October 6 morning: Moon close to Jupiter, Mars and the Beehive
Tomorrow morning, the waning crescent moon will lie near Jupiter, Mars and the Beehive star cluster. The bright star Regulus will be low above the horizon. In addition, observers in parts of southeast Canada, most of the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean, the Azores, Cape Verde Islands and west and south Africa can see the moon occult – or pass in front of – Jupiter around 10 UTC on October 6. Times of the occcultation vary by location. Chart via EarthSky.
It’s Saturn time!
Saturn is putting on one of its best shows of the year. The ringed planet is bright, visible all night and perfectly placed for observing. Saturn reached opposition on October 4, when Earth passed between it and the sun, marking the peak of its visibility for 2026. But the show is far from over! Watch this video to look ahead to Saturn’s 2026–27 observing season.
Read about Saturn at opposition
Goodbye, evening Venus
The brightest of the visible planets — Venus — has been dazzling us in the west after sunset all year. Now the brilliant evening “star” is disappearing. It’ll pass between Earth and sun, reaching inferior conjunction on October 23–24. EarthSky’s Deborah Byrd — with our favorite Southern Hemisphere contributor, Dan Gaussen — explain how and why you can enjoy a last look. Watch in the player above or on YouTube.
Southern Hemisphere: Venus and Mercury!
In October, Mercury and Venus trade places in the evening sky as seen from Earth’s Southern Hemisphere. Mercury reaches its best evening appearance of 2026 for Southern Hemisphere observers. Venus — always brilliant and now low in the western twilight — prepares to disappear into the sunset. EarthSky’s Dan Gaussen shows you where to look for both planets and explains why it might matter to YOU. Watch here or on YouTube.
October visible planets: Evening
The evening sky in early October features 3 visible planets: Brilliant Venus, brightest of the visible planets, is beckoning from low in the western twilight … but not for long. If you’re in the far-northern Northern Hemisphere, it might already be gone for you. But from latitudes like Texas, it should be visible into the first week of October. Southern Hemisphere skywatchers will be treated to Mercury below Venus, at its best evening apparition for the year (for that hemisphere). It’ll be good and getting better through October 12. For all of us on Earth, bright Saturn is rising in the east at sunset. It was at its closest and brightest for the year around October 4. Chart via EarthSky.
To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
October visible planets: Morning
The October morning sky features 3 visible planets that you can see before dawn. The brightest — Jupiter — is visible high in the east at dawn and follows red Mars across the sky. And Saturn is setting in the west. This is Saturn’s opposition month. It’s visible all night and at its closest and brightest for the year. Chart via EarthSky.
October 7 and 8 mornings: Moon near Jupiter and Regulus
Shortly before sunrise on October 7 and 8, the thin waning crescent moon will glow in the east below Jupiter and the bright star Regulus. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Leo the Lion and its easy-to-see backward question mark
Watch for the zodiacal light
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Michael Flynn in Pine Mountain Club, California, took this image on September 26, 2022. Thank you, Michael! The zodiacal light might be visible before morning twilight for Northern Hemisphere observers in dark skies around the September equinox. Southern Hemisphere observers? Look for it as darkness falls.
October 8 evening: Draconid meteor shower
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Daniel Gauss captured this image on October 8, 2024, from New Mexico and wrote: “My only Draconid of the night, captured at peak time of 1:05 a.m. MDT. Bonus elements, Andromeda galaxy and the Milky Way.” Thank you, Daniel! The Draconid meteor shower will reach its peak in activity on October 8. Its radiant point — the point where meteors seem to originate — is highest in the sky in the evening. And, like every year, skywatchers are hoping for one of this shower’s very rare meteor storms, when hundreds or even thousands of meteors zip through the sky every hour. Typically, this meteor shower produces only a handful of meteors per hour. The waning crescent moon won’t interfere this year with watching for Draconids.
October 10: New moon
NOAA’s CCOR-1 coronagraph aboard the GOES-19 spacecraft spotted the moon drifting through its field of view on its way to the August 12, 2026, total solar eclipse. CCOR-1 blocks the sun’s blinding face with an occulting disk so it can watch the faint outer corona for coronal mass ejections. The moment of new moon will fall at 15:50 UTC on October 10, 2026. That’s 10:50 a.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. New moons rise and set with the sun. Nights around the new moon offer the darkest skies. See EarthSky’s best places to stargaze. Images via NOAA/ GOES.
Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.
