Go Back
  • For Business
  • |
  • Warnings
  • Data Suite
  • Newsletters
  • Advertising
  • Superior Accuracy™
At least 100 dead, major disaster declared after catastrophic Texas flood. Read the latest Chevron right
Flash flood threat to continue in central Texas into midweek. Get details Chevron right

Columbus, OH

72°F
Location Chevron down
Location News Videos
Use Current Location
Recent

Columbus

Ohio

72°
No results found.
Try searching for a city, zip code or point of interest.
settings
Columbus, OH Weather
Today WinterCast Local {stormName} Tracker Hourly Daily Radar MinuteCast Monthly Air Quality Health & Activities

Around the Globe

Hurricane Tracker

Severe Weather

Radar & Maps

News

News & Features

Astronomy

Business

Climate

Health

Recreation

Sports

Travel

For Business

Warnings

Data Suite

Newsletters

Advertising

Superior Accuracy™

Video

Winter Center

AccuWeather Early Hurricane Center Top Stories Trending Today Astronomy Heat Climate Health Recreation In Memoriam Case Studies Blogs & Webinars

News / Astronomy

'Eclipse season' to kick off after autumn's 1st meteor shower

Fall is in full swing across the Northern Hemisphere, but astronomers are gearing up for a new season that is about to begin, along with these other eye-catching events in the sky this month.

By Brian Lada, AccuWeather meteorologist and senior content editor

Published Oct 4, 2022 9:50 AM EDT | Updated Oct 4, 2022 9:50 AM EDT

Copied

From a famous fall meteor shower to a series of eclipses at the end of the month into the next month, here are the top astronomy events for the month of October.

October will signal new beginnings in the night sky, ranging from the first of several autumn-time meteor showers to the start of eclipse season, an astronomical cycle that will carry over into November.

For the Northern Hemisphere, October features the longest nights since late February and early March, providing stargazers with plenty of time to enjoy views of the cosmos or focus on a planet with a telescope before the arrival of winter weather, which is lurking right around the corner.

Apart from the big events to mark on your calendar, any night of the month with cloud-free weather will be a good time to look for Jupiter and Saturn, a pairing of planets that will be visible in the southern sky shortly after nightfall. The pair can easily be seen without a telescope, as Jupiter will outshine every star in the sky.

An old windmill is silhouetted against hazy night sky colored orange by city lights Friday, May 11, 2018, near Walker, Kan. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

From an autumn-themed full moon to shooting stars streaking overhead, here are the top astronomy events to look for throughout October:

Oct. 9: Full Hunter's Moon

The first full moon of astronomical autumn will rise on the second weekend of the month, illuminating hillsides that are gradually transforming into colorful displays of fall foliage, with some regions of the country sporting more vibrant colors than others.

October's full moon is typically known as the Hunter's Moon, as it is traditionally the time of year when hunters begin to prepare for the cold months ahead, according to the Old Farmer's Almanac. Other weather-themed nicknames for the month's full moon include the Freezing Moon and the Ice Moon.

People watch the sunset from the Lincoln Memorial in Washington as a full moon raises in the background, Friday, Oct. 18, 2013. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

The Hunter's Moon will not be alone in the sky throughout the second weekend of the month. On Saturday, Oct. 8, the nearly full moon will appear in extremely close proximity to Jupiter. The following night, when the moon is officially full, it will still shine near Jupiter but will appear slightly farther away and to the left of the planet.

Oct. 20-21: Orionid Meteor Shower

One of the best meteor showers of fall will reach its peak shortly after the middle of October, the first meteor shower to grace the night sky since the Perseids in mid-August.

The peak of the Orionid meteor shower is forecast for the night of Thursday, Oct. 20, into Friday, Oct. 21, as the Earth encounters debris left behind by Halley’s Comet.

The comet will not return to the inner solar system until 2061, but the dust and debris that the comet left behind on previous journeys around the sun fuels the Orionids with peak rates of around 20 meteors per hour. This is a typical rate for most annual meteor showers and will signal the start of an active period in the night sky for shooting starts.

GET THE FREE ACCUWEATHER APP

  •   Have the app? Unlock AccuWeather Alerts™ with Premium+

Skywatchers will not have to wait long for the next chance to spot some meteors streak through the night sky with the Southern Taurids peaking on the night of Nov. 4-5, followed by the Northern Taurids on the night of Nov. 11-12 and the Leonids on Nov. 17-18.

