The coming month brings shooting stars, pretty planets, and plenty more reasons to look up at the night sky. You’ll even have the chance to catch the eerie pyramid-shaped zodiacal light.

So dust off those binoculars and mark your October calendar!

Skywatchers this week get a chance to get their best view of the year of Mercury, the trickiest planet to spot with just your unaided eyes.

Check out the innermost planet in the solar system just after it passes its greatest elongation September 28, which is the farthest the planet can get from the sun from our vantage point on Earth. About 45 minutes before sunrise, hunt down the most challenging planet to see with the naked eye.

Mercury is the smallest major