Bresser October Sky Guide

October 2026 sky chart showing the night sky, constellations and planetary positions as seen from 51 degrees north.

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October 2026 sky chart showing the night sky, constellations and planetary positions as seen from 51 degrees north. Image created with SkySafari 6 for Mac OS X, ©2010-2024 Simulation Curriculum Corp., skysafariastronomy.com

Having passed the autumnal equinox in late September, observers across the Northern hemisphere are seeing the Sun shift firmly into the southern hemisphere of the sky. For those of us located at higher northern latitudes, this brings the steady, familiar arrival of darker afternoons and longer nights.

As we move deeper into the season, northern hemisphere observing conditions truly come into their own. The transition is set to shift slightly in late October when standard time returns across much of the northern hemisphere. Across the UK and the majority of other European nations, the clocks will go back by one hour from daylight saving time on 25th October 2026. While this adjustment briefly offers brighter mornings, the lengthening darkness will swiftly reclaim its dominant hold on the night sky.

No matter where you are in the world, there’s plenty to see in the skies above us this month…

The Solar System

The Sun

Looking at solar weather and surface conditions, the recent weeks have continued to deliver energetic flaring from active surface regions. Recurrent coronal hole high-speed streams simultaneously brushed past Earth, producing intermittent unsettled periods and minor geomagnetic enhancements. These combined solar dynamics kept auroral observers globally on alert.

Sunspot levels for August – the last full month’s available data from NOAA’s Space Weather Prediction Center at the time of writing – stood at a recorded international sunspot number of 76.0. This shows a slight drop relative to predicted levels (which sat around 90.6), reflecting the broader, expected post-maximum decline of Solar Cycle 25, following its peak in late 2024, whilst remaining well above minimum activity baseline.

NOAA latest Sunspot chart

NOAA latest sunspot figures. Public Domain

As usual, websites such as www.spaceweather.com and Michel Deconinck’s monthly newsletter (Aquarellia Observatory Forecasts) cover various aspects of amateur solar observations and provide valuable insights into the current state of the Sun. Signing up for the AuroraWatch UK app, developed by researchers at Lancaster University, is also highly recommended for those seeking advance warnings of impending auroral events.

The Moon

The Moon begins October in Taurus, at Waning Gibbous phase, still well-illuminated at 68%, following late September’s Full Moon.

In the early hours of 3rd October, the Moon reaches its Last Quarter phase, while located in Gemini. During this initial week, pre-dawn observers can catch the waning crescent Moon tracking through the morning sky. On the morning of 6th October, a notable event occurs, as the Waning Crescent Moon passes directly in front of Jupiter, while both are residents of Leo. This creates a dramatic daytime lunar occultation visible from parts of the Central and Eastern North America, the Atlantic and much of Western and Central Africa. Sadly, this event is only a very close conjunction for observers across Europe and the UK.

The Moon continues its journey, entering the daytime sky to reach New Moon on 10th October in Virgo. This New Moon plunges the night sky into darkness, providing the most pristine conditions of the month for deep sky observation and astrophotography.

Emerging into the evening sky as a delicate Waxing Crescent, the Moon travels through Libra (where it joins Mercury briefly), Scorpio, Sagittarius and Capricornus, where it reaches First Quarter phase on 18th October.

After this, the Moon follows its path through Aquarius, Pisces (passing Saturn on the 23rd and 24th), through into Aries, where it arrives at Full phase on 26th October Following September’s Harvest Moon, the October Full Moon is traditionally known as the Hunter’s Moon, named for the traditional time of year when hunters gathered provisions ahead of the long winter. While the nights are drawing longer as astronomical darkness extends, the final days of the month will not be ideal for deep sky observation or imaging, due to the glare of the Full (or nearly Full) Moon.

Mercury

Mercury resides in the evening sky throughout October 2026, reaching its Greatest Eastern Elongation of around 25° from the Sun on 12th October. On this evening, the very slim Crescent Moon will sit a little below the planet in Libra, providing a handy signpost if horizons are clear enough.

For Northern hemisphere observers, however, the path of the setting ecliptic meets the horizon at a shallow angle during autumn. Consequently, despite its wide angular distance from the Sun, Mercury sits pretty low to the south-western horizon around sunset—peaking at roughly 8° altitude from 51° N at Greatest Eastern Elongation. This shallow geometry makes the innermost planet a little difficult to spot from northern locations, as it remains largely immersed in the bright evening twilight before setting shortly after the Sun. The planet is a respectable +0.0 magnitude at this point, presenting a 60% illuminated 6.8 arc second diameter disc.

