universe, the solar system, and related astronomical phenomena

October 2002—Week 1 (Oct. 1–5)

10/2:	0700 UT, 3 am EDT Jupiter is 4 degrees south of the Moon.
10/3:	2200 UT, 6 pm EDT The asteroid Juno is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Juno and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.
10/4:	0800 UT, 4 am EDT Ceres, the largest asteroid, is at opposition, that is, Ceres and the Sun are aligned on opposite sides of Earth.
10/5:	0100 UT, 9 pm EDT (Oct. 4) Mars is 4 degrees south of the Moon.

October 2002—Week 2 (Oct. 6–12)

10/6:	0200 UT, 10 pm EDT (Oct. 5) Mercury appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.   1100 UT, 7 am EDT NEW MOON   1300 UT, 9 am EDT The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.
10/8:	1000 UT, 6 am EDT Venus is 10 degrees south of the Moon.
10/10:	0900 UT, 5 am EDT Venus appears to be motionless in the sky as its direct motion changes to apparent backward, or retrograde, motion.
10/11:	1300 UT, 9 am EDT Saturn appears to be motionless in the sky as its direct motion changes to apparent backward, or retrograde, motion.
Top of page

October 2002—Week 3 (Oct. 13–19)

10/13:	0600 UT, 2 am EDT FIRST QUARTER   0800 UT, 4 am EDT Mercury is at its greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, at 18 degrees west of the Sun.
10/14:	1400 UT, 10 am EDT Neptune is 5 degrees north of the Moon.
10/15:	2200 UT, 6 am EDT Uranus is 4 degrees north of the Moon.
Top of page

October 2002—Week 4 (Oct. 20–26)

10/20:	0500 UT, 1 am EDT The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit.   1100 UT, 7 am EDT Neptune appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.
10/21:	0700 UT, 3 am EDT (midnight) FULL MOON
10/26:	0900 UT, 4 am EDT Saturn is 3 degrees south of the Moon.
Top of page

October 2002—Week 5 (Oct. 27–31)

10/27:	0900 UT, 4 am EDT Mercury is 4 degrees north of Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo.
10/29:	0500 UT, 12 am EST (midnight) LAST QUARTER   2200 UT, 5 pm EST Jupiter is 4 degrees south of the Moon.
10/31:	1200 UT, 7 am EST Venus is in inferior conjunction, that is, the Sun and the Earth are aligned on opposite sides of Venus.
Top of page