{"id":786226,"date":"2026-09-29T09:46:13","date_gmt":"2026-09-29T09:46:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/786226\/"},"modified":"2026-09-29T09:46:13","modified_gmt":"2026-09-29T09:46:13","slug":"astrophotography-in-october-2026-last-call-for-shots-the-milky-way-as-we-welcome-longer-nights-and-see-saturn-at-its-best","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/786226\/","title":{"rendered":"Astrophotography in October 2026: last call for shots the Milky Way as we welcome longer nights and see Saturn at its best"},"content":{"rendered":"

October 2026 is a transitional month for astrophotographers<\/a>. Darkness arrives earlier, nights grow longer, and the sky becomes easier to work with again after summer’s compressed twilight. At the same time, the Milky Way\u2019s bright core is making its final appearances in the Northern Hemisphere\u2019s evening sky, marking the end of its most photogenic season. The month is anchored by Saturn at opposition, a well-timed new moon, the rise of a supermoon and the peak of the Orionid meteor shower \u2014 though the latter suffers from moonlight this year. Here\u2019s everything you need to know about astrophotography in October 2026:<\/p>\n

Read: 10 must-shoot events for astrophotographers in 2026<\/a><\/p>\n

October 3-13: Dark sky window<\/p>\n

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\"The
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(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

With new moon on October 10, the surrounding nights \u2014 from last quarter moon on 3 October through to a brightening crescent moon on 13 October \u2014 provide excellent dark-sky conditions (use a light pollution map<\/a> or find a Dark Sky Place<\/a> for maximum impact). This is essentially the final opportunity in 2026 to photograph the Milky Way\u2019s core from the Northern Hemisphere. The Galactic Center now sits low in the southwest after sunset and sets quickly, so timing is critical. Use a wide-angle lens (14\u201324mm), ISO 1600\u20133200 and exposures of 10-20 seconds. Because of its low altitude, atmospheric haze can reduce contrast, so seek out the darkest possible location with a clear horizon. Consider including a strong foreground to balance the composition or switch to shorter exposures for sharper detail.<\/p>\n

Latest Videos FromDigital Camera World<\/p>\n

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Read: The best star tracker camera mounts<\/a><\/p>\n

October 4: Saturn at opposition<\/p>\n

Saturn reaches opposition on October 4, meaning it is directly opposite the sun in the sky. Just like a full moon, it will rise in the east at sunset, remain visible all night, and set in the west at sunset. This is when the ringed planet is closest to Earth and at its brightest, making it the best time of the year to photograph it. While Saturn appears star-like to the naked eye, a telescope reveals its rings clearly. For imaging, use a telescope or a long-focal-length lens (800mm or more) and an astro or planetary camera to capture short video clips rather than single exposures. You can then stack frames from these videos in software to boost detail and reduce atmospheric distortion. Even under modest conditions, this technique can reveal ring structure. Practically speaking, a week either side of any planet\u2019s opposition is also perfect for close-ups.<\/p>\n

You may like<\/p>\n

Read: The best cameras for astrophotography<\/a><\/p>\n

October 6: Moon occults Jupiter<\/p>\n

During the early hours of Tuesday, Oct. 6, a roughly 20%-lit waning crescent moon will pass directly in front of Jupiter, causing the giant planet to disappear for up to about an hour for observers across much of eastern North America, according to In-The-Sky<\/a>. Exact times vary by location \u2014 Jupiter disappears at about 4:22 a.m. EDT in New York City, returning at 5:26 a.m. The planet will disappear behind the moon\u2019s lit side and emerge from its dark side. A small telescope may spot Jupiter\u2019s Galilean moons disappearing and reappearing around the planet.<\/p>\n

The best camera deals, reviews, product advice, and unmissable photography news, direct to your inbox!<\/p>\n

October 21-22: Orionid meteor shower<\/p>\n

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\"Perseid
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(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

The Orionid meteor shower peaks overnight on 21-22 October, but with a bright moon present, conditions are not ideal. Even so, brighter meteors may still be visible, particularly after moonset or when shooting away from the moon\u2019s glare.<\/p>\n

Use a wide-angle lens (14-24mm), ISO 800-1600 and 20-30 second exposures, shooting continuously for several hours. Position your camera away from the moon to maximise contrast. While results may be limited, the Orionids can still produce fast, bright streaks that stand out even under less-than-perfect conditions.<\/p>\n

Read: How to photograph a meteor shower<\/a><\/p>\n

What to read next<\/p>\n

October 26: Full \u2018Hunter\u2019s Moon\u2019 rises<\/p>\n

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\"Moon,\n<\/p>\n

Full moon, shot with Nikon D850<\/a> with 200-400mm f\/4. , (Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

October\u2019s full moon, known as the Hunter\u2019s Moon, turns full on October 25, but will be best seen rising on October 26 As with all full moons, the most photogenic moment is moonrise closest to sunset, when it appears large and takes on warm tones near the horizon \u2014 allowing photographers to capture it above a still-lit landscape. As a supermoon, albeit a small one, it will be slightly bigger and brighter than average.<\/p>\n

Use a telephoto lens (200-600mm) to capture detail or incorporate a foreground subject for scale. Because the moon is so bright, use low ISO and fast shutter speeds to avoid overexposure. Planning is essential \u2014 use tools like The Photographer’s Ephemeris<\/a> and PhotoPills<\/a> to align the moon with foreground element features (a tall building or a mountain) for maximum impact.<\/p>\n

Read: How to photograph the full moon<\/a><\/p>\n

Astrophotography shot of the month: Star trails<\/p>\n

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\"Star
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(Image credit: Getty Images)<\/p>\n

As the Milky Way season draws to a close, October is an excellent time to try a star trail<\/a>. Set up a wide-angle lens (14-24mm) on a tripod and take a sequence of 20-30 second exposures over several hours, using ISO 100-400 to minimise noise. You can then stack these images to create circular trails around the celestial pole or sweeping arcs across the sky. Alternatively, a single long exposure can work, though it risks overexposure in brighter conditions.<\/p>\n

Point your camera toward Polaris in the Northern Hemisphere to create concentric circles, or experiment with different directions for varied patterns. Include a strong foreground element to anchor the composition. Star trails are a great way to visualise Earth\u2019s rotation \u2014 and they\u2019re easy to create.<\/p>\n

Read more:<\/p>\n

\u2022 Astrophotography tools: the best camera, lenses and gear<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 The best lenses for astrophotography<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2022 The best star tracker camera mounts<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"October 2026 is a transitional month for astrophotographers. Darkness arrives earlier, nights grow longer, and the sky becomes…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":786227,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[6225,6485,6486,1120,96,56,54,55],"class_list":["post-786226","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-arts-and-design","tag-arts","tag-arts-and-design","tag-artsanddesign","tag-design","tag-entertainment","tag-uk","tag-united-kingdom","tag-unitedkingdom"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/786226","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=786226"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/786226\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/786227"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=786226"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=786226"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=786226"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}