By contrast, equatorial and Southern hemisphere observers enjoy exceptionally good viewing conditions. From southerly latitudes, the ecliptic rises steeply from the horizon after sunset, allowing Mercury to stand clear of the atmospheric haze and put on its finest evening display of the year. By late October, the planet will rapidly fade and draw closer to the Sun as it tracks towards inferior conjunction in early November.

Venus

Having reached peak brilliance in late September, at around -4.5 magnitude, Venus enters October 2026 as a rapidly thinning evening crescent of around 14% on the evening of the 1st. It is rapidly approaching its closest point to Earth and as a result its size is very large - 48.8 arc seconds on the evening of the 1st.

However, the planet is dropping swiftly towards the solar glare and will prove an elusive target for Northern hemisphere observers, being in a similar par of the sky to its neighbour Mercury (the Virgo/Libra borders). Owing to the shallow incline of the autumn ecliptic against the western horizon at sunset, Venus sits very low in the twilight sky from northern latitudes. During the first week of October, it clings to the south-western horizon, lingering only a few degrees high before setting shortly after the Sun. Finding a location with an unobstructed view of the horizon is essential if you hope to catch it.

Between 5th-7th October, a challenging alignment sees Venus situated near Mercury, though both planets remain deeply immersed in evening twilight. By mid-month, Venus disappears entirely from the evening sky as it approaches inferior conjunction on 24th October, passing directly between Earth and the Sun. By this point it will be a full arc minute (60 arc seconds) in diameter.

Following this solar passage, the planet transitions into the morning sky, where it will rapidly re-emerge in late November as a brilliant "morning star". As with September, equatorial and Southern hemisphere observers enjoy far superior geometry during the opening week of October. From these southerly positions, Venus stands notably higher in the sky after sunset, offering spectacular telescopic views of its slender crescent phase before it sinks into conjunction.

Mars

The Red Planet continues its progress as a morning target, rising progressively earlier and climbing ever higher in the sky. At magnitude +1.1 and displaying a 5.6 arc second diameter disc, Mars is steadily brightening as it tracks through Cancer. There are few Martian encounters with other celestial objects worth mentioning. On 6th October, a conjunction occurs as the Waning Gibbous Moon passes close to Mars in the early hours, offering a picturesque view for early risers. On the morning of the 11th, Mars can be found before sunrise, in the heart of the famous Beehive Cluster, M44, in the centre of Cancer. While Mars is still quite diminutive at 5.9 arc seconds diameter at this point, this will be quite a special sight in binoculars and widefield telescopes.

By mid-October, Mars rises around 1am BST and climbs to around 50° of elevation in the south-east prior to the onset of morning twilight for northern observers (as seen from 51° N). Having passed its Martian northern hemisphere vernal equinox in late September, the planet is now in early Martian spring—a seasonal shift that can trigger localised dust storms across its surface, providing an intriguing project for planetary imagers, using high-power telescopes.

By late October, Mars slips out of Cancer, into neighbouring Leo, brightening to magnitude +0.9 and expanding to a 6.5 arc second diameter disc. While still some months away from its early 2027 opposition, the planet is now becoming a rewarding target for visual observation and imaging during the pre-dawn hours.

Jupiter

Jupiter is a prominent morning target, residing in Leo and steadily improving in visibility throughout the month. In early October, the giant planet rises at a little before 3 am BST and reaches over 40° in altitude in the south-east before being washed out by the gathering dawn. At magnitude -1.9, with a disk spanning approximately 33 arc seconds in diameter, Jupiter is very obvious and shows clear cloud-belt detail in steady atmospheric conditions. As previously mentioned, on the 6th October, observers in certain parts of the world are treated to an occultation event, when the Waning Crescent Moon passes directly in front of Jupiter for a daytime lunar occultation, visible from parts of the Americas, alongside a striking conjunction for observers in Europe.

Around mid-October, Jupiter stands roughly 50° high in the south prior to sunrise as observed from 51° north, continuing to shine at magnitude -1.9.

By late October, following the end of daylight saving time, Jupiter rises a little after 1 am GMT and reaches nearly 60° of elevation before dawn. At magnitude -2.0 and displaying a 35.8 arc second disk, the planet can easily be followed telescopically into morning daylight. With Jupiter now well above the horizon for hours before sunrise, observing conditions are excellent for tracking its atmospheric storms and the dance of its four major Galilean moons.

Saturn

Saturn reaches its annual peak during October 2026 - arriving at opposition on 4th October. Positioned along the border of Pisces and Cetus, the ringed planet is ideally placed for observation throughout the night. It is now time to observe the jewel of the solar system and its wonderful ring system at its glorious best.