October 11 morning: Mars buzzes the Beehive
Here’s a binocular view of Mars passing in front of the stars of the Beehive star cluster in Cancer the Crab on the morning of October 11. Look for red Mars between the bright stars Regulus, Pollux and Castor. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: The Beehive Cluster: A swarm of 1,000 stars
October 13 and 14 evenings: Moon visits Antares
Shortly after sunset on October 13, the thin waxing crescent moon will float above the western horizon. The bright red star Antares is nearby. On the next evening, October 14, the moon will hang very close to Antares. It’s the brightest star in Scorpius the Scorpion. Chart via EarthSky.
October 15 and 16 evenings: Moon near Antares
Shortly after sunset on October 15, the waxing crescent moon will float low in the west. Lower on the horizon is the red star Antares. On the next evening, October 16, the moon will be higher above the horizon. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Massive ruby red Antares is the Scorpion’s Heart
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
October 18: 1st quarter moon
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | Amol Gaikaiwari took this picture on May 23, 2026, in India and wrote: “The moon was in its first quarter phase. It was roughly 51% illuminated, with half of the lunar disk brightly lit against the night sky.” Thank you, Amol! This month’s moment of 1st quarter moon will fall at 16:13 UTC on October 18, 2026. That’s 11:13 a.m. Central Daylight Time in the Americas. A 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight. Watch for a 1st quarter moon high in the sky at sundown.
Want more? Here are 4 keys to understanding the moon’s phases.
October 19 and 20 evenings: Moon near Capricornus
The waxing gibbous moon will lie among the stars of Capricornus the Sea-goat on the evenings of October 19 and 20. They’ll set after midnight. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Capricornus the Sea-goat has an arrowhead shape
October 21 evening: Moon near lonely Fomalhaut
The waxing gibbous moon will lie above the star Fomalhaut — nicknamed the loneliest star — on the evening of October 21. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Fomalhaut is the Loneliest Star once again
October 21 morning: Orionid meteor shower
View at EarthSky Community Photos. | James McCue of Jemez Springs, New Mexico, captured this Orionid meteor on October 22, 2023, and wrote: “I was shooting through the night, following Orion, hoping to catch a full spectrum Orionid. I was not disappointed. This one landed perfectly.” Thank you, James! The Orionid meteor shower should rain down its greatest number of meteors on the morning of October 21. The waxing gibbous moon will brighten the night when the radiant is highest in the sky, but it will set a few hours before dawn. So the best time to watch for meteors is in the dark hours before dawn. Under dark skies, you might see 10–20 meteors per hour.
October 23 and 24 evenings: Moon near Saturn
The waxing gibbous moon will lie near Saturn on October 23 and 24. They’ll set before sunrise the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.
Full Hunter’s Moon overnight October 25
As the sun sets on October 25, the bright full Hunter’s Moon will be rising in the east. The steady golden light of Saturn is nearby. The crest of the full moon will fall at 4:12 UTC on October 26. That’s 11:12 p.m. CDT on October 25 in the Americas. The moon will be highest in the sky in the middle of the night and will set opposite the sunrise on the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.
Our charts are mostly set for mid-latitudes in the Northern Hemisphere. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
October 26 and 27 evenings: Moon near Aldebaran and the Pleiades
On the evening of October 26, the bright waning gibbous moon will lie near the Pleiades star cluster. On the next evening, October 27, it will lie close to the Pleiades star cluster. The brightest star of Taurus the Bull, Aldebaran, will shine nearby. They’ll be visible through dawn the next morning. Chart via EarthSky.
October 27 evening: Binocular view of the moon and Pleiades
Here’s a binocular view of the waning gibbous moon in the late evening of October 27, appearing close to the stars of the Pleiades star cluster. They’ll be closest at 2 UTC on October 28 (9 p.m. CDT on October 27). Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Meet Taurus, home to 2 fabulous star clusters
October 28 evening: Moon near Capella, Aldebaran and Pleiades
In the late evening of October 28, the waning gibbous moon will appear between 2 bright stars, Capella and Aldebaran. The Pleiades star cluster will be nearby. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Capella is one of the sky’s brightest stars
October 30 and 31 mornings: Moon near Pollux and Castor
Before dawn on the last 2 mornings of October, the moon, nearing its 3rd quarter phase, will approach Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. (Pollux is the brighter of the pair.) On October 31, the moon will shine by the 2 stars. Chart via EarthSky.
Read more: Meet Gemini the Twins, 2 bright stars close together
October visible planets: Evening
From the Southern Hemisphere, shortly after sunset in the first part of the month, Venus will shine brightly in the west. To its lower right lies the much dimmer Mercury in the bright twilight. The waxing crescent moon will visit Mercury on October 12, and Mercury is also at its greatest distance from the sun that evening. By the middle of the month, Venus has dropped close to the horizon, while Mercury maintains its height. Near the end of the month, Venus has disappeared. Mercury is still present but will appear less bright than it was earlier in October. For those in the Northern Hemisphere, Venus will slip away by mid-month and Mercury will be challenging to spot during this evening apparition. Chart via EarthSky.Saturn will be shining as a steady golden light in the east during the evening hours of October. It’s the brightest object in that part of the sky, other than the passing moon. It’ll be highest in the sky around the middle of the night and low in the western morning sky before dawn. Saturn will reach opposition so it’s at its biggest and brightest — when we fly between it and the sun — on October 4. Chart via EarthSky.
