October 2026 Night Sky Guide: Saturn, Two Meteor Showers and the Hunter's Moon

October is one of the best stargazing months of the year. Nights are getting longer, the air is cooling off, and 2026 packs in a planet at its brightest, two meteor showers and a big orange Hunter's Moon. Here's what to look for and when.

October 4: Saturn at its best

Saturn reaches opposition on October 4, meaning Earth sits directly between it and the Sun. That's when the ringed planet is closest to us for the year, shines at its brightest and stays up all night. Look to the southeast after dark and it will be the steady, pale-gold point that doesn't twinkle. Even a small backyard telescope will show the rings, which are tilted open a bit more than last year when they were nearly edge-on.

October 8–9: the Draconids, in the evening

Most meteor showers are best before dawn. The Draconids are the exception: they peak in the early evening, which makes them the most family-friendly shower of the year. Rates are usually modest, but 2026 timing is excellent because the Moon is almost new, so the sky will be dark. Face north, get away from streetlights and give your eyes 20 minutes to adjust.

October 10: new moon, darkest skies of the month

The week around the October 10 new moon is prime time for faint targets. Around midnight in mid-October, the Andromeda Galaxy climbs almost straight overhead for Northern Hemisphere observers. From a dark site it's visible to the naked eye as a soft smudge, the most distant thing most people will ever see without a telescope.

October 12: catch Mercury

Mercury is famously hard to spot, but around October 12 it reaches its greatest distance from the Sun in our evening sky. Look very low in the west shortly after sunset with a clear horizon.

October 21–22: the Orionids

The Orionids are debris from Halley's Comet, and they're some of the fastest meteors of the year, often leaving glowing trails. They peak the night of October 21–22. The catch this year is a bright waxing Moon, which will wash out fainter meteors early in the night. Your best window is the dark stretch after the Moon sets and before dawn, roughly 2 a.m. until first light. If clouds get in the way, the nights just before and after the peak are worth trying too.

October 25–26: the Hunter's Moon

October's full moon, traditionally called the Hunter's Moon, arrives overnight October 25–26 in North America. Catch it right as it rises in the east around sunset, when it looks largest and glows orange near the horizon.

Bonus: the morning planets

Early risers get Jupiter and Mars climbing higher in the eastern sky before dawn all month. Jupiter is the brilliant one; Mars is fainter and distinctly reddish.

Quick tips for a better night out

• Check the forecast for clear skies and head somewhere away from city lights.
• Put your phone on red-light or night mode to protect your dark-adapted eyes.
• For meteors, lie back in a reclining chair and take in as much sky as you can. No telescope needed.
• Dress warmer than you think. October nights get cold fast when you're sitting still.

Speaking of staying warm: our Space Station Hoodie was made for exactly these nights. Browse the rest of our gifts for stargazers, and take 10% off your first order with code FIRSTLIGHT.

Clear skies!