What’s Up: October 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA - NASA Science (.gov)
NASA's October 2026 skywatching guide highlights the opposition of Saturn, the peak of the Orionid meteor shower, and a close approach of the Moon to the Pleiades star cluster. The guide also notes new scientific observations of Saturn's atmospheric patterns.
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Public outreach from space agencies encourages scientific literacy and provides accessible opportunities for the general public to engage with astronomy.
Skywatching Home What’s Up Meteor Showers Eclipses Daily Moon Guide More Tips & Guides Skywatching FAQ Night Sky Network 3 min read
Article Contents A Meteor Shower and the Moon Near the Pleiades Skywatching Highlights Transcript A Meteor Shower and the Moon Near the Pleiades See Saturn at opposition, catch the Orionid meteor shower, and watch the Moon pass close to the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters.
Saturn takes center stage, a meteor shower lights up the sky, and the Moon visits the Seven Sisters. That's What's Up for October.
On October 4th, Saturn reaches opposition, giving skywatchers one of the year's best opportunities to see the ringed planet. Opposition happens when Earth passes between the Sun and Saturn. That puts Saturn opposite the Sun in our sky, so it rises around sunset and stays visible for much of the night.
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