Stargazing Under the Halloween Night Sky: Uncover Spooky Celestial Wonders
What could be more thrilling than spending Halloween under the stars, gazing into the eerie depths of space? The universe hides secrets more terrifying than any horror tale: stars flickering like winking demons, gigantic cosmic spiders, blazing fireballs... Curious to uncover them all? Grab the Star Walk 2 app, your ultimate guide to the night sky this Halloween, and dare to explore the cosmos!
Contents
- A Halloween stargazing tale
- Halloween night sky in 2025: what to see?
- Halloween night sky: bottom line
A Halloween stargazing tale
On Halloween night, venture far from the city’s lights, into the dark, quiet countryside. The sky above will stretch out like an endless void, dotted with stars that flicker like hidden eyes watching your every move. Pull on your thickest coat. It’s going to be a long, cold night…
Don't go alone. Let your friends join – there’s safety in numbers.
Candy will be passed around, sweet relief in the eerie stillness. But beware of sticky hands – you’ll want to keep your lenses clean, and your equipment ready for what the night might show you. No smudges on the scope. The sky will offer no second chances.
The stars will call to you, a cosmic maze waiting to pull you in. But don't get lost – pull up the Star Walk 2 app, guiding you through the vast, haunted expanse. With this guide at your side, you won't be frightened by the ominous crimson glow of a scarlet star. Fearlessly point your phone at it and discover: it's no lurking demon, but the star Aldebaran. Even the most mystical of celestial events won't catch you off guard: just check the app's calendar, and the future will be revealed before your eyes.
By the end of the night, the fear will turn into wonder. You will have stared into the universe’s deepest mysteries and emerged smiling. “In the end,” you’ll say, “it’s all just for fun.”
Halloween night sky in 2025: what to see?
Halloween treats for all levels
Here you'll find the cosmic wonders anyone can see – no telescope needed. Just open your eyes and gaze into the haunting beauty of the night sky!
Halloween Moon
Some people call the October Full Moon the Halloween Moon because it occurs close to the holiday. However, this year’s Full Moon falls on October 7, well before Halloween. The next Full Moon to fall on Halloween night won’t be until 2039.
On October 31, the Moon will be in its waxing gibbous phase, a little more than half-lit. It’s a perfectly eerie sight for the holiday – half-bright, half-dark, as if wearing a mysterious mask. What to expect from it? Does it bring good or evil? The only thing we know for sure is that this “half-lit face” is spectacular! If you have a telescope, take a closer look at the illuminated part – you’ll see craters and lunar seas standing out.
Halloween Comet Lemmon
This Halloween, from October 31 to November 1, Comet C/2025 A6 (Lemmon) reaches its peak brightness! The comet is visiting us from the distant edges of our Solar System – a truly otherworldly sight.
Look for Comet Lemmon just after sunset, low above the western horizon in the constellation Ophiuchus. If you need a guide, find the bright star Unukalhai (mag 2.6) – the comet will shine about a fist’s width (9°) to its west. It should be visible to the naked eye under dark skies, both from the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Check out our article on Comet C/2025 A6 Lemmon to get the most detailed instructions on how to observe it.
Halloween meteor showers – Taurids & Orionids
At the end of October, two spectacular meteor showers occur: the Taurids and the Orionids.
The Orionids have already peaked on October 21, but will remain active until November 7. They are known for their fast-moving meteors that often leave glowing trails across the sky. Look for the bright “hunter's arrows” streaking across the sky.
The Taurids are usually a less active meteor shower, but they’re famous for their sudden outbursts and for producing bright bolides known as “Halloween fireballs.” This meteor shower has two branches: the Northern and Southern Taurids. The Southern Taurids reach an increased activity on October 12-13, while the main peak is on November 4-5. The Northern Taurids peak on November 11-12.
Although there is no peak on Halloween night itself, you may still be able to spot some bright Orionid and Taurid meteors if the sky is clear. To learn more about October's meteor showers, read our dedicated article.
The Watching Giants of Halloween Night – Jupiter & Saturn
Two bright giants, Jupiter and Saturn, are keeping an eye on you this Halloween night – but don’t worry, they’re far too distant to be dangerous. Still, they’re close enough to put on a dazzling show.
Jupiter (mag -2.3) will dominate the sky all night long, shining near the twin stars of Gemini. Meanwhile, Saturn (mag 0.9) glows in Aquarius, best seen during the first half of the night beside the Moon’s haunting half-lit face.
Both planets are easily visible to the naked eye, but if you have a telescope, the view becomes unforgettable: observe Saturn’s delicate rings and pale bands as well as Jupiter’s swirling clouds and Great Red Spot – its famous “cyclopean eye.”
So, if these cosmic giants are watching you – why not watch them back?
Betelgeuse
- Constellation: Orion
- Brightness: from 0.0 to 1.6 (variable)
- Where to see: both hemispheres
Don't say this star's name three times... or dare you? Tim Burton's horror-comedy character is directly inspired by this red supergiant star, Betelgeuse. Aside from its name, the star fascinates stargazers because it's destined to go supernova – possibly in our lifetime. We discuss more about Betelgeuse's potential supernova in our article. But even if we don't get to witness a supernova, Betelgeuse is a stunning sight in its own right.
Algol, the Demon Star
- Constellation: Perseus
- Brightness: from 2.1 to 3.4 (variable)
- Where to see: Northern Hemisphere
The star’s name Algol comes from the Arabic "Al-Ghul," which means ghoul. In Greek tradition, the constellation Perseus was once known as Perseus and Medusa's Head, with Algol representing part of Medusa's head, earning the title "the first star of the Gorgon". In Hebrew folklore, Algol was called "Satan's Head", while in the 16th century, it was known as "the Spectre's Head" in Latin.
