Stargazing Under the Halloween Night Sky: Uncover Spooky Celestial Wonders

Star Walk
6 min readOct 31, 2024

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© Vito Technology, Inc.

What could be more thrilling than spending Halloween under the stars, gazing into the eerie depths of space? The universe hides secrets more terrifying than any horror tale: stars flickering like winking demons, gigantic cosmic spiders, blazing fireballs… Curious to uncover them all? Grab the Star Walk 2 app, your ultimate guide to the night sky this Halloween, and dare to explore the cosmos!

A Halloween stargazing tale

On Halloween night, venture far from the city’s lights, into the dark, quiet countryside. The sky above will stretch out like an endless void, dotted with stars that flicker like hidden eyes watching your every move. Pull on your thickest coat. It’s going to be a long, cold night…

Don’t go alone. Let your friends join — there’s safety in numbers.

Candy will be passed around, sweet relief in the eerie stillness. But beware of sticky hands — you’ll want to keep your lenses clean, and your equipment ready for what the night might show you. No smudges on the scope. The sky will offer no second chances.

The stars will call to you, a cosmic maze waiting to pull you in. But don’t get lost — pull up the Star Walk 2 app, guiding you through the vast, haunted expanse. With this guide at your side, you won’t be frightened by the ominous crimson glow of a scarlet star. Fearlessly point your phone at it and discover: it’s no lurking demon, but the star Aldebaran. Even the most mystical of celestial events won’t catch you off guard: just check the app’s calendar, and the future will be revealed before your eyes.

By the end of the night, the fear will turn into wonder. You will have stared into the universe’s deepest mysteries and emerged smiling. “In the end,” you’ll say, “it’s all just for fun.”

Don’t get lost in the stars on Halloween night! Let Star Walk 2 guide you on your way. © Vito Technology, Inc.

Halloween night sky: what to see?

Halloween treats for all levels

Here you’ll find the cosmic wonders anyone can see — no telescope needed. Just open your eyes and gaze into the haunting beauty of the night sky!

Halloween Moon

Some people refer to the October Full Moon as the Halloween Moon due to its proximity to the holiday. While not always falling on Halloween night, the October Full Moon often adds to the eerie atmosphere, making it a fitting backdrop for the spooky season. © Vito Technology, Inc.

Some people call the October Full Moon the Halloween Moon because it occurs close to the holiday. However, this year’s Full Moon falls on October 17, well before Halloween. The next Full Moon to fall on Halloween night won’t be until 2039.

In 2024, on the night of October 31 to November 1, the sky will be moonless. This makes the night even spookier — a dark, mysterious sky perfect for Halloween. A moonless night is also ideal for stargazing, allowing us to spot the faintest celestial objects that would be obscured by the Moon’s glow.

Halloween meteor shower — Taurids

  • Constellation: Taurus
  • Where to see: both hemispheres
The Taurid meteor shower is actually made up of two separate streams: the Southern and Northern Taurids, which are related but have different parent bodies. They are classified as minor meteor showers, producing up to 10 meteors per hour at their peak. © Vito Technology, Inc.

Famous for producing bright bolides, the Taurids are also known as the “Halloween fireballs” because they are active from late October to early November. However, their peaks don’t coincide with Halloween night: the Southern Taurids peak early on October 12–13, while their main peak is November 4–5. The Northern Taurids peak on November 11–12. To find out how to observe the Taurids, check out our dedicated article.

Betelgeuse

  • Constellation: Orion
  • Brightness: from 0.0 to 1.6 (variable)
  • Where to see: both hemispheres
Betelgeuse can be seen from most places on Earth between September and March, rising in the evening just after sunset. It’s the second-brightest star in the constellation Orion, marking the hunter’s left shoulder. © Vito Technology, Inc.

Don’t say this star’s name three times… or dare you? Tim Burton’s horror-comedy character is directly inspired by this red supergiant star, Betelgeuse. Aside from its name, the star fascinates stargazers because it’s destined to go supernova — possibly in our lifetime. We discuss more about Betelgeuse’s potential supernova in our article. But even if we don’t get to witness a supernova, Betelgeuse is a stunning sight in its own right.

Algol, the Demon Star

  • Constellation: Perseus
  • Brightness: from 2.1 to 3.4 (variable)
  • Where to see: Northern Hemisphere
Algol, colloquially known as the Demon Star, is located in the constellation Perseus, just below the “W” of Cassiopeia. Look for it in the evening in the northeastern sky of the Northern Hemisphere. In the Southern Hemisphere, the star is very hard to spot. © Vito Technology, Inc.

