It is not inaccurate to view the heavens as a mechanical device above our heads. We use the rotation of our planet to mark a day and its orbit around the sun to mark a year. This annual orbital calculation also means that the same constellations appear in the same part of the sky on the same calendar dates, which gives an impression of regularity. It’s comforting, in its own way.
Many astronomical events, such as meteor showers, are also governed by calendar schedules. But our Moon and the other planets move with the cogs of different celestial gears. So every year we are treated to a new assortment of fun events to look forward to; 2026 is no exception.
Some are familiar, like the dozen – or baker’s dozen – full moons in a given year. Others are unique, or at least obscure to those who don’t pay attention to the night sky. All are charming and worth watching. Below are the ones I’m particularly looking forward to watching in 2026. I’ll note that this list is, by necessity, US-centric. If you would like a more complete list of All happening in the sky over the next 50 weeks, take a look at In-The-Sky.orga website that offers details on events viewable from around the world (you can also enter your location for local information).
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January 10: The king of the solar system, the giant planet Jupiter, will enter into opposition. This means it will be located opposite the sun in the sky, with the planet rising at sunset and being visible all night. Because Earth will be almost directly between the sun and Jupiter, the latter planet will be closest to us – about 633 million kilometers away – and will therefore appear in its largest and brightest form. Go outside after dark and look east to see it shine like a jewel near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini. Using binoculars, you might see one or more of Jupiter’s four large moons lined up right next to each other. A telescope will also reveal the planet’s broad atmospheric bands and bands. It’s one of my favorite objects in the sky to observe, and I’ve weathered many freezing nights to catch a glimpse of it. And while today will be the best time to see Jupiter, any time over the next few months will work as well.
February 2: In the early evening (shortly before 9:00 p.m. EST), the waning gibbous moon will pass directly in front of the bright star Regulus in the constellation Leo. This rare “occultation,” in which the star suddenly flashes behind the moon, will be visible across most of the eastern United States, north to Florida. The occultation will last less than an hour, after which Regulus will reappear on the far side of the moon. The exact timing will depend on your location, so check out In-The-Sky.org for your local details.
March 3: In the United States, early risers will enjoy a rare treat: a total lunar eclipsewhich happens when the Moon passes into Earth’s shadow as it orbits our planet. I wrote about the mechanics of lunar eclipses in my March 7, 2025 column, The Universe.. But for this eclipse, the show will really begin at 4:50 a.m. EST, when the dark, most visible part of Earth’s shadow slides across the Moon. Totality — when our planet’s shadow completely engulfs the moon — will begin at 6:04 a.m. and continue for just under an hour, ending when a tiny sunny sliver of the lunar surface reappears at 7:02 a.m. The show will end at 8:17 a.m., well after sunrise, making the last part of the eclipse invisible to East Coast residents — but if you’re west of the Rockies, you’ll be able to watch the event in its entirety. When you’re watching a lunar eclipse, it’s fun to go outside every few minutes to see how the moon changes. And walking through it with binoculars for its entire duration is an astonishing spectacle; the surface may appear brownish or even blood reddepending on your local atmospheric conditions.
This composite image shows the progression of a total lunar eclipse.
oversnap/Getty Images
April 25: The moon will once again obscure Regulus around 8:30 p.m. (depending on your location), but this time it will be best seen from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
May 18: After sunset, the moon will pass within three degrees of Venus, which is always a beautiful sight! Venus will be an unmissable beacon in the west in clear skies, while the Moon will be a very thin crescent, perhaps harder to spot than Venus! The view will be better with binoculars. So if you have a pair, separate them. You won’t regret it.
June 5: Bright Venus will reach its highest point in the western sky after sunset on this date, making it the best time to spot it in 2026. As an added bonus, Venus and Jupiter will only be 1.5 degrees apart in the sky on June 9, although they will form a striking pair for several days before and after. Inasmuch as second bonus, the elusive Mercury will be between them and the horizon; Faint and faster than Venus, it never goes beyond the horizon, so even many astronomers have never seen it! Scanning the sky with binoculars after sunset will help you spot it.
