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The Sky Today on Friday, October 23: Nab Neptune near the Moon
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The Sky Today on Friday, October 23: Nab Neptune near the Moon

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The solar system’s most distant planet shares the sky with the nearly Full Moon this evening, with Saturn standing nearby.

| Published: October 23, 2026

Late in the month, the Moon forms a triangle with Saturn and Neptune — note the latter requires binoculars or a telescope to spot. Credit: Astronomy: Roen Kelly

Looking for a sky event this week? Check out our full Sky This Week column.

October 22: Iapetus at superior conjunction

The nearly Full Moon passes 5° north of Neptune at 11 P.M. EDT, creating a celestial triangle with the ice giant and nearby gas giant Saturn. Our satellite and Neptune share the constellation Pisces, while Saturn floats in northwestern Cetus.

By early evening, the trio stands above the southeastern horizon, and by local midnight they are high in the south. Neptune is 4° south of (below) the Moon, while Saturn is 8° to our satellite’s southeast (left). Only the latter planet is visible to the naked eye, as Neptune requires binoculars or a telescope to view.…

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