The star’s name Algol comes from the Arabic “Al-Ghul,” which means ghoul. In Greek tradition, the constellation Perseus was once known as Perseus and Medusa’s Head, with Algol representing part of Medusa’s head, earning the title “the first star of the Gorgon”. In Hebrew folklore, Algol was called “Satan’s Head”, while in the 16th century, it was known as “the Spectre’s Head” in Latin.

Algol’s eerie reputation may stem from its mysterious tendency to dim and brighten in just a few hours, a phenomenon that you can observe with the naked eye. At its brightest, Algol shines three times more intensely than at its faintest. Today, we know that Algol is actually two stars, and this spooky behavior happens when the dimmer star, Algol B, passes in front of the brighter Algol A, creating what astronomers call an eclipsing binary. The cycle repeats with clockwork regularity every 2 days, 20 hours and 49 minutes.

Trickier treats: deep-sky objects

In this chapter, we explore celestial treasures unseen by mortal eyes. Grab your magic lenses — binoculars or a telescope — and uncover the hidden wonders of the cosmos.

Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070)

  • Constellation: Dorado
  • Brightness: 8
  • Where to see: Southern Hemisphere
Located in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC), one of the nearest galaxies to us, the Tarantula Nebula is visible to the naked eye from the Southern Hemisphere, appearing as a faint smudge. Even small 7x50 binoculars will reveal it in detail. © Vito Technology, Inc.

The nebula gets its name from the arrangement of its bright spots, which resemble the legs of a tarantula. Taking the name of one of the largest spiders on Earth is quite fitting, as the nebula spans nearly 1,000 light-years — such a giant might just give you a case of cosmic arachnophobia!

The Owl Nebula (M97)

  • Constellation: Ursa Major
  • Brightness: 9.9
  • Where to see: Northern Hemisphere
The Owl Nebula is one of only four planetary nebulae listed in the Messier Catalog. There, it is designated Messier 97. © Vito Technology, Inc.

In the depths of space, a celestial owl watches over us, gliding silently through the cosmos. The Owl Nebula can be seen with 20×80 binoculars and small telescopes, but you’ll need a perfectly dark sky and be prepared that it will only look like a faint ball of light. To see its owl-like eyes, you’ll need a telescope at least 10 inches in diameter.

Skull Nebula (NGC 246)

  • Constellation: Cetus
  • Brightness: 8
  • Where to see: both hemispheres
The Skull Nebula is best seen during the Northern Hemisphere autumn and the Southern Hemisphere spring when it rises in the mid-evening and reaches the highest point in the sky. © Vito Technology, Inc.

The Skull Nebula earns its spooky name from its oval shape and dark voids that resemble a skull. Although its magnitude is listed at around 8, it’s harder to spot than it may seem due to its large size and low surface brightness. To get the best view of NGC 246, wait until it’s high in the sky and use a telescope with at least a 200mm aperture.

Nebulae often take on shapes that remind us of things from Earth. Can you tell which is which? Take our quiz and match each nebula to its name just by its appearance!

Witch Head Nebula (NGC 1909)

  • Constellation: Eridanus
  • Brightness: 13
  • Where to see: both hemispheres
October is a great time to catch a glimpse of the reflection nebula NGC 1909 (the Witch Head Nebula) in the Northern Hemisphere, as it becomes well-seen this month. In the Southern Hemisphere, the Witch Head Nebula can be observed throughout most of the year. © Boomer 2da stars

The Witch Head Nebula earned its spooky nickname because its shape resembles the profile of a wicked witch. The Witch Head Nebula is quite large but faint, so you’ll need a 200–300mm wide-field telescope to capture the whole nebula in one frame.

Need more deep-sky objects to observe around Halloween? Check out our articles on the best DSOs in October and in November.

Halloween night sky: bottom line

The Halloween night sky holds countless cosmic treats, from twinkling stars to eerie nebulae. Whether you’re a seasoned astronomer or a curious beginner, there’s something up there to captivate you. With Star Walk 2 as your guide, you’ll be able to locate every celestial wonder that will leave you in awe. The universe is waiting, so gather your courage and reach for the stars!

Text Credit: Vito Technology, Inc.

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Star Walk
Star Walk

Written by Star Walk

Point your device at the sky and see what stars, constellations, and satellites you are looking at 🌌✨ https://starwalk.space

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