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October 2026’s main skywatching highlights are Saturn at opposition on October 4, a thin crescent Moon near Jupiter before dawn on October 6, the Orionid meteor shower overnight October 21–22, and the Moon near the Pleiades on October 27–28. The best view depends on your location, local time, horizon, twilight, weather, and light pollution, so use a local sky chart for exact directions and times.
October 2026 skywatching calendar
| Date | What to look for | When and where to look |
|---|---|---|
| October 4 | Saturn at opposition | From around sunset through much of the night; look for Saturn rising opposite the Sun. |
| October 6 | Crescent Moon near Jupiter | Before sunrise; look toward the Moon and bright Jupiter. |
| October 21–22 | Orionid meteor shower peak | Overnight, with the best opportunity before dawn after moonset from a dark location. |
| October 27–28 | Moon near the Pleiades | In the evening; look east as the pair rises higher. |
These are broad observing windows, not universal clock times. NASA GSFC’s SkyCal lists event times in UTC and allows time-zone selection; local calendar dates can differ. Check a local sky chart or the NASA Night Sky Network planner for your observing location.
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Saturn is the standout planet this month
Saturn reaches opposition on October 4. Opposition occurs when Earth passes between the Sun and Saturn, placing the planet opposite the Sun in our sky. Saturn rises around sunset and remains visible for much of the night, making this a convenient month to look for it. Exact rise time and position depend on where you observe.
Catch the Orionids after moonset
The Orionids peak overnight from October 21 into October 22. They are debris from Halley’s Comet. The waxing gibbous Moon will make fainter meteors harder to see, so plan for the hours before dawn after the Moon has set and choose a dark site if possible.
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Meteors can streak across any part of the sky, even though their paths appear to radiate from the constellation Orion. You do not need to stare directly at Orion; give your eyes time to adjust and scan a broad area of sky.
See the Moon pass the Pleiades
On October 27–28, look east in the evening for the Moon near the Pleiades, also called the Seven Sisters. The star cluster is visible without equipment and often looks like a small, slightly fuzzy group of six or seven stars. Binoculars or a telescope reveal more of its stars and detail, but are not necessary to find it.
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Where to look for the other planets
Planet visibility changes through the month and varies considerably with latitude. The following are approximate descriptions, not guarantees for every location:
- Mercury: Low in the west-southwest after sunset during the first 20 days of the month; difficult to spot from mid-northern latitudes.
- Venus: Exceptionally low in bright twilight, moving toward inferior conjunction on October 24.
- Mars: A morning object; it approaches the Beehive cluster.
- Jupiter: A morning object, rising before dawn. The Moon-Jupiter pairing on October 6 is an especially useful prompt to look for it.
- Saturn: An evening-to-night object, with opposition on October 4.
For any planet, check a local chart for direction, altitude and rise or set time rather than relying on a general monthly description. The NASA October 2026 skywatching guide focuses on Saturn and the month’s Moon and meteor events; Space.com’s October planet guide offers additional planet-by-planet context.
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October Moon phases
NASA/JPL lists these October 2026 phases:
- October 3: last quarter
- October 10: new Moon
- October 18: first quarter
- October 25: full Moon
SkyCal’s event times are in UTC, so a phase may fall on a different local calendar date depending on your time zone. See the NASA GSFC SkyCal October 2026 calendar and select your time zone.
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Plan around your local sky
- Check cloud cover and whether buildings, trees or hills block the direction you need.
- Use a local chart to confirm the event’s time, direction and height above your horizon.
- For meteors, favor a dark location and wait until the Moon has set to reduce interference from moonlight.
- For the Pleiades, start with unaided eyes; bring binoculars only if you want to see more stars.
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