From the Hunter's Moon to two meteor showers, there is so much to see in October's night sky.

Here are some things to look out for in the sky this month.

The moon

Phases for October are as follows:

  • New moon - September 25
  • First quarter - October 2
  • Hunter's Moon - October 9
    • This moon gets its name from those it aids, flooding fields with light to illuminate prey and make hunting easier.
  • Last quarter - October 17
  • New moon - October 25

The planets

Mercury will be coming back into visibility on October 9 and can be seen with the naked eye. It will be above the eastern horizon before sunrise.

The distant dwarf planet Eris will be in opposition (opposite the sun) on October 18. It will be bright but you will need equipment to spot it.

Mars, Saturn and Jupiter will be visible in the early evening sky.

Meteor showers

Draconids

Active between October 6 and 10, this shower will peak on October 8.

The full moon may cause low visibility.

Orionids

Active between September 26 and November 22, this shower will peak on October 21

The meteors will be bright and fast with glowing trains and some fireballs.

At their peak, there will be a rate of up to 25 meteors per hour.

Partial solar eclipse

On October 25 there will be a partial eclipse - when the moon, sun and earth do not perfectly align and the moon casts part of its shadow.

Lasting from 9am to 1pm, the moment of greatest eclipse will be at about 11am.