Mallorca: autumn begins at 2.05am on Wednesday

Mallorca enters astronomical autumn at 2.05am on Wednesday, 23 September. Day and night will be almost the same length as the season changes.

Calculations by Spain's National Astronomical Observatory put the end of autumn on 21 December, when winter begins. The season will last about 89 days and 21 hours.

Meteorological autumn has already been under way since 1 September. The astronomical change comes with the autumn equinox, when the Sun's centre crosses the celestial equator as it appears to move south.

Venus and Mercury after sunset

Mercury and Venus will be visible after sunset at the start of the season. Saturn joins them a few days later.

Venus remains visible until mid-October and Mercury until the end of October. Mars and Jupiter can be seen at dawn; Venus also appears in the morning sky at the end of October, while Mercury is visible there from mid-November to mid-December.

Meteor showers to watch for

The Summer Triangle — Deneb, Vega and Altair — stays in the evening sky early in autumn, though it gradually drops lower over the western horizon. Pegasus, Andromeda and Perseus then rise in the east, followed by Taurus and Orion near the end of the season.

The National Astronomical Observatory expects the Draconids to peak around 8 October, the Orionids around 21 October, the Leonids around 17 November and the Geminids around 14 December.

Topics: Politics

Source: Europa Press / Mallorca.com