For more than seven decades, humankind’s quest for knowledge has reached beyond Earth through the launch of thousands of spacecraft. These remarkable machines have helped us understand our planet, explore the solar system, and even peer into interstellar space. This October, sky-watchers can trace where some of these legendary explorers, both near and far, reside across the night sky.
James Webb Space Telescope (JWST)
Launched on Christmas Day in 2021, the James Webb Space Telescope continues to revolutionize astronomy from its vantage point 1.46 million km from Earth at Lagrange Point 2. To locate its region in the night sky this month, gaze toward Aldebaran, the red giant in the Taurus constellation, around midnight. Above it glimmers the Pleiades star cluster. Webb sits about five degrees below that misty group of stars, too faint to see directly, yet powerfully observing the cosmos.
Parker Solar Probe
NASA’s Parker Solar Probe became the first spacecraft to “touch” the Sun in April 2021. Today, it speeds through the inner solar system at millions of kilometers from Earth. To spot its general area, look low in the southwestern sky just after sunset. Find Antares in Scorpius, then shift your gaze about five degrees to the upper left, where the constellation Ophiuchus gleams above. There, Parker continues its daring solar dance.
Juno Spacecraft
Orbiting Jupiter since 2016, Juno remains over 464 million miles from Earth. To find where it orbits, rise early this month and look toward the Gemini constellation. The twin stars Castor and Pollux shine brightly before dawn, with Jupiter glowing steadily to their lower right as a brilliant “morning star.” Invisible to the naked eye, Juno circles the gas giant, sending back breathtaking data about its storms and structure.
New Horizons Spacecraft
Launched in 2006 and famous for its Pluto flyby in 2015, New Horizons now drifts more than 5.88 billion miles from home. After sunset, direct your eyes toward the southern horizon to find the Sagittarius constellation—its “teapot” shape easy to recognize. From dark locations, the Milky Way’s bright band pours from the teapot’s “spout,” along the path where New Horizons continues its lonely journey into the Kuiper Belt.
Voyager 1
The trailblazer of interstellar exploration, Voyager 1 holds the record as the farthest human-made object, now over 15.7 billion miles from Earth. Look near the western horizon after sunset for the Ophiuchus constellation. The star Rasalhague marks its highest point, with Kappa Ophiuchi glowing lower right. Voyager 1’s estimated direction lies midway between these two stellar beacons, a tiny reminder of how far human curiosity has traveled.
Even though these spacecraft are invisible to the naked eye, knowing where they dwell connects us to their missions. Each one, from Webb’s cosmic gaze to Voyager’s interstellar trek, continues to redefine our understanding of the universe, and our place within it.
