NASA’s October skywatching guide: Saturn, Orionids and the Moon near the Pleiades

NASA published its October 2026 skywatching guide on 1 October, identifying Saturn’s opposition on 4 October, the Orionid meteor shower’s peak on 21–22 October and the Moon’s apparent close pass by the Pleiades on 27–28 October. For observers planning a night outside, the dates come with different viewing conditions: Saturn stays up for much of the night, while moonlight may obscure fainter Orionid meteors.

The new guide adds a monthlong set of observing dates to NewsJaws’ earlier report on NASA’s advice for finding Algol in the October sky. NASA’s latest highlights focus on a planet, a meteor shower and a star cluster, each with a distinct time to look.

When Saturn reaches opposition on 4 October

Saturn reaches opposition on 4 October, according to NASA. At opposition, Earth passes between Saturn and the Sun, putting the planet opposite the Sun in our sky. Saturn consequently rises around sunset and remains visible for much of the night. NASA describes the event as one of the year’s best chances to see the ringed planet.

The Astronomical Society of Edinburgh also lists 4 October as the opposition date. Its sky diary says Saturn will be brighter than at any other time this year and visible for most of the night. The society says a small telescope can show the rings, while larger instruments can reveal cloud bands and some brighter moons. It adds that the rings are opening up again, making them easier to see than last year.

Why moonlight matters for the Orionids on 21–22 October

NASA says the Orionid meteor shower peaks on the night of 21 October into the morning of 22 October. The meteors come from small pieces of debris left behind by Halley’s Comet. They appear to radiate from the direction of Orion, but NASA says streaks can cross any part of the sky. Observers therefore do not need to keep their eyes fixed on one point.

The main obstacle this year is the Moon. NASA says a bright waxing gibbous Moon will wash out some fainter meteors. Its suggested window is the hours before dawn, after the Moon has set. NASA advises finding a dark place and allowing time for eyes to adjust before looking up.

The Edinburgh society’s sky diary independently places the Orionids’ peak around 21 October and says the shower is active from 2 October to 7 November. It expects moonlight to interfere near the peak because the Moon will be only three days from full. The society describes the meteors as fast moving and says some leave glowing trails, although the bright Moon will reduce the number visible this year.

A peak date identifies the expected period of greatest shower activity, not a promise that every observer will see meteors. The society’s wider activity dates also mean the shower is not confined to a single night. NASA’s advice to wait until after moonset addresses the particular problem that its October guide identifies for this year’s peak.

How to spot the Moon near the Pleiades on 27–28 October

NASA’s third highlight falls on the night of 27 October into 28 October, when the Moon appears close to the Pleiades star cluster. Also known as the Seven Sisters, the cluster should be looked for toward the east in the evening as it and the Moon climb higher, according to NASA’s guide.

NASA describes the Pleiades as a slightly fuzzy group of six or seven stars to the unaided eye. Binoculars or a telescope reveal more detail. The guide describes a close appearance in the sky; it does not say the Moon will cover the cluster for every observer. The practical first step is to find the Moon and then look for the nearby grouping of stars.

The three dates offer different observing plans: an evening and much of a night for Saturn around opposition, a pre-dawn window after moonset for the Orionids, and an eastern evening view for the Moon and Pleiades. NASA’s guide supplies the dates and directions, but whether any particular observer gets a clear view will depend on local conditions.