It’s not inaccurate to consider the heavens as a clockwork equipment above our head. We use our planet’s spin to mark a day and its orbit across the solar to mark a yr. That annual orbital reckoning additionally means the identical constellations seem in the identical a part of the sky on the identical calendar dates, offering a way of regularity. It’s comforting, in its manner.
Many astronomical occasions, resembling meteor showers, run by calendrical timings as nicely. However our moon and the opposite planets transfer with the cogs of various celestial gears. So yearly, we get a brand new assortment of enjoyable occasions to sit up for; 2026 is not any exception.
Some are acquainted, such because the dozen—or baker’s dozen—of full moons in any given yr. Others are distinctive—or not less than obscure to those that don’t pay shut consideration to the evening sky. All are pretty, and price watching. Beneath you’ll discover those that I, specifically, am most wanting ahead to observing in 2026. I’ll be aware that this checklist is, by wants, U.S.-centric. In order for you a extra full checklist of every thing occurring within the sky over the subsequent 50 or so weeks, check out In-The-Sky.org, an internet site that gives particulars for occasions which are seen from internationally (you’ll be able to enter your location to get native data as nicely).
On supporting science journalism
When you’re having fun with this text, contemplate supporting our award-winning journalism by subscribing. By buying a subscription you’re serving to to make sure the way forward for impactful tales in regards to the discoveries and concepts shaping our world right now.
January 10: The king of the photo voltaic system, the enormous planet Jupiter, will attain opposition. Meaning will probably be positioned reverse to the solar within the sky, with the planet rising at sundown and being seen all evening. As a result of Earth will probably be nearly instantly between the solar and Jupiter, the latter planet will probably be at its closest to us—about 633 million kilometers—so it can seem at its largest and brightest. Exit after darkish and look east to see it gleaming like a jewel close to the intense stars Castor and Pollux within the constellation Gemini. By binoculars, you would possibly catch a number of of Jupiter’s 4 giant moons aligned proper subsequent to it. A telescope will reveal the planet’s broad atmospheric stripes and bands as nicely. It’s one in every of my favourite objects within the sky to watch, and I’ve withstood many a freezing evening to catch a glimpse. And whereas this present day would be the greatest time to see Jupiter, any time over the subsequent few months will probably be advantageous as nicely.
February 2: Within the early night (shortly earlier than 9 P.M. EST), the waning gibbous moon will go instantly in entrance of the intense star Regulus within the constellation of Leo. This uncommon “occultation,” during which the star will all of the sudden blink out behind the moon, will probably be seen for a lot of the jap U.S. north of Florida. The occultation will final lower than an hour, after which Regulus will reappear on the opposite facet of the moon. The precise timing will rely in your location, so see In-The-Sky.org on your native particulars.
March 3: Very early risers within the U.S. will get a uncommon deal with: a complete lunar eclipse, which happens when the moon passes into Earth’s shadow because it orbits our planet. I wrote in regards to the mechanics of lunar eclipses in my March 7, 2025, The Universe column. However for this eclipse, the present will actually start at 4:50 A.M. EST, when the darkish, most noticeable a part of Earth’s shadow will slip onto the moon. Totality—when our planet’s shadow will totally engulf the moon—will start at 6:04 A.M. and proceed for slightly below an hour, ending when a tiny, sunlit sliver of the lunar floor will reappears at 7:02 A.M. The present will probably be over at 8:17 A.M., nicely after the solar will probably be up, making the final a part of the eclipse invisible for East Coasters—however when you’re west of the Rockies, it is possible for you to to observe the entire occasion. When viewing a lunar eclipse, it’s enjoyable to go exterior each couple of minutes to see how the moon modifications. And browsing it with binoculars throughout totality is a tremendous sight; the floor can seem brownish and even bloodred, relying in your native atmospheric situations.
This composite picture reveals the development of a complete lunar eclipse.
April 25: The moon will occult Regulus once more at roughly 8:30 P.M. (relying in your location), although this time will probably be greatest considered from websites east of the Mississippi, the place the pair will probably be larger within the sky.
Might 18: After sundown, the moon will go lower than three levels from Venus, which is all the time an exquisite sight! Venus will probably be an impossible-to-miss beacon to the west in a transparent sky, whereas the moon will probably be a very skinny crescent, presumably tougher to identify than Venus! The view will probably be greatest via binoculars. So you probably have a pair, break them out. You received’t remorse it.
June 5: Sensible Venus will attain its highest level within the western sky after sundown on this date, making this the perfect time to identify it in 2026. As a bonus, Venus and Jupiter will probably be simply 1.5 levels aside within the sky on June 9, although they’ll be a hanging pair for a lot of days earlier than and after. As a second bonus, elusive Mercury will probably be between them and the horizon; fainter and faster-moving than Venus, it by no means will get far above the horizon, so even many astronomers have by no means seen it! Scanning the sky with binoculars after sundown will assist you spot it.
