This October, the Moon will meet six planets — Saturn, Venus, Jupiter, Mars, Mercury, and Uranus — one by one. Check our conjunctions calendar to learn what planet is closest to the Moon right now.
October 5: Moon-Saturn conjunction
On October 5, 2022, at 15:51 GMT (11:51 a.m. EDT), Saturn (magnitude 0.3) will meet the 83%-illuminated Moon in the constellation Capricornus. The apparent distance between the two objects will be 4°6'. It’s too far to spot them at once via telescope, but you’ll easily see the conjunction with the naked eye or binoculars. The planet will reach its highest point in the sky by around 9 p.m. local time.
October 8: Moon-Jupiter conjunction
On October 8, 2022, at 18:06 GMT (2:06 p.m. EDT), one day before the Full Moon, Jupiter will pass 2°6' from our natural satellite. Find them in the constellation Pisces; the planet shining near the Moon at a magnitude of -2.9 can be spotted with binoculars or with the naked eye. It’s best to start observations at midnight; the Moon and Jupiter will rise the highest by this time.
October 12: Moon-Uranus conjunction
On October 12, 2022, at 06:11 GMT (2:11 a.m. EDT), the Moon and Uranus will pass within 42'12″ of each other. It’s a little too far to observe the conjunction through a telescope. Better use binoculars: you will hardly see dim Uranus (magnitude 5.7) near the bright, 91%-illuminated Moon without any optical devices. By 2 a.m. local time, the planet will be at the highest point above the horizon. Spot it near the Moon in the constellation Aries.
Stargazers from parts of North and South America might also see the Moon passing in front of Uranus. The event is called lunar occultation and is hard to spot: most of the world will only see the conjunction.
October 15: Moon-Mars conjunction
On October 15, 2022, at 04:28 GMT (12:28 a.m. EDT), observe the Moon shining 4° away from Mars in the constellation Taurus, right between the horns of the celestial bull. The distance between the two bodies is too wide to fit within the field of view of a telescope; to see the conjunction, opt for binoculars or observe the pair with the naked eye. Mars will shine at a magnitude of -0.9, and the Moon will be 68%-illuminated. They will reach the highest point in the sky by 5 a.m. local time.
October 24: Moon-Mercury conjunction
On October 24, 2022, at 15:00 GMT (11:00 a.m. EDT), the Moon will approach Mercury at a distance of 18'; both objects will be in the constellation Virgo. This will happen the day before the New Moon; therefore, our natural satellite will be almost invisible. Mercury, shining at a magnitude of -1.1, will rise an hour before the Sun, so there won’t be much time to spot it.
October 25: Moon-Venus conjunction
On October 25, 2022, at 08:00 GMT (4:00 a.m. EDT), three hours before the solar eclipse, the New Moon will come close to Venus and occult it. Both objects will be in the constellation Virgo. The planet will be right next to the Sun and, therefore, unobservable.
