What's up in the sky October 4-10

Look for the International Space Station to rise in the northwest at 8:35 p.m. setting two minutes later in the north-northwest.

Look for the International Space Station to rise in the north-northwest at 7:38 p.m. setting two minutes later in the east-northeast.

Mars is easy to spot in the evening sky throughout October. Look to the east after sunset for the bright, noticeably orange colored point of light. Mars makes its closest approach to Earth on Tuesday, the closest its been since 2018.  Mars and Earth wont be closer until 2035.

While this happens about every 26 months, because Mars and Earth's orbits aren't perfect circles

Mars will continue to be easy to spot throughout October and will brighten slightly through the middle of the month when it will be exactly opposite the Sun in our sky.

The brightest pass of the week for the International Space Station begins at 7:50 p.m. on the west-northwest horizon. It will pass overhead disappearing from view in the southeast as it passes into Earth's shadow.

Keep an eye out for meteors from the Draconid meteor shower. The waning gibbous moon will make seeing them a little easier. Unlike more reliable shows like Orionids which peak later this month, the Draconids are a variable shower. While one is not expected this year, there have been outburst such as the one in 2018 where European observers saw several hundred meteors per hour.

The moon will reach last quarter phase at 8:39 pm.