In early October, Saturn rises at dusk, transits due south near local midnight at a healthy altitude of roughly 40° from mid-northern latitudes and remains visible until dawn. Shining at its maximum brightness for the year at magnitude +0.3 and presenting a 19.7 arc second disk, it is easily spotted as a steady, golden point of light.

This marks a prime viewing period for planetary observers. Following the near-edge-on alignment of 2025, the ring system has tipped back open slightly to an inclination of around 7.5°. This subtle tilt reveals the southern hemisphere of the planet while adding to its overall brightness. This inclination still means we are able to observe Saturn’s inner moons transiting its disc and the shadow transits that accompany these too. It is often remarked that shadow transits are easier to observe within the Saturnian system than the actual transits themselves. Enceladus, Dione, Mimas and Tethys are the four major moons that transit Saturn at present. Of these, Dione and Tethys, being above 1000km in diameter, give observer’s the best chance to witness such events. Enceladus and Mimas are much smaller and dimmer and very difficult to see in transit at the best of times. Dione and Tethys transits can technically be seen in a 4-6-inch telescope, but really require an 8 inch class instrument to observe transits comfortably, during good seeing conditions. Enceladus requires 10 inches at least for a reasonable chance of observation of transits and Mimas really needs 12 inches to have a hope of seeing transits. As ever, seeing conditions and timing your observations to peak elevation above the horizon gives you the greatest chance to observe all sorts of planetary detail - not just transits. Picking good nights of seeing and patience pays dividends as far as all planetary observations are concerned.

As October progresses, Saturn remains a readily accessible, magnificent telescopic target. Following the end of daylight saving time in late October, the planet will already sit well above the south-eastern horizon by the mid-evening, providing long, comfortable observing sessions right through the night.

Uranus and Neptune

Neptune lies in Pisces, positioned roughly 9 degrees to the west of the much brighter Saturn. Despite having recently reached opposition itself on 26th September, at magnitude +7.8 and displaying a 2.4 arc second disc, it remains strictly the preserve of binoculars or telescopes. Saturn serves as a convenient astronomical signpost to help locate the planet. Neptune is visible virtually all night long, reaching a peak altitude of roughly 39° above the horizon as it transits the southern sky around local midnight for mid-northern latitudes.

Uranus, the brighter of the two ice giants, sits in Taurus in-between the Hyades and the Pleiades star clusters. At magnitude +5.6 the planet is theoretically visible to the naked eye under pristine dark-sky conditions, though it is far more readily pinpointed with binoculars. Higher-magnification telescopic observations using moderate apertures will reveal subtle shading and a distinct greenish-blue hue across its 3.8 arc second diameter. Climbing high for northern observers, Uranus reaches a maximum altitude of nearly 60° when transiting the meridian around 3:00 am BST in the middle of October (or around 2:00 am GMT following the late-month clock change), as it builds towards its late-November opposition.

Comets

October 2026 presents a quiet month for naked-eye comet enthusiasts, with no prominent cometary visitors gracing the night sky. However, binocular observers and telescopic imagers have a few modest targets to track across the autumn darkness.

The main focus for observers with moderate equipment is 10P/Tempel. As the brightest evening comet in recent months, it is now steadily fading as it recedes from Earth. Beginning October near magnitude 9.5, it diminishes towards 11th magnitude by the end of the month. Located in the far southern constellation of Piscis Austrinus, very low in the sky during evening twilight as seen from mid-northern hemisphere locations, it remains a suitable target for small-to-moderate telescopes under dark skies - the further south you are on planet Earth, the better!

Another active target is 161P/Hartley-IRAS, which makes a favourable pass as it reaches its closest approach to Earth in early October. Located in the constellation Aquarius in the opening part of the month, it brightens to around magnitude 10.5 to 11.0, making it well-placed for telescopic observers and astrophotographers. The latter part of the month sees the comet tracking northwards through Pegasus, Equuleus, Delphinus and on into Aquila.

Meanwhile, early risers can look out for 220P/McNaught in the morning sky situated in Taurus (the Bull) near the border of Cetus. Holding at around 10th to 11th magnitude, its erratic behaviour following recent outbursts makes it an intriguing object to monitor with larger-aperture telescopes prior to morning twilight. The comet crosses over the border into Cetus in the latter part of the month, as it is now in a retrograde loop, in anticipation of opposition in early November. If we see any further outbursts is debatable, but this comet is worth keeping an eye on.

