October has an unmistakable attraction that captures hearts all across the world with its vibrant shades of red, orange, and gold.

In October, autumn comes into full swing.

let's explore some of the exciting and intriguing aspects of this month.

1.
October's name comes from octo, Latin for "eight."
The ancient Roman calendar was based on the lunar cycles, as opposed to our current calendar which is based on the solar cycles. This meant that there were originally 10 months in their calendar, and October was the eighth month. Its name literally translated into "the eighth month" in Latin. In 451 BC the two months of Ianurarius and Februarius were added to the beginning of the calendar, making October the 10^th month.

2.
There are a total of seven months in a year that have 31 days and October is the sixth of them.
The amount of days hasn't changed over the ages either, with the ancient Roman calendar also placing 31 days in October.
January, March, May, July, August, October, and December are the 7 months that have 31 days.

3.
Winterfylleth is the Anglo-Saxon or Old English name for the month of October.

4.
The Saxons called the month Wyn Monath, or wine month, because it fell during the season of wine making, although if it were up to those wacky Saxons, every month would have been named Wyn Monath.

5.
October has two strikingly different birth flowers, the pastel-hued cosmos, and the radiant marigold flowers.
The cosmos flower is representative of the joy one finds in peace and love, as well as representing peace.
The marigold, otherwise known as the calendula, is said to be a symbol of tranquility, grace, and grief.

6.
October has two birthstones: opal and tourmaline.
While both gemstones are available in a wide variety of colors, classic white opals and pink tourmalines are the two most popular choices for those born in this autumn month.

7.
The October zodiac signs are Libra and Scorpio.
If you're born before October 23^rd, then you have the sign of Libra. Those born on October 23^rd or later have the sign of Scorpio.

8.
October is likely to be fairly dark and cold in the Northern Hemisphere, but the weather and climate is much like that you'd expect in April in the Southern hemisphere.

9.
October's Full Moon is the Hunter's Moon. It is also called Drying Rice Moon, and sometimes Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon.
Traditionally, people in the Northern Hemisphere spent October preparing for the coming winter by hunting, slaughtering, and preserving meats, giving this Full Moon its Anglo-Saxon name Hunter's Moon. The name was added to the Farmer's Almanac in North America and is used widely today.

10.
If you live in the northern hemisphere, you'll be rewarded for keeping your eyes to the skies in October, as the Draconid Meteor Shower can be seen.
The shower is active between October 6 to 10, peaking on October 8. Although you can still view the shower on the evening of October 7 and 9, be sure to peek at it when the sky is extra dark.

11.
The Orionid meteor shower is active between Sept. 26 to Nov. 22 and will peak on Oct. 20-21 between midnight and dawn, with clear-sky rates of about 20 meteors per hour can be expected.

12.
The beer-swilling Bavarian festival Oktoberfest takes place every year in Munich, Germany.
The festival usually runs for 16 days from mid-September until the Sunday of the first weekend in October. The event has been held since 1810 when Prince Ludwig of Bavaria held a festival to celebrate his marriage with Therese, the princess of Saxony-Hildburghausen.

13.
Columbus Day, which is on the second Monday of October, celebrates Christopher Columbus' arrival to the Americas on October 12, 1492.

14.
Halloween, a holiday observed on October 31, the evening before All Saints' Day.
Halloween has roots in the Celtic harvest festival of Samhain, which was observed in ancient Britain and Ireland on November 1^st.
These days, Halloween is a time for trick-or-treating, dressing up in costumes, putting up your favorite Halloween decorations and watching scary movies.

15.
Another Halloween tradition, albeit quite modern, is the yearly airing of the Simpsons Halloween special – the Treehouse of Horror episodes. This modern tradition began on October 25, 1990, and has aired every year since. The episodes all follow the theme of horror, in line with the many other activities that are celebrated during the Halloween period.

16.
Matt Damon, Julie Andrews, Hillary Clinton, Bill Gates, Katy Perry, Julia Roberts and even Christopher Columbus were all born in October!

17.
The "Happiest Place on Earth", Walt Disney World in Florida, officially opened its doors on October 1, 1971.

18.
The first McDonald's restaurant in the UK opened in Woolwich, south London, in October 1974.

19.
The Nobel Prize winners are announced every October over the course of a week.

20.
October is a "national month" for many different interests and pursuits.
October 4^th is National Noodle Day, October 16^th is National Fossil Day, Sweetest Day is on the 17^th, and Boss's Day is celebrated on October 19^th.

21.
October is a big month for sports fans in the US. That's because seasons and series for the Major Baseball League, the National Hockey League and National Basketball League all kick off this month.

22.
Every year on October 7^th the Twyford church in Hampshire, UK, continues a cherished tradition by ringing its bells.
The origin of this tradition goes back to the 18th Century when a local resident called William David became lost in heavy fog while riding home at night. Much to his luck, he heard the church bells toll and from this, he managed to find his way home. As a form of thanks, he left some money to the church when he died so that the church could continue to ring their bells on October 7^th every year, just in case there were any other lost travelers.

23.
Mahatma Gandhi (born October 2, 1869, Porbandar, India—died January 30, 1948, Delhi) was an Indian lawyer, politician, social activist, and writer who became the leader of the nationalist movement against the British rule of India.

24.
On October 1, 1949, the People's Republic of China was founded. Mao Zedong ruled the republic from its founding until his death in 1976.

25.
On October 8, 1871, flames spark in the Chicago barn of Patrick and Catherine O'Leary, igniting a two-day blaze that kills between 200 and 300 people, destroys 17,450 buildings, leaves 100,000 homeless and causes an estimated $200 million (in 1871 dollars; roughly $4 billion in 2021 dollars) in damages.

Let's get in the fall mood!

Also Read: 22 Amazing Facts About November

Sources
Almanac / Wikipedia / Project Britain / History Place / Heavy / History / NPR / The Famous People / Time and Date^1,2