New York State Drinking Testosterone 👌: A new moon, the Orionid meteor shower and a cosmic footrace: Oct. 20

Monday, October 20, 2025

A new moon, the Orionid meteor shower and a cosmic footrace: Oct. 20 - 26

Orionid meteors brighten the sky as Mercury meets Mars on the southwestern horizon

Created for znamenski.spacecom@blogger.com | Web Version

October 20, 2025

Just Look Up!

What's Up This Week?

Hello skywatchers!

Get ready for another action packed week! The beautifully dark nights surrounding this month's new moon phase will provide the perfect backdrop in which to hunt for shooting stars as the Orionid meteor shower peaks early on Oct. 21. The southwestern horizon, meanwhile, will act as the stage for a dramatic footrace between Mercury and Mars, though you'll need to be quick to spot the fleet-footed solar system pairing before they disappear from sight! The lengthening mid-October nights are also a perfect time to see the stellar dolphin of the Delphinus constellation frolic overhead through the southern night sky close to the bright star Altair, as cometary visitors brighten the sky nearby.

Here's what to watch for this week.

Clear skies,

Anthony Wood, Skywatching Writer, Space.com

A simulation of the night sky for Oct. 20 at sunset. The image shows the path of Mercury represented by a line as it passes below Mars over several nights in mid-October

(Starry Night)

Monday, Oct. 20 — Mercury Passes Mars (Evening)

The week surrounding Oct. 20 will see the planet Mercury sprint past the red light of Mars in the night sky. Look to the southwestern horizon shortly after the sun sets to find the two solar system planets separated by just a few degrees as twilight sets in.

Full Story: Space (10/1)

A simulation of the night sky for the early hours of Oct. 21, showing the location of the radiant for the Orion meteor shower close to the constellation Orion in the night sky.

(Starry Night)

Tuesday, Oct. 21 — The Orionid Meteor Show Peak Begins (Before Dawn)

The Orionid meteor shower peak begins in the early morning hours of Oct. 21, as Earth's orbit carries it through the densest region of the debris field shed by Halley's Comet. As many as 10-20 shooting stars may be seen brightening the sky during the peak, travelling away from the constellation Orion.

Full Story: Space (10/1)

A simulation of the night sky showing the moon to the lower right of the sun, close to the stars of the constellation Virgo.

Tuesday, Oct. 21 — The New Moon

The moon reaches its new moon phase at 8:25 a.m. EDT (1225 GMT) on Oct. 21, when it will be positioned between the Earth and sun in the constellation Virgo. The lunar disk is lost from sight in the daytime sky around this time, with its far side illuminated by sunlight and its nearside bathed in shadow.

Full Story: Space (10/1)

A smiulation of the night sky for Oct. 23 showing the crescent moon forming a line formation with Mercury and Mars above the southwestern horizon. The stars of the constellation Libra shine above, connected by a blue line.

(Starry Night)

Thursday, Oct. 23 — The Crescent Moon With Mercury and Mars (After Sunset)

Look to the southwestern horizon soon after sunset on Oct. 23 to see the slender crescent moon form a line with Mercury and Mars close to its right. You'll need a clear view of the horizon to catch the solar system formation shine in the twilight sky before it slips from sight.

Full Story: Space (10/1)

A simulation of the night sky for Oct. 24 showing the moon below the bright star Antares in the constellation Scorpius above the southwestern horizon.

(Starry Night)

Friday, Oct. 24 — The Moon Meets Antares (After Sunset)

The crescent moon will appear close to the red supergiant star Antares at sunset on Oct. 24. Once again you'll need a clear view of the southwestern horizon to spot the star shine with the lunar sickle amongst the stars of the constellation Scorpio before it follows the sun out of sight.

Full Story: Space (10/1)

A simulation of the October night sky showing the positions of the stars in the constellation Delphinus joined by a blue line.

(Starry Night)

Sunday, Oct. 26 — A Celestial Dolphin Takes To A Sea of Stars (All Night)

Sunday is a great time to spot a diamond of magnitude +4.0 stars representing a celestial dolphin swimming through the southern sky to the upper left of the bright star Altair.

Full Story: Space (10/1)

Moon Calendar

Notable Moon Phase This Week: The New Moon

This month's new moon phase is set to occur at 8:25 a.m. EDT on Oct. 21, when the unlit form of the lunar disk will pass between Earth and the sun, hidden from our view in the daytime sky. The dark nights surrounding the October new moon phase are a perfect opportunity to explore faint, deep sky objects such as the Orion Nebula and Andromeda Galaxy. It's also the ideal time to hunt brilliant shooting stars from the Orionid meteor shower, the peak of which begins in the early hours of Oct. 21, when up to 10-20 meteors may be seen streaking across the night sky each hour.

Want to explore more? Check out our ultimate guide to observing the moon for tips and tools to get the most out of each phase.

Full Story: Space (2/22)