October 31 Skywatch: Moon, Planets Align

The night sky in India will offer a chance for the sky watchers to enjoy multiple interesting celestial occurrences as the waning gibbous Moon gets very close to the bright star, Pollux, on October 31, 2026.

There will be multiple occurrences that can be observed from the night sky. This includes the appearance of the planets Mars, Jupiter, and Regulus in almost a straight line and the Moon very close to the star Pollux.

Moon and Pollux to Create a Bright Celestial Pair

One of the interesting things that will happen on October 31 is the appearance of the moon near the star called Pollux, which is the brightest star of Gemini.

This will be visible through the naked eye and will therefore make it easier for those people who do not have telescopes or other tools used in astronomy. This phenomenon will be visible mainly from late October 31 to the early hours of November 1 especially in most parts of Asia including India.

Pollux is an orange giant star and one of the recognizable stars of Gemini.

Mars, Jupiter and Regulus Form a Planetary Line-Up

Another important spectacle is the positioning of Mars, Jupiter, and Regulus in almost a straight line.

The trio will be positioned on almost a straight line among the constellations Cancer and Leo. The separation of the planets is about 5.6 degrees between Mars and Jupiter, and 5.8 degrees between Jupiter and Regulus.

This particular spectacle is most visible during nighttime and before the dawn as the celestial bodies are located farther up the eastern sky.

They are all visible even without any optical aid but for better visibility of the star field near them, binoculars are recommended.

What Time Should Stargazers Watch the Sky?

The recommended observing times for India are as follows:

Moon and Pollux: Late evening on October 31 and early morning of November 1.
Mars and Jupiter: After midnight and before dawn.
Saturn: Can be observed through the evening and most part of the night.
Uranus and Neptune: Can only be seen with the help of a telescope/binoculars.

The Moon will be in waning gibbous stage and is about 65% illuminated.

Tips for Better Stargazing

Astronomy lovers should pick places where there is no artificial light and structures blocking their views of the sky. Having the eyes acclimatize to dark conditions for around 20-30 minutes could help.

Telescopes and binoculars could be used to enjoy stargazing even more. Especially when looking at star clusters and celestial bodies far away. Weather conditions would also play a role in visibility.

Why October 31 Is Interesting for Astronomy Enthusiasts

The celestial phenomena provide a chance to observe the changing positions of the Moon, planets, and bright stars without necessitating any costly apparatus.

Though the planetary conjunction may not be physically occurring in the space but rather an alignment from Earth’s perspective, it still qualifies to be an exciting astronomy phenomenon.

With the Moon positioned near Pollux and Mars and Jupiter and Regulus aligned in the morning sky, October 31 gives skygazers in India enough reasons to gaze towards the skies.