Here’s a more detailed, night-by-night and object-by-object look at what you could see in the mid-October (around Oct 12) sky from Hazleton, PA. Use a sky app (Stellarium, SkySafari, etc.) or a local star chart to help you orient.
Key events & highlights (October 2025)
These set the stage for what will be visible during your week of interest.
| Event | Date(s) | Notes / relevance for mid-October |
|---|---|---|
| Supermoon / Full Moon (“Harvest Moon”) | Oct 6 | The Moon is near perigee, so it’s especially bright. Its lingering brightness can wash out fainter objects early in the month. (NASA Science) |
| Draconid meteor shower | Oct 6–10 (peak ~Oct 8) | A minor shower, but in 2025 some models predict a possible “outburst” of fainter meteors (mostly visible by radar) (arXiv) |
| Moon–Jupiter conjunction | Oct 14 | The Moon (waning) will appear close to Jupiter in the sky — a nice viewing/photograph opportunity. (Time and Date) |
| Orionid meteor shower | Oct 20–21 (active late Oct) | The radiant lies in Orion, and the peak will be near a New Moon, giving dark skies. (NASA Science) |
| Comets visible / approaching | Late October | Two comets are predicted to become visible: C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) and C/2025 R2 (SWAN). Their brightest period will be later in October. (Astronomy) |
During October 12–16, you’re in the transitional window: the Moon is past full and will be waning, so its interference is decreasing. The Orionid shower hasn’t peaked yet, but some early meteors might be visible. The comets are not yet at their brightest, but may start entering easier view (with optics) as time goes on.
Planet visibility — what and when to look
According to timeanddate’s simulation for Hazleton: (Time and Date)
| Planet | Best time to see it | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mercury | Very shortly after sunset, very near horizon | It sets quickly, making it challenging to see. (Time and Date) |
| Venus | Just before sunrise, very low | It is close to the Sun, so it won’t last long in the sky. (Time and Date) |
| Mars | Just after sunset, low in the west | It sets early, so your window is brief. (Time and Date) |
| Jupiter | Late night / early morning, rising around 11 pm+ | It becomes better placed toward dawn. (Time and Date) |
| Saturn | Visible from soon after dark and through much of the night | It’s among the easier-to-spot bright planets in evening to late night. (Time and Date) |
| Uranus / Neptune | Late evening into early morning | Very faint; binoculars or a telescope will help. (Time and Date) |
Also from the KenPress 2025 Sky Chart (for October):
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- Mars is in Libra and sets shortly after sunset. (kenpress.com)
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- Jupiter is in Gemini, rising late. (kenpress.com)
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- Saturn is in Aquarius and remains visible until early morning. (kenpress.com)
So, a good evening plan: scan the southern / southeastern sky for Saturn, then later (past midnight) turn east/northeast to catch Jupiter and possibly the Moon conjunction.
Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) & C/2025 R2 (SWAN)
C/2025 A6 (Lemmon)
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- A non-periodic comet with estimated period ~1,150–1,350 years. (Wikipedia)
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- It will reach perihelion on November 8, 2025. (Wikipedia)
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- In early October, it had brightness ~ magnitude 6–7 (on the faint end for naked eye), but improved forecasts suggest it may approach magnitude 3.5–4 near its closest approach to Earth (~Oct 21). (Wikipedia)
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- During mid-October, it may be visible with binoculars or small telescopes, especially under dark skies, in regions of Ursa Major / heading toward Leo Minor. (Wikipedia)
C/2025 R2 (SWAN)
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- This comet is newer in the news and approaches Earth around Oct 20. (Wikipedia)
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- It’s expected to brighten and might become visible with binoculars or naked eye under good conditions. (The Washington Post)
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- Because its best viewing time comes later in October, in your mid-Oct week it’ll be faint and low; you may begin to see hints of it with optics. (Time and Date)
If you plan to chase comets, those are your two main targets. Use a star chart app to help point your scope/binoculars to the right region of sky.
Meteor showers: what to expect
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- Draconids (Oct 6–10, peak ~Oct 8)
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- For mid-October (Oct 12 onward), this shower is essentially done. (NASA Science)
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- However, if there’s residual activity or lingering faint meteors, they’ll be very dim and few.
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- Draconids (Oct 6–10, peak ~Oct 8)
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- Orionids (active mid to late October, peak Oct 20–21)
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- Radiant: in Orion, roughly north-northeast to east after midnight. (Wikipedia)
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- You might catch some “early” Orionids in your week, especially after midnight, though rates will be lower than at peak. (Voyageurs Conservancy)
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- Because the Moon will be waning (getting thinner) during your week, moonlight interference decreases, improving your chance to see fainter meteors.
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- Orionids (active mid to late October, peak Oct 20–21)
If you want the best chance to see meteors, aim for nights as late as possible in your window (closer to Oct 16), after midnight, and get away from city lights.
Night-by-night sketch (Oct 12–16 approximate)
Here’s a rough “tour” for each evening (times are approximate local times, EDT):
| Evening | Early Evening | Midnight & Beyond | Notes / what to watch |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 12 | Saturn rising in southeast; Mars low in west soon after sunset; Mercury very low, tough to see | Jupiter rises around midnight; Moon (waning gibbous) high in east | Good night to scan for Saturn and constellations |
| Oct 13 | Saturn well up; Mars nearly gone; Mercury gone | Moon & Jupiter appear near each other (conjunction) after midnight | Conjunction is a highlight — bright pairing |
| Oct 14 | Moon–Jupiter still relatively close in early night; Saturn dominating south | Jupiter climbs higher; possibly fainter stars emerge | Use binoculars to pick out dimmer background stars |
| Oct 15 | Moon moves away but still present; Saturn still strong | Start scanning near Orion for early Orionids; Jupiter high | Darker sky helps visibility of faint objects |
| Oct 16 | Moon much thinner; Saturn still visible until late | Jupiter dominates east/northeast; Orion region good for meteors | Better night for catching faint meteors & comets |
As the week progresses, the Moon’s illumination shrinks, which is favorable for deep sky observing (galaxies, nebulae, comets). So later nights will be increasingly rewarding.
Constellations & deep-sky targets
Here are some of the more accessible or beautiful things to look for:
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- Pegasus / the Great Square: a prominent autumn asterism climbing the sky in the east/southeast after dusk.
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- Andromeda Galaxy (M31): use the Great Square and Cassiopeia to guide your way; on a moonless night, it appears as a faint smear to the naked eye or easily in binoculars.
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- Cassiopeia: that distinctive “W” shape is high in the sky and great for orientation.
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- Perseus, Taurus, Auriga, Gemini: rise in the east/northeast as night deepens.
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- Double Cluster (in Perseus) and Pleiades (in Taurus) are nice binocular / small telescope targets.
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- Dim galaxies and nebulae become more accessible as the nights get darker (especially later in your window).