Stay Eat Events Weather Beaches


Above Washington / Oregon Coast: Astronomy of Halloween, Planets, Meteors

Published 10/29/24 at 12:50 a.m.
By Oregon Coast Beach Connection Staff

(Oceanside, Oregon) – Is this Halloween going to be a giant trick or a delectable treat for those hitting the Oregon coast or Washington coast? (Above: Manzanita with a meteor streak.)

Latest Coastal Lodging News Alerts
In Seaside:
Includes exclusive listings; some specials in winter
In Cannon Beach:
Includes rentals not listed anywhere else
In Manzanita, Wheeler, Rockaway Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Pacific City, Oceanside:
Some specials for winter
In Lincoln City:
Some specials for winter
In Depoe Bay, Gleneden Beach:
Some specials for winter
In Newport:
Look for some specials
In Waldport
Some specials for winter
In Yachats, Florence
Some specials for winter
Southern Oregon Coast Hotels / Lodgings
Reedsport to Brookings, places to stay; winter deals

It's going to be both – in the astronomical sense. Forget the spooks and goblins. Not only is Halloween an actual point of interest in astronomy but there's a few interesting things going on in the skies above places like Westport, Yakima, Cannon Beach, Portland or Port Orford. Shooting stars, maybe a bright fireball and some planets are also on the menu.

October 31 of every year is not just the old Celts' celebration of All Hallows' Eve, but it's also a marker in astronomy, said OMSI astronomy expert Jim Todd.

“It is the modern-day descendant of Samhain, a sacred festival of the ancient Celts and Druids in the British Isles,” Todd told Oregon Coast Beach Connection. “But it’s also a cross-quarter day, so Samhain occurred when it did. A cross-quarter day is a day midway between an equinox and a solstice.”

The night skies above Bandon have yielded some amazing things lately, like the Northern Lights. - Manuela Durson Fine Arts

Yet it turns out the holiday itself is more of an approximation, becoming the fixed date of October 31 by western civilization's tradition.

“The true cross-quarter day falls on November 7, representing a discrepancy of about one week,” Todd said. “According to the ancient Celts, a cross-quarter day marks a season's beginning, not the middle.”

What are the spookiest tales of the Oregon coast? Kooky, Quirky Rumors of Oregon Coast a Glimpse Into Its History

Todd said there are eight major subdivisions of the seasons during the year. March and September are the equinoxes, and June and December have the solstices. Then there are the cross-quarter days: called Groundhog Day (February 2), May Day (May 1), Lammas (August 1), and Halloween (October 31).


Other recent sights along the Oregon coast include Comet A3 (seen here in Portland - Oregon Coast Beach Connection photo), although it is gone now.

This year, look up on Halloween and you'll find no moon – but weather permitting – three bright planets. Venus keeps showing up low on the horizon, Saturn is the spectacular bright spot in the south / southeast (it's been stunning this fall), and after 10 p.m. Jupiter shows up and dominates.

For some real treats, however, it's the Taurid meteor showers that have been making quite a show here and there, and they'll continue to do so through mid November. Oregon Coast Beach Connection staff spotted a major one late Sunday when the skies briefly cleared.


Fireball photo NASA

The Taurids may let you see 5 to 10 of these throughout the early month, if you get a break in weather in areas like Seaside, Bandon, Manzanita or Reedsport.

Scientists say this one's got a few tricks up its sleeve, however. Mostly, the Taurids are from the debris left behind by Comet 2P/Encke, but they're seeing a host of near-Earth asteroids and other fragments overlapping the usual Taurids.

The Taurids can result in actual fireballs, which is a rare sight where an object larger than a usual tiny asteroid particle makes an extremely bright and slow descent, exploding somewhat as it goes down.

Oregon Coast Beach Connection has seen this twice. Spectacular Green Fireball Lights Up Oregon Valley Through Washington Coast

Oregon Coast Hotels for this event - South Coast Hotels - Oregon Coast Vacation Rentals - Where to eat - Maps - Virtual Tours



MORE PHOTOS BELOW






Booking.com


 

More About Oregon Coast hotels, lodging.....

More About Oregon Coast Restaurants, Dining.....


Coastal Spotlight


Andre' GW Hagestedt is editor, owner and primary photographer / videographer of Oregon Coast Beach Connection, an online publication that sees over 1 million pageviews per month. He is also author of several books about the coast.

LATEST Related Oregon Coast Articles

N. Oregon Coast's Cape Lookout State Park Reopens Camping Again After Work Po...
Overnight facilities and day-use area will be closed in fall. Oceanside, Tillamook, Pacific City

UPDATES: Flood Watches from Oregon, Washington Coastlines to Cascades - High ...
Street flooding quite possible from Florence to Seattle; Gusts up to 65 mph, surf up to 37 ft. Weather

Biggest Oregon / Washington Coast Stories of 2024: Aurora, Tornado, Crumbling...
Fireballs, storms, dog rescues, tar balls, quake / tsunami evac, shellfish poison, more

Nasty Little Green Crab and Its Attack on N. Oregon Coast's Netarts Bay
Nasty Little Green Crab and Its Attack on N. Oregon Coast's Netarts Bay - April 5 in Netarts and online will look at the effects. Oceanside events, Tillamook events, Rockaway Beach events

Planet Parade Above Oregon, Washington and Coastlines Now Through Early Feb
Six planets overhead and four of them visible without optics. Astronomy, sciences, Washington coast events, south coast events, Florence events, Astoria events, Seaside events, Cannon Beach events, Manzanita events, Rockaway Beach events, Tillamook events, Garibaldi events, Oceanside events, Pacific City events, Lincoln City events, Depoe Bay events, Newport events, Waldport events, Newport events, Yachats events

Kids, Cannon Beach and Grownups: Highlights and Best Times of the Year
When, where and what's hot for grownup tastes with little ones tagging along. Travel tips, Seaside, Hug Point, Arcadia Beach,

Valentine's Dance in Lincoln City Brings Legendary Oregon Coast Big Band
Feb 14 is the Sweethearts Dance at Lincoln City Cultural Center. Lincoln City events

Washington Coast Razor Clam Digs Get Green Light for March 8 - 14, More Coming
There are tentative digs into May for Long Beach, Copalis, Twin Harbors, Mocrocks. Washington coast events


Back to Oregon Coast

Contact Advertise on Oregon Coast Beach Connection
All Content, unless otherwise attributed, copyright © Oregon Coast Beach Connection. Unauthorized use or publication is not permitted