Look up on a clear October night and you’re not just gazing at stars—you’re peering into the live orbits and far-flung destinations of some of humanity’s most incredible space explorers. From the cutting-edge James Webb Space Telescope to the legendary Voyager 1 probe that has ventured beyond our solar system, these silent travelers tell a story of discovery, curiosity, and the boundless reach of science. Though you can’t see them with your eyes alone, knowing where to find them in the night sky adds a thrilling new dimension to stargazing.
As a senior editor passionate about astronomy and space exploration, I’ve mapped out where you can find the James Webb Telescope and probes like Voyager, Juno, New Horizons, and the Parker Solar Probe this October. Join me for a cosmic tour that connects us to the universe in real time.
Where to find the James Webb Space Telescope this October
The James Webb Space Telescope (JWST) is often called the crown jewel of modern astronomy. Launched in late 2021, JWST peers billions of light-years into space, capturing the faint glow of galaxies formed shortly after the Big Bang—virtually letting us look back in time.
Locating JWST in the night sky requires a bit of imagination. This month, the telescope drifts near the familiar stars Aldebaran and the Pleiades cluster in Taurus. Aldebaran is a bright, reddish star appearing just above Orion the Hunter’s shoulder, and the jewel-like Pleiades star cluster sparkles a little higher up. The telescope hovers roughly five degrees below the Pleiades, slowly moving toward Aldebaran as October progresses.
Though the JWST itself is far too dim and distant to spot with the naked eye, if you have access to a quality telescope, you can aim your lens at this celestial neighborhood to get a sense of where this world’s most powerful space observatory is studying the distant universe.
Tracking the iconic Voyager, Juno, and New Horizons probes
In October’s sky, several historic and ongoing missions are within reach of amateur astronomers’ imagination.
Voyager 1, launched in 1977, is the most distant human-made object, having crossed into interstellar space over a decade ago. This probe, now more than 15.5 billion miles from Earth, continues transmitting data back to NASA and carries the famed Golden Record—a time capsule including greetings, images, and music meant for any extraterrestrial intelligence.
You can trace Voyager’s position within the constellation Ophiuchus, appearing just above the western horizon shortly after sunset in October. Though the probe is invisible, its ongoing journey inspires awe about humanity’s reach beyond our solar system.
Meanwhile, Juno, orbiting Jupiter since 2016, continues unlocking secrets about the gas giant’s atmosphere, magnetic field, and moons. In the pre-dawn sky this October, look toward the Gemini constellation—home to the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Jupiter itself shines as the brightest object in that stretch of sky, and Juno silently loops around it some 465 million miles away.
New Horizons, famous for its groundbreaking Pluto flyby and continued trek through the Kuiper Belt, is over 5.8 billion miles from our planet. To imagine where it cruises, cast your eyes toward Sagittarius, whose shape has been nicknamed the “cosmic teapot.” New Horizons lurks just above the teapot’s handle, near the star Pi Sagittarii.
The Parker Solar Probe: humanity’s closest visitor to the Sun
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe is an engineering marvel designed to dive repeatedly into the Sun’s corona. Since its launch in 2018, Parker has pushed closer to our star than any previous mission, unveiling clues about solar winds and magnetic storms that influence space weather—and sometimes even disrupt life on Earth.
This October, the probe can be located “low” on the southwestern horizon, tucked near the brilliant, reddish star Antares in the constellation Scorpius. Though Parker is physically “just” about 91 million miles from Earth, it’s blazing new trails well inside the Sun’s atmosphere, making it one of the most exciting missions of our time.
Why tracking these spacecraft matters
It’s easy to feel dwarfed beneath a vast night sky. But when you realize that artifacts of human ingenuity are out there—hundreds of millions to billions of miles away, sending data, exploring, and surviving the harshest of environments—it connects us to a legacy of exploration and scientific progress.
According to a 2023 report from NASA’s Office of Planetary Science, “The sustained study and observation of space beyond Earth’s orbit shapes not only our understanding of the solar system but also protects technology and life on Earth through monitoring space weather.” Knowing where these spacecraft are situates us in that unfolding story.
For an immersive experience, explore this video overview of the James Webb Telescope’s mission and current observations:
Seeing the night sky through this lens rewires stargazing from passive observation to active discovery. These probes represent the curiosity and tenacity that define us as a species—forever reaching for the unknown.
Have you ever tried to spot any of these spacecraft or planets in the night sky? Share your experiences or questions in the comments below—let’s celebrate the wonders of space exploration together! And if you found this guide helpful, be sure to share it with fellow star enthusiasts.