Night Sky Highlights for October-December 2026
By Jim Mazur
Solar System
Mercury
The best chance to see Mercury this fall will be in mid-November, when it will be low in the eastern sky just before dawn. With a magnitude around zero, it should be bright enough to spot in the morning twilight.
Venus
Venus will pass by the Sun in October, then start to appear in the eastern sky before dawn in November and December.
Mars
In early October, Mars will pass by the Beehive Cluster, visible in the early morning hours. During the rest of the fall it will move past Jupiter and into Leo. Its size will continue to be small, slowly growing from about 6″ to 10″ in diameter during the fall.
Jupiter
Jupiter will be visible in the early morning sky in the constellation Leo, not far from first-magnitude Regulus.
Saturn
Saturn will rise around sunset in early October, and as the fall progresses it will get higher and higher in the east as darkness falls. Its rings are starting to open up again, making for interesting viewing with any telescope.
Uranus
This greenish gas giant will be near the Pleiades and Hyades, well placed for convenient viewing throughout the fall and winter months of 2026-27. A finder chart can be found at: https://theskylive.com/uranus-info
Neptune
Neptune is close to Saturn, and like Saturn it will be visible in the evening sky throughout the fall. A finder chart for Neptune is available here: https://theskylive.com/neptune-info
Deep Sky Objects
Messier 15, Pegasus
One of the largest and brightest globular clusters, with a very dense center, about 33,000 light years away. Star-hop chart
Messier 33 (Triangulum Galaxy)
One of the closest spiral galaxies at a distance of about 2.8 million light years, this galaxy is very large and diffuse, and is best viewed with a wide-field eyepiece. Under dark skies, some people have seen it with the naked eye. Star-hop chart
Messier 27 (Dumbbell Nebula), Vulpecula
A very large and bright planetary nebula, probably the easiest one to observe with a small scope. With telescopes of medium aperture, its hourglass shape can be seen. Star-hop chart
Messier 76 (Little Dumbbell Nebula), Perseus
After viewing the Dumbbell Nebula, try for this much smaller and dimmer planetary nebula (about 8 times smaller in diameter). Star-hop chart
Messier 74, Pisces
A face-on spiral galaxy, about 32 million light years away. Because of its low surface brightness, it is challenging to find with a small scope. Star-hop chart
Messier 77, Cetus
A spiral galaxy, magnitude 9, also called Cetus A, which is an example of a Seyfert galaxy–one with an active nucleus that is a strong emitter of radio waves. Star-hop chart
NGC 147 and 185 (Caldwell 17 and 18), Cassiopeia
Two dwarf elliptical galaxies that are satellites of the Andromeda Galaxy (M31) which is about 7 degrees away. Both ellipticals are dim and diffuse, and need a dark sky to see well. Star-hop chart
NGC 7789 (Caroline’s Rose), Cassiopeia
A rich open cluster of some 900 stars, discovered by Caroline Herschel in 1783. An excellent target for fall viewing. Star-hop chart
Eta Cassiopeiae (Achird)
A naked-eye star (magnitude 3.4) that reveals itself to be a double star in a small scope. Its companion is magnitude 7.5, separated by 13.4″. The larger star is about the same size, color, and brightness as our Sun. Star-hop chart
Omicron 2 Eridani (Keid)
A fascinating trio consisting of a yellow-orange star slightly smaller and dimmer than our Sun, a white dwarf, and a red dwarf. They are about 16 light years away. Star-hop chart