Since new moon is Thursday, Oct. 19, it is a good time to enjoy a dark evening sky after astronomical twilight which ends at 7:08 p.m. Thursday.
Around 9 p.m. look directly south to see bright Fomalhaut almost 30 degrees above the horizon. Fomalhaut is the 18th brightest star in the sky, and its presence in the evening tells us autumn is here.
Nearly overhead are Pegasus the Winged Horse and Andromeda the Maiden. These are bright, easily found constellations. While they are listed as two separate constellations, to me they look like one big complex.
Andromeda points to Perseus the Hero and Auriga the Charioteer which are rising in the northeast and will fill our winter evening sky. Above Andromeda closer to the celestial pole is Cassiopeia the Queen, another bright constellation. Low in the west saying goodbye to us for a while are Hercules and Aquila the Eagle. Cygnus the Swan and Lyra the Lyre are now also in the west past their summer evening glory. If you are away from city lights, the Milky Way running from Perseus through Aquila is still quite visible, though past its summer splendor.
All in all, there is really a lot to see on a clear fall night with cooler temperatures and lengthening evenings. Bundle up, take a lawn chair outside, and sit and view the evening spectacle.
Looking around the sky with a good pair of binoculars will add to your fun.
