How to spot JWST, Voyager 1, and more legendary spacecraft in the night sky this October

Thousands of advanced spacecraft have been sent on bold missions to gaze down on our planet, discover the wonders of our star's domain, or journey into the intergalactic realm beyond it, in the last seven decades. Through imagery and scientific data, these spacecraft significantly changed our perception of the planet we live on. Here is where to find the James Webb Space Telescope and other famous spacecraft in October's night sky, as per Space.com.

James Webb Space Telescope

The James Webb Space Telescope, which is on a mission to unravel the mysteries surrounding the creation and evolution of the cosmos, was launched on Christmas Day in 2021. Among other tasks, the JWST captures light from the early universe and observes the formation of stars.

During October, the JWST spacecraft is located 5 degrees below the Pleiades star. As the month wears on, it travels closer to Aldebaran and other stars of the Taurus constellation.

The red star Aldebaran is halfway up the eastern sky above the Orion constellation stars around midnight in October.

NASA's Parker Solar Probe

NASA's Parker Solar Probe flew through the sun's outer atmosphere on April 28, 2021. The PSP’s responsibility is to learn about the plasma and magnetic field dynamics that drive the solar wind.

With a clear view of the horizon, the Parker Solar Probe can be located low in the southwestern sky at sunset in October. The PSP is almost 5 degrees to the upper left of Antares, a red supergiant star. The Ophiuchus constellation is above Antares, and the Sagittarius constellation is to its left.

The Juno spacecraft

The Juno spacecraft, which reached Jupiter’s orbit in 2016, is tasked with collecting data on the gas giant and its diverse moons. Look for the Juno spacecraft in orbit around Jupiter, which must be located in the lower right of the stars Castor and Pollux from the Gemini constellation.

NASA's New Horizons spacecraft

Launched in January 2006, NASA's New Horizons spacecraft was the first human-made object to visit Pluto in July 2015. New Horizons, which also studied the Kuiper Belt object Arrokoth in 2019, is currently gathering heliophysics data while en route to interstellar space.

To find New Horizons, you must locate the "teapot" asterism at the center of the Sagittarius constellation above the southern horizon after sunset in October.

Voyager 1

After its tour of Jupiter and Saturn, Voyager 1 became the first spacecraft to enter interstellar space in August 2012. Voyager 1 is halfway along the imaginary line that connects the binary star system Rasalhague of the Ophiuchus constellation and Kappa Ophiuchi.

FAQs

When was the James Webb Space Telescope launched?

The James Webb Space Telescope was launched on Christmas Day in 2021.

When did the Juno spacecraft reach Jupiter’s orbit?

The Juno spacecraft reached Jupiter’s orbit in 2016.

What is the Parker Solar Probe doing?

The PSP is learning about the plasma and magnetic field dynamics that drive the solar wind.