SkyWatcher

Stargazers are looking to the October night sky, with attention on the month's meteor shower alongside other astronomical events. Sky & Telescope is highlighting Saturn at opposition the night of October 3–4, when the planet's rings are at their brightest, adding to a busy period for skywatchers this October.

With summer over, the autumn constellations are taking over the night sky in the northern hemisphere. Skywatchers can currently see several planets, and the Orionid meteor shower is on its way, offering good viewing opportunities in the coming weeks. Astronomy commentators are highlighting what to look out for this season.

SpaceX is preparing a rocket launch from Kennedy Space Center on Florida's Space Coast, and local newspapers are telling residents in Tallahassee and elsewhere in the state whether the launch may be visible from their area. Falcon rockets launching from the coast are often visible across much of Florida shortly after liftoff, weather permitting, drawing wide attention from skywatchers.

Periodic comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS is being tracked as it approaches the inner solar system. Latest figures put its barycentric speed at 32.91 km/s, with perihelion due in about 56 days, in late November 2026. The comet currently sits at magnitude 14.33, observable from both hemispheres with a small telescope under dark skies, in the constellation Aquarius. Amateur astronomers are sharing observations and brightness updates as the comet slowly brightens on its way to perihelion.

NASA has published its monthly 'What's Up' guide with skywatching tips for October 2026, pointing stargazers to what is visible in the night sky this month. The guide offers guidance for casual observers and astronomy enthusiasts, covering planets, celestial events and the best viewing opportunities across the coming weeks.

Skywatchers are discussing the Da Vinci Glow, or earthshine, a phenomenon in which sunlight reflected from Earth's surface faintly illuminates the darkened portion of the lunar disk. Leonardo da Vinci first explained the effect in the sixteenth century, recognising that our planet acts as a mirror bouncing light onto the Moon, a spectacle best seen near a crescent moon.

NASA reports that Comet PanSTARRS has developed a growing anti-tail, an optical effect that makes the comet appear to point toward the Sun. Observations from May 2013 show the feature lengthening as the comet recedes after its pass through the inner solar system. Skywatchers and astronomers are following the comet's changing appearance and discussing what the anti-tail reveals about its dust trail.

The Orionid meteor shower is set to streak across the night sky this week, according to BBC News. The annual shower, produced by debris from Halley's Comet, offers skywatchers a chance to see bright shooting stars, with viewing conditions and timing drawing attention from astronomy enthusiasts.

NASA has published a science feature looking at Comet R3 PanSTARRS, following the object's changing appearance over time as of June 8, 2026. The piece presents observations of the comet's evolution, drawing attention among skywatchers and astronomy followers interested in its brightness and path.