What’s Up This Month?

During the first half of the monthly General Meeting, the club’s board often talks with the membership about what’s going on up in the sky for the upcoming month. This is an informal session, with discussion encouraged among attendees. A short break follows, before the main presentation.

For a more complete view of the month’s events, see: https://in-the-sky.org/newscal.php

Topics this coming month (October ’26) include:

Saturn is at opposition on 10/4, so will be at its brightest early this month. The rings are opening up as well, giving gorgeous views of this iconic planet. In addition, Mercury will be at its highest altitude in the evening sky on 10/8.

The Moon will be busy, meeting Jupiter with a close approach and occultation on 10/6, conjunction with Venus on the 11th, Mercury on the 12th, and Saturn on the 24th.

Several meteor showers occur this month, with the Draconids peaking around 10/9. The Orionids will peak around the 21st, but the full Moon will make observing more difficult. Since the Orionids span nearly a month in time, trying to observe a week or so before or after the peak might actually net more sightings by avoiding the full brunt of moonshine. Meteor showers in general are best viewed after midnight, letting the Earth’s spin bring the leading face of our planet into the path of the origin comet’s debris field.