October 18, 2026: Find Jupiter and Mars before sunrise, Saturn after sunset, and Uranus near the Pleiades. See the moon phase and observing tips for October.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 7:07 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 6:04 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Almanac for Sun, Moon, and Planets
Sun, Moon
Sun: At Chicago’s latitude, daylight spans 10 hours, 57 minutes, compared to 11 hours, 29 minutes in Miami. At this season, more southerly locations have more daylight than more northerly latitudes. For example, Anchorage has 9 hours, 46 minutes of daylight. The sun is overhead at local noon at 10° south latitude. South of the equator, daylight spans 13 hours, 7 minutes in Auckland compared to 11 hours, 10 minutes in Nashville. Both cities are nearly equidistant from the equator.
Moon: The moon is at the evening half-full phase (First Quarter) at 11:13 a.m. CDT before it rises in the western hemisphere. An hour after sunset, the lunar orb, 53% illuminated, is nearly 25° above the south horizon. Look carefully at the moon. Notice that the terminator — the day/night line — is slightly bowed, indicating that the phase is slightly gibbous. However, this is the night of the First Quarter moon.
Inner Planets
Mercury: The Elusive Planet retreats into bright twilight after a disappointing apparition for sky watchers at the mid-northern latitudes. It sets only 45 minutes after sundown.
Venus: The Evening Star is ending its evening appearance with inferior conjunction in five days. The planet reappears in the eastern morning sky later next month. This evening, it sets during bright twilight.
Bright Outer Planets
Jupiter and Mars: The planets are in the southeastern sky before sunrise. At 60 minutes before daybreak, bright Jupiter is halfway from the east-southeast horizon to overhead. It slowly rambles eastward in front of Leo, 7.6° to Regulus’ upper right, the Lion’s brightest star. The planet is brighter than all the stars in the sky until Venus reappears. Hold a binocular steadily to see its four largest moons. The planet’s cloud bands, whipped parallel to the planet’s equator, and the Great Red Spot are visible through a telescope.
Mars is over 10° to Jupiter’s upper right. It marches eastward in front of Cancer, 4.0° to the Beehive star cluster’s lower left. Both easily fit into the same binocular field of view. Mars is overtaking Jupiter before their conjunction on November 16.
Saturn: The Ringed Wonder passed opposition earlier this month. Earth was between the planet and the sun. An hour after sunset, it is over 15° above the east-southeast horizon. While not as bright as Jupiter, it is the brightest starlike body in the region. Saturn slowly retrogrades in front of Cetus. The planet is ideally placed for evening telescopic viewing, especially with earlier sunsets and comfortable autumn weather at the mid-northern latitudes. The planet’s clouds are more subtle than Jupiter’s, but the rings, now tilted about 10°, are easily visible through a telescope. Saturn is south before local midnight, setting in the west during early morning twilight.
Faint Outer Planets
Uranus: The Tilted Planet is near the Pleiades star cluster. Through a binocular, inspect the star cluster; then move it to the right edge of the field of view. Stars 32 and 33 Tauri (32 Tau, 33 Tau) are near the center of the field, while stars 37 and 39 Tauri (37 Tau, 39 Tau) are farther westward. Stars 32, 33, and 39 Tauri are about the same brightness as Uranus. The planet is near the left edge of the field. Once aquamarine Uranus is located, move it toward the center of the field of view.
Neptune: The Distant Planet is about 10° to the west of Saturn. Tonight’s moonlight washes out any attempt to locate this world through a binocular.
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