October 2024
[2024] October, The Tenth Month
In the late evening, the Great Square of Pegasus can be seen almost directly overhead. Just to the north, the Milky Way stretches across the middle of the sky. On the 5th, venus returns as the evening star next to the Waxing Crescent Moon. On the 14, the waxing moon dances with Saturn through the night. The Orionid meteor showers peak in the predawn southern sky Oct 21-22 as the Earth passes through Halley’s Comet’s path with up to 15 “shooting stars” per hour.
​
Moon Phases (Mountain Standard Time]
New Moon 2nd Day
*First Quarter 10th Day
Full Moon 17th Day - Small Rains Moon (o’odham)
Last quarter 24th Day
All Times are Military time (24 hour)/Mountain Standard Time
Moon Signs
Best Time To:
Bake: October 22,23
Brew: Oct 4-6
Begin diet to lose weight:
October 19,29
Plant aboveground crops:
October 4-6
Plant belowground crops:
October 1, 26-28
Best Fishing Days (moon between new and full): October 2-17
October has 31 days.
There is something in October sets the gypsy blood astir: We must rise and follow her, When from every hill of flame She calls, and calls each vagabond by name.”
― William Bliss
October Weather
“I am the reporter, not the predictor!” Mad Doc
Tucson Weather Averages For October (1991-2020)
Record High 103 (10/1/2020)
Record Low 26 (10/20/71)
Record Precipitation Maximum 2.96 (10/1/1983)
October Flora and Fauna
Desert Broom (Baccharis sarothroides), an avid colonizer of waste areas, blooms this month, setting off the fall allergy season. This shrub is a favorite of butterflies, bees, wasps and beetles, which can be seen enjoying the sweet nectar. Many plants are fruiting, including barrel cactus, desert hackberry, wolfberry, and soapberries, providing food for resident birds, rodents, coyote, foxes and bears.
Fall colors appear in canyons and in the mountains. Snakes head to burrows this month, though they may try to grab a last meal on warm days, so stay alert.
Notable October Dates:
-October 2, 1841: Birthday of John Horton Slaughter also known as Texas John Slaughter, American lawman, cowboy, poker player and rancher in the Southwestern United States during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, who earned a reputation fighting hostile Indians and Mexican and American outlaws in the Arizona and New Mexico territories (d. 1922).
​
-October 7,1905: Birthday of Andy Devine [ Andrew Vabre Devine], American character actor (Adventures of Wild Bill Hickok, Stagecoach), born in Flagstaff, Arizona (d. 1977).
-October 12, 1922: Birthdate of Merlin K. Duval, Founding Dean of the University of Arizona College of Medicine in Tucson (d. 2007).
-October 15, 1870: The Arizona Citizen was first published on this date by Richard C. McCormick with John Wasson as publisher and editor, and later became The Tucson Citizen. It was the oldest continuously published newspaper until it ceased operations in 2009.
-October 18, 1824: Birthday of John Noble Goodwin; a United States attorney and politician who served as the first Governor of Arizona Territory. He was also a Congressman from Maine and served as Arizona Territory's delegate to the United States House of Representatives 9 (d.1887).
October 20, 1844: Birthday of John Charles Handy, a prominent Tucson physician (1871-1891) who attacked his wife's divorce attorney and was killed (d.1891).
-October 22, 1818: Birthday of John Brackett "Pie" Allen, prospector, businessman, and politician. Unsuccessful in his efforts as a prospector, he earned his nickname baking pies for settlers and soldiers in Arizona Territory. He served three terms in the Arizona Territorial Legislature, two terms as Mayor of Tucson, Arizona Territory, and was appointed Arizona Territorial Treasurer for six years (d. 1899).
-October 23, 1919: Birthday of Katie Lee, American folk singer, actress, writer, photographer and environmental activist (d. 2017).
-October 26, 1881: Wyatt Earp, Doc Holliday & Clantons involved in gunfight at OK Corral, in Tombstone, Arizona.
October 27, 1944: Birthday of Judith Ann (J. A.) Jance an American author of mystery novels, some of which are set in Cochise County.