The optimal window for observing fainter targets this month falls between 3rd October and 18th October (framed by the Last Quarter and First Quarter lunar phases). The New Moon on 10th October provides dark, pristine skies for capturing faint targets such as these, without lunar interference.

Meteors

October 2026 brings two notable meteor showers to northern skywatchers: the slow-moving Draconids and the fast, brilliant Orionids. How much of a show each puts on depends heavily on the prevailing lunar phase at their respective peaks.

Originating from the debris trail of Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner, the Draconids are active between 6th and 10th October. Unlike most meteor showers, the radiant point in the northern constellation Draco sits high in the sky as darkness falls, making early evening the optimal time to observe them rather than the pre-dawn hours.

The lunar conditions for the 2026 Draconids are exceptionally favourable. The peak night of the 8th coincides with a delicate Waning Crescent Moon, that only rises shortly before dawn, leaving the evening sky completely dark. Under pristine, moonless skies, observers can expect a modest rate of around 10 meteors per hour. However, the Draconids are famous for unpredictable outbursts, occasionally producing hundreds of slow-moving meteors in a short window.

Produced by dust left behind by Halley’s Comet, the Orionids are active throughout October and into November. These meteors are known for their exceptional speed—entering Earth's atmosphere at roughly 41 miles per second—and frequently leave persistent ionised gas trails that linger for several seconds.

Viewing conditions for the peak period pare fairly poor this year, due to the Moon. As the shower reaches its maximum, the sky is dominated by a bright waxing gibbous Moon approaching its Full phase on 26th October. This intense moonlight will wash out fainter meteors for much of the night. Fortunately, for a few days before the peak, the Moon sets a few hours before dawn, opening a brief window of dark skies in the early morning hours when the radiant in Orion is at its highest elevation. During this pre-dawn window, observers away from light pollution can hope to spot 10 to 20 meteors per hour.

Deep Sky Delights in Capricornus and Aquarius

The constellations of Capricornus and Aquarius. Image created with SkySafari 6 for Mac OS X, ©2010-2024 Simulation Curriculum Corp., skysafariastronomy.com.

Capricornus is the constellation of the sea goat - represented as half goat, half fish and was one of Ptolemy’s “original” 48 constellations (though its origins are thought to be much earlier, stemming from Babylonian culture).

The constellation, while lacking any major bright stars, contains a number of interesting double and multiple star systems. These include Delta Capricornii (otherwise known as Deneb Algedi, the “tail of the goat” in Arabic) a variable eclipsing binary star, which varies in brightness by +/- 0.2 magnitudes just over 24 hours and is a popular target for astrometry. The star Beta Capricornii (Dabih Major) is a lovely pairing of a mag +3.1 yellow star, contrasted with a +6.1 magnitude blue-white companion. This is easily resolved in binoculars and small telescopes. Alpha Capricornii consists of two yellow-coloured stars of +3.6 and +4.3 magnitude (Algedi Prima and Secunda) - both of which are resolvable with the naked eye. However, telescopes reveal that both of the principal pair of stars are also doubles - and indeed the companion star of the secondary major binary star is itself a double - making this a five star system.

Capricornus’ major deep sky target is the condensed globular cluster M30. This +7.2 magnitude object sits in the south east of the constellation, close to the border with Aquarius. This is an easy target in small telescopes and was discovered by Charles Messier in 1764. M30 is believed to lie around 27000 light years away form our solar system and is unusual in that it is moving against the rotational direction of the Milky Way, suggesting it was potentially a captured object, which started its existence outside our galaxy.

Messier 30. Image credit: NASA/ESA/HST, Public Domain.

1. Messier 30. Image credit: NASA/ESA/HST, Public Domain.

Moving eastwards into the neighbouring Zodiacal constellation of Aquarius, the Water Carrier, we are presented with a large, but quite a barren area of sky. Although Aquarius is rather muted in terms of brighter stars, it is a haven for deep sky objects. The most northerly of these is the very fine globular cluster M2. At +6.46 mag, it is amongst the brighter of these interesting objects, lying 37,500 light years away from us and about 175 light years in diameter. From Earth, it appears 2.1 arc minutes in diameter, M2 is about the same relative size and brightness of the neighbouring M15 and the second of Hercules’ well-known globulars, M92. Discovered by Comet Hunter Jean-Dominique Maraldi in 1746, it languished in relative obscurity until Messier added it to his list in 1760, describing it as a “Nebula without stars”. Modern instruments show it as most definitely “with stars”, indeed there are several beautiful star chains visible through telescopes, as well as some deep, dark lanes and patches, adding to the “three-dimensionality” of the object, particularly in larger telescopes. There are quite a mix of older orange and newer blue stars within M2, making it a particularly pretty telescopic sight.