June 17: On this date, the moon will occult Venus! This occasion will probably be seen throughout your entire U.S., so that you would possibly suppose it’ll be straightforward to see. However it can happen at roughly 3:45 P.M. EDT (although you must test your native timing) throughout broad daylight. Cautious use of binoculars ought to reveal the spectacle. Warning: you by no means wish to take a look at the solar via binoculars, which might trigger catastrophic injury to your retinas. I like to remain on the shady facet of a giant tree and scan the sky nicely away from the solar to see Venus in the course of the day; will probably be about 38 levels east (to the left) of the solar on the time. It is likely to be simpler to identify than the very skinny crescent moon, too. In contrast to a star, Venus received’t simply blink out; the planet has a visual disk, so it can take a few seconds for the moon to slip all the way in which throughout it and block it out. The occasion will final for about 90 minutes earlier than the planet will reappear on the opposite facet of the moon.
July 4: When you’ve by no means seen the distant planet Uranus, this will probably be your likelihood: within the early morning, earlier than dawn, the intense planet Mars and far fainter Uranus will probably be extraordinarily shut within the sky, lower than a tenth of a level aside! Such an occasion is known as an appulse, although the time period “conjunction” is extra generally used. By binoculars, Uranus will appear to be a pale bluish star above the a lot redder Mars, which will probably be about 60 instances brighter than the extra distant planet. I’d suggest a telescope right here, you probably have one.
August 12: The grandest occasion of the yr is a complete photo voltaic eclipse, when the moon passes in entrance of the solar and turns day into evening. This could solely be seen alongside a slim floor path that runs from Greenland, over Iceland and at last to Spain. If, nevertheless, you reside within the extraordinarily northeastern area of the U.S., you’ll nonetheless see a partial eclipse, with a small part of the solar blocked. For instance, in Maine about 25 p.c of our star will probably be eclipsed, whereas at my location in central Virginia, solely about 1.5 p.c of will probably be, barely noticeable. As all the time, by no means take a look at the solar with out correct optical support! You may also get eclipse glasses for protected viewing; the American Astronomical Society retains a listing of distributors.
A view of a photo voltaic eclipse close to totality, revealing the solar’s wispy corona and the “diamond ring” impact as daylight beams via lunar valleys. The intense star Regulus can be seen (decrease left).
john finney pictures/Getty Photographs
August 27–28: We will probably be blessed with a second lunar eclipse on this evening, nevertheless it received’t fairly be complete: at most, a bit of greater than 90 p.c of the moon will fall into Earth’s shadow. The occasion will begin at 10:35 P.M. EDT, and the utmost eclipse will happen simply after midnight. It received’t be as cool because the March eclipse, however the timing will probably be much more copacetic.
October 6: This time the moon will occult Jupiter within the early morning, round 4:15 A.M. EDT (as common, test your native timing). This occasion will probably be seen to the jap half of the U.S. and can final for barely greater than an hour. You must watch a bit early, although, as a result of Jupiter’s largest moons will be part of within the enjoyable as nicely! First, Europa will probably be blocked, adopted by Io and Callisto, very shut to one another, then Jupiter itself and at last Ganymede. The moon will probably be a waning crescent, so its brightness could not overwhelm the fainter moons, however you’ll want a superb pair of binoculars or a telescope to see all of the motion.
November 16: For evening owls, Mars and Jupiter will probably be a mere 1.1 levels aside on this evening. Yellowish Jupiter will probably be about 3.5 instances brighter than the orange Mars, so this will probably be a beautiful pairing. They received’t rise till round midnight, nevertheless it’ll be value staying as much as see.
After all, there may also be meteor showers this yr. On the evening of August 12, the identical day of the photo voltaic eclipse, the Perseids will probably be at their greatest. And on December 14 the Geminids, my favourite bathe of the yr, will hits their stride. These two are normally glorious showers, with as many as 100 and even 150 meteors per hour, respectively (although, truthfully, normally fewer). You’ll be able to learn basic data in regards to the Perseids and the Geminids in Scientific American articles revealed final yr.
There are additionally many different lunar occultations this yr if you wish to attempt your hand at seeing them. And I all the time suggest going out to see the moon each time you’ll be able to. Most individuals benefit from the full moon, however I want it when it’s a crescent, particularly if the “darkish” half is lit by earthshine, the mirrored mild from Earth. It’s one in every of my favourite issues to see within the sky and stirs poetry in my soul.
However my recommendation yearly, each day, each evening, is all the time the identical: when you’re in a position, search for. There’s a complete universe ticking away above our heads, and when you don’t take a peek at it each from time to time, you would possibly miss one thing superb.
