October 12
The Ram's Head
Sun Position
The Sun is in Libra near -9° declination. The Northern Hemisphere is now past the point of balance, settling into autumn's shortening arc; the Southern Hemisphere moves deeper into spring.
Sky Highlight
The Southern Taurid meteor shower continues building in activity through October. These are slow, grazing meteors (some of the brightest fireballs of the year come from this shower) and they can appear anywhere in the sky, though their paths trace back toward Taurus, which rises well by late evening.
Deep Sky Object
NGC 772, a spiral galaxy about 130 million light-years away. NGC 772 in Aries is notable for one oversized, extended spiral arm (thought to result from gravitational interaction with its nearby companion galaxy) giving it a distinctly lopsided appearance that distinguishes it from more symmetric spirals. Accessible from both hemispheres in October evenings; best from mid-northern latitudes.
Featured Star
Hamal (α Ari) is an orange giant (K2IIICa-1) about 66 light-years away, the brightest star in Aries. Around 2,000 years ago, it marked the vernal equinox (the point where the Sun crossed the celestial equator heading north) earning the whole region the title First Point of Aries. Precession has since moved that point into Pisces, but the name endures. Hamal, the ram's head, once the star that marked the start of spring.
Around This Date
- October 12, 1964The Soviet Union launched Voskhod 1, the first spacecraft to carry multiple crew members (three cosmonauts) without spacesuits, a risky decision made for political optics rather than safety.
- October 14, 1947Chuck Yeager broke the sound barrier in the Bell X-1, a milestone that established the aerodynamic foundations later critical to rocket reentry vehicle design.
Hamal is one of those stars whose importance is historical rather than visual, the sky's memory of an older calendar.