What’s Up: October 2026 Skywatching Tips from NASA

Saturn takes center stage, a meteor shower lights up the sky, and the Moon visits the Seven Sisters. On October 4, Saturn reaches opposition, giving skywatchers one of the year's best opportunities to see the ringed planet. In addition, learn about a 10-sided atmospheric wave encircling Saturn's south pole that was recently revealed by NASA’s Hubble Space Telescope. The Orionid meteor shower peaks October 21-22. Debris from Halley's Comet produces the meteors, but this year, a bright Moon will obscure some of the fainter streaks. The best viewing chances will likely be the hours before dawn, after the Moon sets. Then, on October 27-28, look east in the evening for the Moon passing close to the Pleiades, also known as the Seven Sisters. The star cluster is visible to the unaided eye and even more spectacular through binoculars. Additional information about topics covered in this episode of What's Up, along with still images from the video, and the video transcript, are available at — Additional Resources — Find events and clubs with NASA's Night Sky Network: Skywatching resources from NASA: Source: