Bright Stars & Constellations In the October Night Sky

Star Walk
5 min readOct 3, 2024

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© Vito Technology, Inc.

The October night sky is full of wonders, and we’ll help you discover the best of them with this handy stargazing guide! While we’ll focus only on some of the brightest stars and constellations, don’t forget — there’s so much more to discover every night. Use the Visible Tonight feature (the one with the telescope icon) in the Sky Tonight app to see exactly what’s above you, including stars, planets, and even deep-sky objects. Now, let’s dive into what stars and constellations you can spot in both hemispheres this October.

October constellations

In the northern October sky, you’ll find the constellations Aquarius, Grus, Lacerta, Octans, Pegasus, and Piscis Austrinus. And, of course, circumpolar constellations like Ursa Major and Cassiopeia are always visible — they never sink below the horizon.

Down in the Southern Hemisphere, Aquarius, Piscis Austrinus, Grus, and Octans light up the sky. The southern circumpolar constellations such as Crux and Carina are also in sight.

As well as the constellations that are visible all year round, you can see the autumn constellations in the Northern Hemisphere and the spring constellations in the Southern Hemisphere. © Vito Technology, Inc.

Asterisms in October

The Great Square of Pegasus

  • Constellation: Pegasus
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

Pegasus is one of the most recognizable constellations this month, thanks to its prominent asterism: the Great Square of Pegasus. Formed by four bright stars — Scheat, Markab, Algenib, and Alpheratz — it looks like a large, tilted square. This square is about 16° across (or about one and a half fists’ width if held at arm’s length). Pegasus lies just north of the celestial equator, which is why this constellation, together with the Great Square, is visible from almost every part of the world. The only place where it never rises is Antarctica.

The Great Pegasus Square is a large square formed by four bright stars that mark the body of Pegasus. © Vito Technology, Inc

The Water Jar

  • Constellation: Aquarius
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

Just south of Pegasus lies Aquarius, where you can spot a distinctive star pattern known as the Water Jar. This Y-shaped asterism is made up of Eta, Zeta, Pi, and Gamma Aquarii.

The Water Jar is part of the constellation Aquarius and represents the jar of the celestial water bearer, pouring water into a stream of more than 20 stars, ending with Fomalhaut. © Vito Technology, Inc.

The Teapot

  • Constellation: Sagittarius
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

Be sure to spot the famous Teapot asterism in Sagittarius. The stars Kaus Media, Kaus Australis, Ascella, and Phi Sagittarii create the pot’s body, while Kaus Borealis marks the lid. The tip of the spout is represented by Alnasl, and the handle is formed by Nunki and Tau Sagittarii. Under a dark sky, you might even see the Milky Way’s “steam” rising from the spout.

As you look at the Teapot asterism in the constellation Sagittarius, you are gazing toward the center of our Milky Way galaxy, home to the supermassive black hole Sagittarius A*. © Vito Technology, Inc.

The Summer Triangle

  • Constellations: Lyra, Cygnus, Aquila
  • Where to see: Northern Hemisphere

Though summer in the Northern Hemisphere is fading, you can still catch a glimpse of the Summer Triangle at sunset. It’s formed by Vega in Lyra, Deneb in Cygnus, and Altair in Aquila. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Summer Triangle is harder to see and appears upside down.

The Summer Triangle is a prominent star pattern formed by three bright stars: Vega, Deneb, and Altair. It’s best seen during summer in the Northern Hemisphere, but can also be seen in September and October. © Vito Technology, Inc.

Bright stars to spot in October

Fomalhaut

  • Constellation: Piscis Austrinus
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

This October, be sure to search for Fomalhaut, a white star located only 25 light-years from Earth. In the Northern Hemisphere, it’s known as the “Autumn Star” because it’s only visible there in autumn. It’s the 18th brightest star in the sky with a magnitude of 1.16 and the only bright star in the constellation Piscis Austrinus. Fomalhaut is actually part of a triple star system, though its companions are too faint to see with the naked eye.

Arcturus

  • Constellation: Boötes
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

Arcturus, in the constellation Boötes, is a bright orange-red giant star, easily spotted in the northwest sky during October evenings. It is the 4th brightest star in the entire sky and is visible in both hemispheres.

How well do you know bright stars and where they are located? Test your knowledge with our star identification quiz!

Capella

  • Constellation: Auriga
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

You can find Capella rising in the early evening. It is part of the constellation Auriga and is the 6th brightest star in the night sky.

Aldebaran

  • Constellation: Taurus
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

In October, you can also see the red-giant star Aldebaran, the 14th brightest star in the sky, marking the eye of Taurus. Fun fact: in one of the indigenous languages of Mexico, the lunar month corresponding to October is called “Queeto yaao,” or “Aldebaran’s path.”

Sirius

  • Constellation: Canis Major
  • Where to see: both hemispheres

If you’re up before dawn, you might be able to see Sirius blinking near the horizon. It is the brightest star in the sky. It sparkles particularly brightly in October, when it hangs low in the sky.

Not enough stars for you? Get the list of the brightest stars and their constellations in the form of a colorful infographic.

How to find these stars in the October night sky?

Finding the stars doesn’t have to be complicated! You can do it the old-fashioned way by star-hopping, or make it easier by using an astronomy app like Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight. Just type in the name of the star and the app will guide you to it — or point your device at the sky to identify objects in real time!

Explore the night sky effortlessly with the free astronomy apps Star Walk 2 and Sky Tonight. © Vito Technology, Inc.

October stargazing: bottom line

Don’t miss out on the beauty of the October night sky! From Sirius twinkling at dawn to Fomalhaut glowing as the northern “Autumn Star,” there’s plenty to enjoy this month. Use the Star Walk 2 or Sky Tonight apps to guide your stargazing and explore even more celestial beauty with our article on October celestial events. Keep your eyes on the skies!

Text Credit: Vito Technology, Inc.

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Star Walk
Star Walk

Written by Star Walk

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