We have officially passed the autumnal equinox — meaning that for those of us living in the Northern Hemisphere, the nights are now longer than the days. While it may require saying a temporary adieu to balmy summer evenings, it does offer plenty of opportunity for stargazing.
And you’re in luck because there is plenty to get excited about October 2025, from the harvest moon to emerald-tinged comets to shooting stars.
October’s Harvest Supermoon Rises
Look out your window this evening, October 6, 2025, and the moon will appear unusually large and especially dazzling.
The reason the moon feels a little more spectacular than usual lies in its orbit. The satellite is typically somewhere around 238,855 miles (384,400 kilometers) from the Earth, but sneaks a little closer every month when it reaches its perigee.
At its closest approach to Earth, the distance shrinks to 225,623 miles (363,104 kilometers), which, when combined with a full moon, creates a “supermoon.” According to NASA, the supermoon appears up to 30 percent brighter and 14 percent bigger than it does when it’s at its furthest from the Earth (or apogee) — and it will be lighting up the sky tonight, on October 6, 2025.
According to The Old Farmer’s Almanac, this month’s supermoon, also known as the harvest moon, will reach “peak illumination” at 11.47 p.m. EST. It is the first of three we have been gifted with this year, so watch out for more in November and December.
Read More: No, the Moon Is Not Bigger on the Horizon
Comet Lemmon Whizzes By
There are just a handful of comets that can currently be seen using binoculars and through long camera exposures — one of which is Comet Lemmon (C/2025 A6). According to NASA, astronomers spotted the green-colored comet hurtling towards the inner Solar System early this year and will be at its closest to Earth on October 21, 2025, when it will be approximately half an astronomical unit (the distance between the Earth and Sun) from our planet.
Lucky stargazers may be able to see the comet completely unaided when it passes by later this month. Comet Lemmon is “brighter than expected,” according to the British Astronomical Association, and “it is now looking reasonably likely that we will have a naked eye comet.”
Right now, Comet Lemmon is best observed just before dawn. However, from the middle of the month, it will also be possible to view in the evening.
The comet will continue on its trajectory after whizzing by Earth on October 21, passing the sun on November 8, 2025, and then onwards to the outer reaches of the Solar System. As it approaches the sun, we can expect it to get brighter — making for a fantastic viewing opportunity.
But Comet Lemmon is not the only comet currently gracing our night skies. According to NASA, Comet Swan (C/2025 R2) “is brightening significantly as it emerges from the sun’s direction” and will come within a quarter of an astronomical unit to our planet sometime around October 19, 2025. Comet Atlas (C/2025 K1) is a little fainter but also reached its closest approach to the Earth this month.
The Daconids and Orionids Meteorshowers
October is host to not one, but two meteor showers. The Draconids can be viewed between October 6 and 10, 2025, whereas the Orionids last a little longer (from September 26 to November 22, 2025) and peak on October 21, 2025. As the name suggests, the Draconids appear from the constellation Draco, and the Orionids originate from the constellation Orion.
The Draconids tend to be a little less lively than the Orionids, producing up to 10 slow-moving meteors an hour. Unfortunately, astronomers may find the Supermoon a hindrance, with dark skies making for ideal viewing conditions.
Conditions may be a little better for the Orionids, which NASA describes as “one of the most beautiful showers of the year.” The Orionid meteor shower produces around 20 meteors an hour. These appear bright and fast, leaving behind a shiny trail that can hover for several seconds or minutes.
Read More: When Was Halley’s Comet Last Seen and Will It Ever Return?
Article Sources
Our writers at Discovermagazine.com use peer-reviewed studies and high-quality sources for our articles, and our editors review for scientific accuracy and editorial standards. Review the sources used below for this article:
- NASA. Astronomy Picture of the Day, 25 September 30
- NASA. Astronomy Picture of the Day, 25 September 16
- NASA. Astronomy Picture of the Day, 25 September 29
- British Astronomical Association. C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
- NASA. What’s Up: October 2025 Skywatching tips from NASA,
- Royal Museums Greenwich. How Far Away is the Moon?
- The Old Farmer’s Almanac. October 2025 Full Moon
- NASA. Orionids Meteor Shower