Messier 2. Image credit: NASA/ESA/HST, Public Domain.

1. Messier 2. Image credit: NASA/ESA/HST, Public Domain.

Moving SW from M2, we arrive at three objects in quick succession: NGC 7009, The Saturn Nebula, the asterism M73 and another globular, M72. The Saturn Nebula is a fascination Planetary Nebula, well worth seeking out in any telescope, as it is reasonably bright, at +7.8 mag, yet compact at 0.5 arc minutes across. Telescopes of 6-8-inch aperture will be needed in order to see the two extended lobes that give the object its popular name. Lord Rosse, observing NGC 7009 in 1850, described two lobes or projections sitting either side of the nebula, making it appear very similar to Saturn, when its rings are edge on to us. Although the object has a distinctly un-Saturn-like green-blue hue, which is most easily seen in long duration photographs. The Saturn Nebula, in common with some other Planetaries - including the Blinking Planetary - can appear to blink on and off when looking at it for prolonged periods. This is of course a trick of the eye, caused by NGC 7009’s reasonably bright central star overwhelming a dark-adapted observers eye. When the observer averts their vision slightly, the Saturn Nebula returns to view. Although the Blinking Planetary is the most well-known object that exhibits this phenomenon, to the writer’s mind, the Saturn Nebula is actually the best example of a “Blinking” Planetary Nebula. As ever, aperture helps in resolving the finer details of NGC 7009 (especially the projections), but the Saturn Nebula should be sought out by all those with telescopes - it’s certainly bright enough to be seen in even the smallest scopes.

Saturn Nebula, pictured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/ESA, Public Domain

1. Saturn Nebula, pictured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/ESA, Public Domain.

The next object is an interesting one. When is a star cluster not a star cluster? Answer: when it’s an Asterism like M73. Lying less than 2 degrees SW of the Saturn Nebula, M73 has been the subject of some controversy over the years since its discovery. Charles Messier first noted it in 1780 as a “cluster of four stars with nebulosity”, although this nebulosity has never been picked up by any other observers. John Herschel, whilst including it in his General Catalogue, was suspicious of its definition as a true cluster. Debate raged on throughout the 20th century as to the true nature of the Y-shaped M73, with evidence of a relationship between the members of the group being published for and against. The matter was finally and conclusively put to bed in 2002, when spectral signatures of each of the constituent members, gathered in high resolution, concluded that they were all moving in different directions and the cluster was not, it fact, a cluster. M73 is not unique amongst the Messier list for controversial description, but remains interesting for the fact that it took so long to finally work out its true nature.

1.5 degrees to the west of M73 is the slightly less controversial Globular Cluster M72. At +9.27 mag, it is considerably fainter than M2, despite being not much smaller. M72 is considerably further away from us than M2 - it lies 55,000 light years distance from Earth. As it is fainter and further away, M72 requires a larger telescope to resolve individual stars. It is a pleasing sight in a 10-inch reflector and above, though William Herschel in his observing notes of 1783, noted that a power of 150x was needed to resolve the individual stars “fairly”.

M72, pictured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/ESA, Public Domain

1. M72, pictured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/ESA, Public Domain.

Lastly, we journey 23 degrees east of NGC 7252, to rendezvous with the closest Planetary Nebula to Earth, NGC 7293 - The Helix Nebula. Overlooked by experienced observers, such as Messier and William Herschel, it is not difficult to understand why. Though intrinsically quite bright at +7.59 mag, the Helix is half the diameter of the Full Moon, which spreads its surface brightness out considerably. The Helix was eventually discovered around 1824 by German Astronomer Karl Ludwig Harding. Observation or the Helix requires either large binoculars and a very dark site, or a wide eld low power eyepiece and as much telescopic aperture as you can throw at it! Large Dobs are the ideal instrument for observing the Helix, particularly when coupled with an OIII filter. From our perspective on Earth, we see the Helix like looking down a tube. Its prolate spheroid shape is almost aligned on axis with us, at a distance of 650 light years. 2.5 Light years across, the Helix appears 14.7 arc minutes across at its widest point. A magnificent object, it will take the right conditions to see it well - if the Moon’s up, you’ll have to wait until it has set before attempting to locate the Helix. It will be well worth the wait though.

The Helix Nebula, pictured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/ESA, Public Domain.

1. The Helix Nebula, pictured by the Hubble Space Telescope. Image Credit: NASA/ESA, Public Domain.

Text: Kerin Smith