June 17: On this date, the Moon will occult Venus! This event will be viewable throughout the United States, so you might think it would be easy to see. But this will happen around 3:45 p.m. EST (although you should check your local schedule) in broad daylight. Careful use of binoculars should reveal the sight. Warning: You Never You want to look at the sun through binoculars, which would cause catastrophic damage to your retinas. I like to stay on the shady side of a big tree and scan the sky away from the sun to see Venus during the day; it will then be about 38 degrees east (left) of the sun. It might also be easier to spot than the very thin crescent moon. Unlike a star, Venus won’t just blink; the planet has a visible disk, so it will take a few seconds for the moon to slide completely over it and block it. The event will last about 90 minutes before the planet reappears on the far side of the Moon.
July 4: If you have never seen the distant planet Uranus, this will be your chance: early in the morning, before sunrise, the bright planet Mars and the much fainter Uranus will appear. extremely close together in the sky, less than a tenth of a degree apart! Such an event is called a pulse, although the term “conjunction” is more commonly used. Through binoculars, Uranus will look like a pale bluish star above the much redder Mars, which will be about 60 times brighter than the more distant planet. I would recommend a telescope here, if you have one.
August 12: The grandest event of the year is a total solar eclipse, when the moon passes in front of the sun and turns day into night. This can only be seen along a narrow overland path that runs from Greenland, through Iceland and finally to Spain.. However, if you live in the extreme northeastern region of the United States, you will still see a partial eclipse, with a small portion of the sun blocked out. For example, in Maine, about 25% of our star will be eclipsed, while where I live in central Virginia, only about 1.5% of that star will be eclipsed, barely noticeable. As always, never look at the sun without proper optical aid! You can also get eclipse glasses for safe viewing; the American Astronomical Society maintains a list of suppliers.
A view of a solar eclipse near totality, revealing the sun’s wispy corona and “diamond ring” effect as sunlight passes through the lunar valleys. The bright star Regulus is also visible (bottom left).
John Finney photography/Getty Images
August 27 and 28: We will have the chance to a second lunar eclipse tonightbut that won’t be the case enough be total: at most, a little more than 90 percent of the Moon will fall in the Earth’s shadow. Event will begin at 10:35 p.m. ESTand the maximum eclipse will occur just after midnight. It won’t be as cool as the March eclipse, but the timing will be much more copacetic.
October 6: This time, the Moon will occult Jupiter early in the morning, around 4:15 a.m. EST (as usual, check your local schedule). This event will be viewable across the eastern half of the United States and will last a little over an hour. However, you should watch a little early, because Jupiter’s largest moons will also join the party! Initially, Europa will be blocked, followed by Io and Callisto, very close to each other, then Jupiter itself and finally Ganymede. The moon will be a waning crescent, so its brightness may not overwhelm the fainter moons, but you’ll need a good pair of binoculars or a telescope to see all the action.
November 16: For night owls, Mars and Jupiter will only be 1.1 degrees apart tonight. Yellowish Jupiter will be about 3.5 times brighter than orange Mars, so it will be a nice couple. They won’t get up until around midnight, but it’s worth staying up to see.
Of course, there will also be meteor showers this year. The night of August 12on the same day of the solar eclipse, the Perseids will be at their best. And on December 14 the Geminids, my favorite shower of the year, will hit their stride. Both of these meteors are generally excellent showers, with up to 100 and even 150 meteors per hour respectively (although, honestly, usually less). You can read general information at the Perseids And the Geminids In Scientific American articles published last year.
There are also many other lunar occultations this year if you want to try to see them. And I always recommend going to see the moon whenever you can. Most people like the full moon, but I prefer it when it’s a crescent, especially if the “dark” part is lit by earth light, light reflected from the Earth. It’s one of my favorite things to see in the sky and it sparks poetry in my soul.
But my advice every year, every day, every nightit’s always the same: if you are capable of it, seek. There is a whole one ivers unfolding above our heads, and if you don’t glance at it every once in a while, you might miss something incredible.
