Saturn and Moon Alignments Set to Highlight October 2026 Skies

October 2026 will bring a varied programme of celestial sights, with Saturn’s opposition, close apparent encounters between the Moon and two planets, and the Orionid meteor shower among the highlights outlined by the Jeddah Astronomy Society.

Saturn’s opposition will place the ringed planet opposite the Sun in Earth’s sky. This alignment generally offers a favourable opportunity to observe the planet, which rises around sunset and remains visible through much of the night.

The Moon will also appear close to Mars and Jupiter during the month. These encounters are alignments as seen from Earth, rather than a physical convergence of the objects in space.

Mars will pass in front of the Beehive star cluster, also known as Al-Nathra, providing another point of interest for skywatchers. The event will bring the planet into the same apparent region of the sky as the cluster’s stars.

October will also feature activity from the Orionid meteor shower. Observing conditions for the month’s events will depend on local weather, light pollution and the brightness of the Moon.