Algol's eerie reputation may stem from its mysterious tendency to dim and brighten in just a few hours, a phenomenon that you can observe with the naked eye. At its brightest, Algol shines three times more intensely than at its faintest. Today, we know that Algol is actually two stars, and this spooky behavior happens when the dimmer star, Algol B, passes in front of the brighter Algol A, creating what astronomers call an eclipsing binary. The cycle repeats with clockwork regularity every 2 days, 20 hours and 49 minutes.
Trickier treats: deep-sky objects
In this chapter, we explore celestial treasures unseen by mortal eyes. Grab your magic lenses – binoculars or a telescope – and uncover the hidden wonders of the cosmos.
Coalsack Nebula (Caldwell 99)
- Constellation: Crux
- Visibility: naked eye
- Where to see: Southern Hemisphere
While most nebulae glow, the Coalsack Nebula is a dark patch of emptiness that cuts through the Milky Way’s bright river of stars. Spanning about 5° by 7°, this striking black void is located in the constellation Crux and stretches into Centaurus and Musca. Its mysterious darkness has fascinated people for centuries. The Incas saw it as a wound in the Milky Way kicked open by an angry god. Australian Aboriginal lore describes it as the head of a celestial emu whose body follows the Milky Way across the sky. Best of all, the Coalsack Nebula is visible to the naked eye under clear, dark skies in the Southern Hemisphere.
Tarantula Nebula (NGC 2070)
- Constellation: Dorado
- Visibility: binoculars
- Brightness: 8
- Where to see: Southern Hemisphere
The nebula gets its name from the arrangement of its bright spots, which resemble the legs of a tarantula. Taking the name of one of the largest spiders on Earth is quite fitting, as the nebula spans nearly 1,000 light-years – such a giant might just give you a case of cosmic arachnophobia!
The Owl Nebula (M97)
- Constellation: Ursa Major
- Visibility: binoculars
- Brightness: 9.9
- Where to see: Northern Hemisphere
In the depths of space, a celestial owl watches over us, gliding silently through the cosmos. The Owl Nebula can be seen with 20×80 binoculars and small telescopes, but you'll need a perfectly dark sky and be prepared that it will only look like a faint ball of light. To see its owl-like eyes, you'll need a telescope at least 10 inches in diameter.
Phantom Galaxy (M74)
- Constellation: Pisces
- Visibility: binoculars
- Brightness: 9.4
- Where to see: both hemispheres
The Phantom Galaxy truly lives up to its name – a vast, faint spiral galaxy with a hazy core wrapped in mist-like arms. Its low surface brightness makes it one of the most challenging Messier objects for amateur observers. A dark sky is necessary to spot its faint arms and hazy central region. Large binoculars or small telescopes are best for observing its spiral because they provide a wider field of view. A sight for real celestial ghostbusters!
Skull Nebula (NGC 246)
- Constellation: Cetus
- Visibility: telescope
- Brightness: 8
- Where to see: both hemispheres
The Skull Nebula earns its spooky name from its oval shape and dark voids that resemble a skull. Although its magnitude is listed at around 8, it's harder to spot than it may seem due to its large size and low surface brightness. To get the best view of NGC 246, wait until it's high in the sky and use a telescope with at least a 200mm aperture.
Nebulae often take on shapes that remind us of things from Earth. Can you tell which is which? Take our quiz and match each nebula to its name just by its appearance!
Ghost of Jupiter (NGC 3242)
- Constellation: Hydra
- Visibility: telescope
- Brightness: 8.6
- Where to see: Both hemispheres (better south)
Don’t be fooled by the nickname – NGC 3242 isn’t a planet but a planetary nebula. It is nicknamed this way because its apparent size and slightly oval shape resemble the planet Jupiter when viewed through a small telescope. It glows with a bluish-green hue around a dying white dwarf. Well-seen in October and November, this compact nebula shows layered structure and halo detail in larger telescopes, making it a captivating target for anyone exploring the depths of the night sky.
Ghost Nebula (Sh2-136)
- Constellation: Cepheus
- Visibility: telescope
- Brightness: 10
- Where to see: Northern Hemisphere
The Ghost Nebula is a reflection nebula located around 1,200 light-years away. It features dusty tendrils and embedded young stars that give it an eerie, spectre-like appearance. Found near the Iris Nebula in Cepheus, it’s best viewed when the constellation is high overhead, from August through November. This is also an impressive target for astrophotography – under dark, clear skies, you might capture the ghostly shapes softly glowing in red and brown tones.
Witch Head Nebula (NGC 1909)
- Constellation: Eridanus
- Visibility: telescope
- Brightness: 13
- Where to see: both hemispheres
The Witch Head Nebula earned its spooky nickname because its shape resembles the profile of a wicked witch. The Witch Head Nebula is quite large but faint, so you'll need a 200-300mm wide-field telescope to capture the whole nebula in one frame.
Need more deep-sky objects to observe around Halloween? Check out our articles on the best DSOs in October and in November.
Halloween night sky: bottom line
The Halloween night sky holds countless cosmic treats, from twinkling stars to eerie nebulae. Whether you're a seasoned astronomer or a curious beginner, there's something up there to captivate you. With Star Walk 2 as your guide, you'll be able to locate every celestial wonder that will leave you in awe. The universe is waiting, so gather your courage and reach for the stars!
