NASA · Space

October 2026 Skywatching Highlights

This October, skywatchers can observe Saturn at its brightest, witness the Orionid meteor shower, and see the Moon near the Pleiades star cluster.

On October 4th, Saturn reaches opposition, appearing opposite the Sun in the sky and visible for most of the night. Recent Hubble observations revealed a strengthening ten-sided atmospheric wave around Saturn's south pole.

The Orionid meteor shower peaks on October 21st-22nd. These meteors are debris from Halley's Comet. A bright Moon may interfere with viewing, so early morning hours after moonset are recommended.

From October 27th-28th, the Moon will pass near the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. This star cluster is visible to the naked eye and appears as a small grouping of stars in the eastern sky.

The article also mentions a thin crescent Moon near Jupiter before sunrise on October 6th and provides a chart of the Moon's phases for October 2026.

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