October 2021 is bustling with meteor showers! October marks the first full month of Autumn. With the Harvest Moon behind us, October names its moon the Hunter’s Moon.
There are six meteor showers this month! Spanning from the beginning to the end, the October night sky will be full of streaking shooting stars. The Orionid Meteor Shower, one of the most iconic meteor showers of the year, peaks this month. Although the peak is dangerously close to the Full Moon, there will be many more to see.
During this month, Mercury will pass “directly” between the Sun and the Earth during its Inferior Conjunction. Mercury and Venus, being inferior planets, show phases not unlike the moon. During the Inferior Conjunction, Mercury will have a “New” Phase. When the planets are at their Superior Conjunctions (on the other side of the Sun), they would have a “Full” Phase – if we could see it!
Table of Contents:
Check out the Glossary of Astronomical Events if you need any explanations!
Moon Phases
 | New Moon October 6th |
 | First Quarter Moon October 12th |
 | Full Moon October 20th |
 | Third Quarter Moon October 28th |
All times are in Eastern Standard Time (EST) or Eastern Daylight Savings Time (EDT).
Moon Facts
| Perigee: | 8th |
| Descending Node: | 9th |
| Ascending Node: | 23rd |
| Apogee: | 24th |
| Moon Name: | Hunter’s Moon |
Meteor Showers
Camelopardalids Meteor Shower
| Radiant Point: | Draco Constellation |
| Peak Date: | October 5th |
| Best Time, EST: | After 11:20 PM |
| Direction to Look: | Zenith |
| Learn More: | In-The-Sky.Org |
South Taurids Meteor Shower
| Radiant Point: | Taurus Constellation |
| Peak Date: | October 10th |
| Best Time, EST: | After 12:30 AM |
| Direction to Look: | West Northwest, low to the horizon |
| Learn More: | In-The-Sky.Org |
δ-Aurigids Meteor Shower
| Radiant Point: | Auriga Constellation |
| Peak Date: | October 11th |
| Best Time, EST: | After 7:30 PM |
| Direction to Look: | East |
| Learn More: | In-The-Sky.Org |
ε-Geminids Meteor Shower
| Radiant Point: | Gemini |
| Peak Date: | October 18th |
| Best Time, EST: | Hours Before Dawn |
| Direction to Look: | West Northwest |
| Learn More: | In-The-Sky.Org |
Orionids Meteor Shower
| Radiant Point: | Orion |
| Peak Date: | October 21st |
| Best Time, EST: | 5 AM, Visible after 10:30 PM |
| Direction to Look: | West Northwest |
| Learn More: | In-The-Sky.Org |
Leonids Meteor Shower
| Radiant Point: | Leo Minor |
| Peak Date: | October 24th |
| Best Time, EST: | 1 – 6 AM |
| Direction to Look: | Zenith |
| Learn More: | In-The-Sky.Org |
Planetary Alignments
 | Mars Solar Conjunction October 7th Hidden by the Sun |
 | Mercury Inferior Conjunction October 9th Mercury’s Phase will be “New,” Much Like the Moon |
 | Saturn Exits Retrograde October 11th Associated with folklore |
| Mercury Exits Retrograde October 18th Associated with folklore |
 | Jupiter Exits Retrograde October 18th Associated with folklore |
| Mercury Greatest Western Elongation October 25th Ideal time to view planet |
 | Venus Greatest Eastern Elongation October 29th Ideal time to view planet |
Lunar Conjunctions
 | Venus Lunar Conjunction October 9th |
 | Saturn Lunar Conjunction October 14th |
 | Jupiter Lunar Conjunction October 15th |
October 2021
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