“When you look at Algol, it doesn’t appear any scarier than any other star,” astronomers at EarthSky.org note. “But in skylore, it’s tied to the Gorgon Medusa — the serpent-haired monster whose gaze could turn mortals to stone.” The name Algol itself comes from the Arabic “ra’s al-ghul,” meaning the demon’s head.
Modern stargazers can watch Algol’s eerie pulsation with the naked eye or capture it using a smartphone camera. You can use an Algol brightness prediction tool to find out when it will be at its dimmest.
October’s Sky Highlights
Here’s a guide to this month’s most spectacular celestial events:
- Oct. 1: The Milky Way’s brightest region is visible for several hours after dark. Find a moonless night and a dark location for the best view.
- Oct. 4: International Observe the Moon Night — global events celebrate Earth’s closest neighbor. Learn more at moon.nasa.gov/observe.
- Oct. 5: Saturn and the nearly full moon rise together in the east, separated by only two degrees.
- Oct. 6: The Harvest Supermoon peaks at 11:47 p.m. ET, offering the biggest and brightest full moon of 2025.
- Oct. 9: The moon passes through the Pleiades cluster, occulting several stars for about 2.5 hours — a binocular-worthy event.
- Oct. 19: A photogenic pairing — Venus and a waning crescent moon appear just four degrees apart at dawn, with Earthshine visible. The zodiacal light, a soft triangular glow, becomes visible in dark skies before sunrise.
- Oct. 20–21: The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks under dark skies, producing 10–20 meteors per hour.
- Oct. 24: The waxing crescent moon aligns with Antares, while Mercury and Mars hover low on the horizon — best viewed with binoculars.
Phases of the Moon
- Full Harvest Supermoon: Oct. 6–7
- Last Quarter: Oct. 13
- New Moon: Oct. 21
- First Quarter: Oct. 29
These phases shape ideal viewing conditions for different celestial sights — from meteors to faint star clusters.
Stargazing Resources
To plan your night sky adventures, download NASA’s 2025 Science Calendar or visit the Planetary Society’s 2025 Space Events Calendar. Both offer dates for upcoming astronomical events and missions. For personalized star maps, try an online custom star chart generator to match your location and time zone.
