What to observe in the sky in October 2025 with a smart telescope.
30 Sep. 2025
October 2025 astronomical calendar
It is recommended to observe nebulae and galaxies when the Moon is not visible. Its brightness diminishes the darkness of the sky and reduces the quality of observations of faint and diffuse objects.
Refer to the following calendar for the best days this month.
2 October
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon): Observe in the morning sky just before sunrise, in the constellation Lynx.
Read our Vespera Ultimate Guidebook to learn how to observe comets.
7 October
Full Moon
10 October
Moon crosses the Pleiades (best visibility from Americas)
13 October
Moon last quarter
15 October
The Orion season has begun
18 October
Comet C/2025 R2 (SWAN) is visible in the evening sky in the constellation Scutum.
Check our Vespera Ultimate Guide for comet observation tips.
21 October
Orionid meteor shower peak. Up to 20 meteors per hour under dark skies.
21 Octobe
New Moon
25 October
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) could reaches peak brightness in the evening sky just after sunset, moving through Serpens toward Boötes.
29 October
Moon first quarter
Celestial Scene of the Month
Northern sky
North America and Pelican Nebulae:
Although they appear as two separate nebulae near the bright star Deneb, these vast ionized hydrogen regions (H II) are in fact part of the same immense molecular cloud. They are divided only by a dark band of interstellar dust in the foreground. This dust also explains the apparent absence of stars between the nebulae, as it blocks their light from reaching us.
This region is best observed with a dual-band filter, which enhances the contrast of the glowing hydrogen clouds against the star field.
Southern sky
When observing the Large Magellanic Cloud, the Tarantula Nebula is the natural target that immediately comes to mind. Yet the LMC is vast, and there are areas that are often overlooked. Beyond the main body of this irregular galaxy lies a concentration of small emission nebulae and star clusters.
One interesting option is to frame the open cluster NGC 2002 with a square ratio to best encompass this region. Using a dual-band filter will enhance the contrast of the emission nebulae, while the many stellar clouds are better appreciated without a filter. For this reason, it can be worthwhile to perform two separate observations, one with the filter and one without, and then combine them to create an image that truly highlights the richness of this field.
Since NGC2002 is not part of the curated catalog, you will have to create a manual target based on it's reference in the extended catalogue. You will find comprehensive instructions in the Vespera ultimate guide.
"Plan my Night" of the month
Suggested observation program you can automate with "Plan My Night."
Give each object as much observation time as you can to get the best results.
Northern sky
The dual band filter is useful for this plan.
| Time | Target |
|---|---|
| Early Night |
Pacman Nebula (NGC281) |
| Mid Night |
Heart Nebula (IC 1805) or Soul Nebula (IC1848) |
| Late Night |
Jellyfish Nebula (IC443) |
Southern sky
The dual band filter is optional for this plan. You will get different results depending on if you use it or not.
| Time | Target |
|---|---|
| Early Night |
The Lagoon Nebula, M8 |
| Mid Night |
Helix Nebula (NGC7293) |
| Late Night |
Orion Nebula, M42 |
Around the full moon
During the few nights surrounding the full moon, it's best to focus on star clusters, which are less affected by the Moon’s light pollution.
Northern sky
Messier 2 (NGC 7089), globular cluster, mag. 6.5, Constellation: Aquarius
Southern sky
Caldwell 93 (NGC 675), the Great Peacock cluster, globular cluster, mag. 5.4 (the fourth-brightest globular cluster in the sky)
Challenging Target of the Month
The Cave Nebula
Visibility: Northern hemisphere
Constellation: Cepheus
Type: Mixed-type nebula
The Cave Nebula (Sh2-155, Caldwell 9) is a mixed emission and reflection nebula in Cepheus, about 2,400 light-years away. Its dark, hollow “cave” is carved by stellar winds and ultraviolet radiation from the young nearby stars. The glowing red areas are ionized hydrogen (H II), while the bluish regions are dust scattering starlight. It is best observed without the dual band filter.
CG4 "God's hand" and galaxy PGC21338
Visibility: Southern hemisphere
Constellation: Puppis
CG 4, nicknamed God’s Hand, is a cometary globule in the constellation Puppis (actually a nebula), about 1,300 light-years away. It appears as a dark, elongated column of dust and gas with a bright “head,” seemingly reaching toward the background galaxy PGC 21338. In reality, the nebula is part of a molecular cloud slowly being eroded by ultraviolet radiation from nearby massive stars, while the galaxy lies hundreds of millions of light-years beyond.
Since those objects are not in the Singularity catalog, you'll have to create a manuel target (read the ultimate Vespera Guidebook to learn how)
Here are the astronomical coordinates of the target :
- Right ascension : 7h 34m
- Declination : -46° 58′
Magnitude and angular size reminder
