October 2026 Skywatching: Saturn’s Rings Return, Orionids Peak, and Moon Meets Pleiades
October 2026 offers prime viewing for Saturn at opposition on Oct. 4, the Orionid meteor shower peak on Oct. 21-22, and a lunar conjunction with the Pleiades on Oct. 27-28. Saturn’s rings are visible again after a 2025 edge-on crossing, with a 7-degree tilt. The Orionids may be dimmed by a waxing gibbous moon, requiring pre-dawn observation. The Pleiades conjunction is visible to the naked eye, with binoculars revealing more detail.