2026, October 29-31: Morning Moon Near Elnath and Pollux

October 29-31, 2026: Follow the waning gibbous moon through Taurus and Gemini before sunrise, with positions near Elnath, Castor, and Pollux.

Moon and Venus, 2020
Photo Caption – The crescent moon appears near Venus as the brilliant planet approaches the star Elnath.

by Jeffrey L. Hunt

Morning Moon, October 29-31, 2026
Chart Caption – 2026, October 29-31: The moon is high in the southwestern sky before sunrise in front of Taurus and Gemini.

Morning Moon Watch

The moon watch shifts to the morning sky as the lunar orb rises later each night, even with earlier sunsets. With later sunrises, the moon stands high in the sky against the bright star fields of Taurus and Gemini.

The Highlights

At one hour before sunrise, look high in the southwestern sky. Here are the highlights:

  • October 29: The bright gibbous moon, 86% illuminated, is over 50° above the west horizon. It is 2.6° to the lower right of Elnath, also known as Beta Tauri, the Bull’s northern horn.
  • October 30: The waning gibbous moon, 76% illuminated, is nearly 65° above the west-southwest horizon, over two-thirds of the way from the horizon to overhead. It is 12.5° to the upper left of Elnath and 16.5° to the lower right of Castor, one of the Gemini Twins.
  • October 31: The gibbous moon, 65% illuminated, is over 70° above the south-southwest horizon, 5.4° to the lower right of Pollux, the other Twin. This Halloween has no Full Moon as portrayed in seasonal images. The moon reaches the Last Quarter phase at 2:28 p.m. CST tomorrow, after it sets across most of North America.

Watch the moon appear farther eastward each morning as it moves from in front of Taurus toward the Gemini Twins. In a week, it appears near Venus as the Morning Star enters the east-southeastern sky before sunrise.

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