The debris from Halley’s Comet will not be visible as a whole for several more decades, but its fragments will blaze across the night sky this month during the Orionid meteor shower. The display began earlier in October and will reach its maximum on the nights of the 21st and 22nd. Below is a guide to spotting these meteors and a look at additional celestial events worth watching.
Orionid Meteor Shower
The Orionids will continue to be active until November 7, but the optimal viewing window for observers in the United States is from dusk on October 21 through dawn on October 22. In dark conditions you can expect up to 20 meteors per hour, though the moon will be about three‑quarters full, which can wash out some of the fainter streaks. The darkest period, and therefore the best time to see the shower, is the early morning after the moon sets and before sunrise.
These meteors are noted for both speed and brightness; the fastest ones can become fireballs that shine as brightly as Venus. Dark skies also improve the chances of seeing the glowing trails that some Orionids leave behind.
A NASA meteor‑monitoring camera at the Marshall Space Flight Center in Alabama captured the Orionids in October 2025, with a portion of Orion visible in the lower left of the image.
The shower is named for the constellation Orion, which serves as the radiant—the point in the sky from which the meteors appear to radiate. You do not need to locate Orion to enjoy the show; meteors will be visible across the whole sky.
Other October Sky Highlights
Earlier this month Saturn reached opposition, meaning Earth passed directly between the Sun and the gas giant. Saturn rose in the east at sunset and crossed the meridian around midnight, making it visible for most of the night. On October 24 the Moon will pass close to the planet, offering a striking visual pairing.
At the same time, astronomers are focusing on a newly discovered decagonal pattern at Saturn’s south pole, likely formed by atmospheric waves. This feature follows the famous hexagon that encircles the north pole, first identified nearly fifty years ago. Researchers think the shapes arise from powerful jet streams that trap waves, and the southern wave appears to be gaining strength. Opposition provides a prime opportunity for both amateurs and scientists to study these unusual atmospheric structures.
At the month’s end the Moon will move near the Pleiades star cluster, a group that has inspired myths across many cultures because of its brightness and visibility worldwide. The best chance to see the Moon and the Pleiades together is the evening of October 27 extending into the early hours of October 28. Look eastward as the two rise; with the naked eye you may glimpse a faint cluster of six or seven stars. Because this occurs just after a full Moon, the cluster may be hard to discern without aid, but binoculars or a small telescope will reveal it more clearly.
This information originally appeared in WIRED Japan and has been translated from Japanese.