Home
Weather London
WeatherRadar
RainfallRadar
TemperatureRadar
WindRadar
LightningRadar
Weather News
Editor's Pick
Discover the app
Weather widget
Contact us
Apps
Career
    Home / Editor's Pick /

    October astronomy outlook: Two eclipses and two meteor showers!

15:00
1 October 2023

October astronomy outlook
Two eclipses and two meteor showers!

star-gazing

October brings a feast of astronomical events for stargazers, including two meteor showers and two eclipses... although these won't be too visible for those in the UK and Ireland.

The month is kicked off with the arrival of the Draconids meteor shower. Active from around October 6, and peaking the night of October 8. This is one of the slower showers of the year but is best seen in the early evening looking towards the Draco constellation.

On October 14 a new moon brings us an annular solar eclipse. This sees the moon entering the sun's path, but being too far away from Earth to completely block the light. Resulting in a halo appearing around the sun.

Sadly this will not be visible in the UK, Ireland, or Europe, but a new moon always brings darker skies ideal for spotting constellations, and possibly a few early Orionids.

Travelling during the eclipse?

The annular solar eclipse will be visible firstly off the coast of southern Canada before moving over southwestern America into Central America, reaching Columbia and Brazil before ending.

The second meteor shower of the month is also technically the first. Active from October 2, the Orionids reach their peak on the night of October 21, best seen between midnight and dawn. These meteors are parts of Halley's Comet, the comet itself will not return until 2061.

This shower originates from the Orion the Hunter constellation and runs until November 7.

October ends with the arrival of the Hunter's Moon on the 28th. Like all full moons, its name originates from Native American tribes. This year, the full moon also brings us a partial lunar eclipse.

The eclipse will be visible across Europe. Much of Asia and Africa will also see the event, while western regions of Australia and eastern parts of the US and southern America will see the eclipse as the moon rises.

If you're heading out for a night under the stars, don't forget your camera! We want to see your pictures! Use our uploader to submit, you don't need fancy equipment, even a smartphone can capture great shots.

Tips: Astrophotography with your phoneread more
Ryan Hathaway
More on the topic
Hottest summer on record for Ireland. Beating 2025's record. . . Thursday, 3 September 2026
Temperature map of Ireland showing 29°C in Dublin, 26°C in Cork, 24°C in Belfast, and 23°C in Galway, with a red thermometer icon.
Thursday, 3 September 2026

Beating 2025's record

Hottest summer on record for Ireland
Hurricane Lowell threatens Hawaii. Gales and flash floods. . . Tuesday, 8 September 2026
WindRadar showing Hurricane Lowell north-west of Hawaii and its well-defined storm centre.
Tuesday, 8 September 2026

Gales and flash floods

Hurricane Lowell threatens Hawaii
A marked change in the weather. Cold front heading south. . . Monday, 7 September 2026
Map of Europe showing a cold front stretching from Scandinavia to Spain. Thunderstorms are shown in southern and central Europe.
Monday, 7 September 2026

Cold front heading south

A marked change in the weather
All weather news
This might also interest you
New records for England and Wales. Broken again tomorrow?. . . Thursday, 25 June 2026
Temperature map of southwest Britain on 25.06 showing extreme heat across southern Wales and southwest England, with Bute Park in Cardiff highlighted at 34.2°C and Yeovilton at 36.4°C amid widespread deep red heat zones.
Thursday, 25 June 2026

Broken again tomorrow?

New records for England and Wales
Historic Storm Éowyn arrives. On this day.... . . Saturday, 24 January 2026
Split image showing a person in a yellow jacket struggling against strong winds and heavy rain on a street at night on the left, and an Irish wind forecast map on the right with red and purple shading, gusts up to 75 mph, and a wind warning icon, divided by a curved white line.
Saturday, 24 January 2026

On this day...

Historic Storm Éowyn arrives
A stormy week in the skies above. Your weather - Your shots. . . Sunday, 30 August 2026
Split image showing lightning branching beneath dark storm clouds above rooftops on the left and an orange-pink sunset over a calm sea on the right.
Sunday, 30 August 2026

Your weather - Your shots

A stormy week in the skies above
All articles
Weather & Radar

Weather & Radar is also available on

Google Play StoreApp Store

Company

Contact us Privacy Policy Legal info Accessibility statement

Services

Uploader

Socials

facebooktwittertikToklinkList