Oct. 25: Start of 'Eclipse Season'

Spring, summer, fall and winter are the seasons on Earth, but for astronomers, a different type of season is about to kick off: Eclipse season.

"There are many cycles in the heavens," EarthSky explained on its website. "An eclipse season is just one of these many celestial cycles. A minimum of two eclipses (one solar and one lunar, in either order) happens in one eclipse season. A maximum of three eclipses is possible."

The upcoming eclipse season will feature two types of eclipses, starting with a partial solar eclipse on Tuesday, Oct. 25. With the proper eye protection and cloud-free weather, the solar eclipse will be visible from most of Europe, northeastern Africa, the Middle East and western Asia.

The sun sets over Taipei during a partial eclipse in Taipei, Taiwan, Friday, Jan. 15, 2010. (AP Photo/Wally Santana)

Two weeks later, the second and final event of the eclipse season will unfold in the night sky. On Nov. 8, a total lunar eclipse will be visible across all of North America, causing the moon to turn dark red or rusty orange. This will be the final total lunar eclipse visible anywhere around the world until March 13, 2025.

More Space and Astronomy:

Elon Musk may help NASA extend life for Hubble
James Webb Space Telescope sends back new images of Neptune
Meet the woman who is bringing space down to Earth

Want next-level safety, ad-free? Unlock advanced, hyperlocal severe weather alerts when you subscribe to Premium+ on the AccuWeather app. AccuWeather Alerts™ are prompted by our expert meteorologists who monitor and analyze dangerous weather risks 24/7 to keep you and your family safer.

Report a Typo

Weather News

Weather News

At least 100 dead, major disaster declared after Texas flood

Jul. 8, 2025
video

Rain continues to fall in Texas as flooding death toll rises

Jul. 7, 2025
Weather News

The faces of the Texas flooding tragedy

Jul. 7, 2025
Severe Weather

Severe weather to rumble in the central US through the holiday weekend

Jul. 6, 2025
Weather News

Record sargassum seaweed piles up on Caribbean islands, Gulf

Jul. 2, 2025
Weather News

Alabama teen in ICU after lightning strike hits boat, causing burns an...

Jul. 2, 2025
Show more Show less Chevron down

Topics

AccuWeather Early

Hurricane Center

Top Stories

Trending Today

Astronomy

Heat

Climate

Health

Recreation

In Memoriam

Case Studies

Blogs & Webinars

Top Stories

Weather News

Camp Mystic, site of deadly Texas flooding, is in 'Flash Flood Alley'

11 hours ago

Weather News

‘Oh my God, we’re floating’: What people faced in amid Texas floods

10 hours ago

Weather Forecasts

Flash flood threat to continue in central Texas into midweek

1 hour ago

Weather News

How torrential flooding wrought tragedy at girls camp in Texas

17 hours ago

Severe Weather

Flooding downpours, severe thunderstorms to mitigate heat in East

8 minutes ago

More Stories

Featured Stories

Travel

FAA investigating part of a Delta Air Lines wing fell onto a driveway

4 days ago

Health

Three hospitalized, 21 injured after bee attack in France

16 hours ago

Weather News

France leads Europe in saying au revoir to beach and park smoking

4 days ago

Weather News

125,000-year-old ‘fat factory’ run by Neanderthals discovered

16 hours ago

Weather News

An ambitious vision of a city built from lava

16 hours ago

AccuWeather Astronomy 'Eclipse season' to kick off after autumn's 1st meteor shower
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
Company
Proven Superior Accuracy About AccuWeather Digital Advertising Careers Press Contact Us
Products & Services
For Business For Partners For Advertising AccuWeather APIs AccuWeather Connect RealFeel® and RealFeel Shade™ Personal Weather Stations
Apps & Downloads
iPhone App Android App See all Apps & Downloads
Subscription Services
AccuWeather Premium AccuWeather Professional
More
AccuWeather Ready Business Health Hurricane Leisure and Recreation Severe Weather Space and Astronomy Sports Travel Weather News Winter Center
© 2025 AccuWeather, Inc. "AccuWeather" and sun design are registered trademarks of AccuWeather, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Cookie Policy | About Your Privacy Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information

...

...

...