October offers several celestial highlights, starting with Saturn at opposition. That means the ringed planet is directly opposite the Sun from Earth, so it rises at sunset and stays visible all night, appearing at its brightest and sharpest for the year.
Later in the month, the Orionid meteor shower peaks. These meteors are debris left behind by Halley’s Comet, burning up as they enter Earth’s atmosphere. The best viewing is before dawn, after the Moon sets, since moonlight can wash out fainter streaks.
Skywatchers can also watch the Moon sweep past the Pleiades star cluster, a familiar and striking sight. The source notes that moonlight may obscure some Orionids, but the pre-dawn window after moonset should give the clearest view.