From Saturn reaching opposition and Jupiter disappearing behind the moon to the Orionid meteor shower and a full “Hunter’s Moon,” there will be plenty happening in the night sky in October 2026. Other highlights include a beautiful conjunction between Mars, the moon and the Beehive Cluster, and Venus returning to the predawn sky as the month draws to a close. Here’s everything you need to know about skywatching in October 2026.

On Sunday, Oct. 4, Saturn reaches opposition, when Earth passes between the ringed planet and the sun. It will rise around sunset, remain visible all night and set at sunrise — and as big and bright as it ever gets.

In the early hours of Monday, Oct. 5, a 30%-lit waning crescent moon will appear about a degree from Mars before skimming the northern edge of the Beehive Cluster (M44) in Cancer. Binoculars or a small telescope will reveal the cluster’s stars.

During the early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 6, a 20%-lit waning crescent moon will pass extremely close to Jupiter. Much of the eastern half of the U.S. and Canada will see the moon occult — or pass in front of — Jupiter, while elsewhere the two will form a striking close conjunction.

On Wednesday, Oct. 14, a slim waxing crescent moon will hang low in the southwest after sunset, close to Antares, the reddish brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.

Overnight on Wednesday-Thursday, Oct. 21-22, the Orionid meteor shower will peak. A bright waxing gibbous moon will make fainter meteors harder to see, but the shower’s fastest and brightest “shooting stars” may still be visible.

On Sunday-Monday, Oct. 25-26, the full “Hunter’s Moon” will rise around sunset, looking orange — just as a rising and setting sun does — as it appears in the east.

October offers plenty of planetary action. Saturn dominates the evening sky before and after reaching opposition on Oct. 4, while Mars and Jupiter become prominent before sunrise. The moon visits Mars on Oct. 5 and Jupiter on Oct. 6, with the latter encounter producing a lunar occultation across parts of North America that will excite astrophotographers. Mars then crosses the Beehive Cluster around Oct. 11-12. By the end of October, Venus will also be emerging into the morning sky, shining brilliantly low in the east-southeast before sunrise.

The Milky Way’s Last Hurrah

October brings the final opportunity of 2026 for convenient evening views of the Milky Way’s bright core from the Northern Hemisphere. The week before the Oct. 10 new moon, dark skies will make its star-rich regions easier to see, but the Galactic Center will already sit low in the southwest after sunset and disappear quickly. Meanwhile, autumn constellations are taking over the evening sky, with Taurus and Orion becoming prominent after dark.

World Space Week runs from Oct. 4-10, marking the United Nations’ official annual celebration of space and the use of science and technology to benefit humanity. Billed as the world’s largest annual space event, it brings together activities and events around the globe, with the 2026 theme, “Rocket Revolution,” putting the spotlight on rockets and their role in opening access to space.