October visible planets: Morning
Bright Jupiter will lie in the east before sunrise in October. Above it is red Mars and below it is Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion. By the end of the month, Jupiter and Mars will be closer to each other. Chart via EarthSky.
October stars
If you’re out stargazing on any October evening, look for these stars and constellations in the evening sky.
The house-shaped constellation Cepheus the King lies in the northern sky by the constellation Cassiopeia. Gamma Cephei, or Errai marks the peak of the roof of the house. And Errai is very near Polaris, the North Star.Find Algol the Demon Star in the constellation Perseus on autumn evenings. And Perseus lies below the easy-to-recognize W-shaped constellation Cassiopeia.Although the Big Dipper is low on the horizon — or below the horizon — for mid-northern latitudes now, the Little Dipper is high in the northern sky. In fact, the Big Dipper is tough to spot on late October evenings because it rides so low in the north. As always, the 2 outer stars in the Dipper’s bowl point to Polaris, the North Star.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view — and time — from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Have fun exploring the sky!
New to stargazing? Read more: Planisphere: Your friend to find stars and constellations
Sky dome map for visible planets and night sky
Here is the sky dome view for October 2026. It shows what is above the horizon at mid-evening for mid-northern latitudes. The view may vary depending on your location. Image via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar.
Read more: Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps
Heliocentric solar system visible planets and more
Heliocentric view of solar system, October 2026. Chart via Guy Ottewell’s 2026 Astronomical Calendar. Used with permission. Plus Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts here.
Read more: Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts.
Some resources to enjoy
For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.
Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!
Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.
Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.
Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.
Bottom line: Visible planets and night sky guide. The sky is busy! Tomorrow morning, look for the moon near Jupiter, Mars, the Beehive star cluster and the bright star Regulus. Some observers can see the moon occult Jupiter. Details here.
Marcy Curran
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About the Author:
Meet Marcy Curran, our voice of the night sky on EarthSky YouTube. Check out her popular short videos in the Sky category on our YouTube channel. When she’s not making videos, Marcy is an EarthSky editor, helping to keep our night sky guide up-to-date and just generally helping to keep the wheels turning around here. Marcy has enjoyed stargazing since she was a child, going on family camping trips under the dark skies of Wyoming. She bought her first telescope in time to see Halley’s Comet when it visited the inner solar system in 1986. She co-founded her local astronomy club and remains an active board member. Marcy taught astronomy at her local community college for over 20 years. She and her husband live in Wyoming, in a rural location, with an all-sky camera and super-good horizon views! And, they built an observatory to capture images of the night sky.
John Jardine Goss
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About the Author:
“I can sometimes see the moon in the daytime” was a cosmic revelation that John Jardine Goss first discovered through personal observations at age 6. It shook his young concept of the universe and launched his interest in astronomy and stargazing, a fascination he still holds today. John is past president of the Astronomical League, the largest U.S. federation of astronomical societies, with over 24,000 members. He’s earned the title of Master Observer and is a regular contributor to the video series, “Global Star Party.” He has authored the celestial observing guides “Exploring the Starry Realm,” and “Carpe Lunam,” and “Take Your First Steps, an Introduction to Amateur Astronomy.” John also wrote for twenty years the monthly stargazing column, Roanoke Skies, for the Roanoke Times, and currently writes a bimonthly column, Skywatch, for Blue Ridge Country magazine. He has contributed to Sky and Telescope magazine, the IDA Nightscape, the Astronomical League’s Reflector magazine, and the RASC Observer’s Handbook.
Deborah Byrd
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About the Author:
Deborah Byrd (asteroid 3505 Byrd) helps edit EarthSky.org and is a frequent host of EarthSky videos. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named in her honor in 1990, a Public Service Award from the National Science Board in 2003, and the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society in 2020. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. “Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers,” she says.
Kelly Kizer Whitt
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About the Author:
Kelly Kizer Whitt writes and edits some of the most fascinating stories at EarthSky.org. She’s been writing about science, with a focus on astronomy, for decades. She began her career at Astronomy Magazine and made regular contributions to other outlets, including AstronomyToday and the Sierra Club. She has nine published books, including a children’s picture book, Solar System Forecast, and a young adult dystopian novel, A Different Sky.
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