Don’t Miss These Ten Celestial Events in 2026, From Align...

What’s Happening

Here’s the thing: The upcoming year will offer a blood-red moon, spectacular meteor showers and the first glimpse of the sun’s corona since April 2024 Don’t Miss These Ten Celestial Events in 2026, From Aligned Planets to a Total Solar Eclipse The upcoming year will offer a blood-red moon, spectacular meteor showers and the first glimpse of the sun’s corona since April 2024 Carlyn Kranking - Associate Web Editor, Science Get our !

Look up throughout the year to catch a wide array of astronomical sights. AntoineJoub via Wikimedia Commons under CC BY-SA 4. (yes, really)

0 On the heels of a year that brought a dazzling green comet , a rare sunrise eclipse , peak planet viewing , an interstellar visitor and ethereal auroras , you might already be yearning for the next stunning astronomical event.

The Details

Luckily, 2026 promises to put on a strong celestial showing, with bright planets, peak meteor conditions, special views of the moon and a total solar eclipse. Look up this year, and you could be rewarded with any of the following cosmic sights—and mark your calendars, as they’re likely to be among the year’s best skywatching spectacles.

January 10: Jupiter at opposition Jupiter and its moon Io were photographed by NASA s Cassini spacecraft on . NASA / JPL / University of Arizona Early in the year, Jupiter will fall into a special alignment with the Earth and sun, known as opposition .

Why This Matters

This marks the best time to view the king of planets, as it will appear its brightest in the sky. The wild sight comes a little less than annually—once every 13 months—so be sure to get your eyes on the gas giant in all its glory. Any of the planets that lie outside Earth’s orbit can be seen at opposition from our perspective, meaning they’ve formed a line with the sun and Earth, with our planet in the middle.

Scientists and researchers are watching this development closely.

Key Takeaways

• You can imagine a planet at opposition like a full moon—its full illuminated face is turned toward the Earth.
• So, on January 10, Jupiter will appear its largest and brightest , and you’ll have a chance to see it nearly all night long.
• Find the planet near the stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini, the celestial twins.

The Bottom Line

So, on January 10, Jupiter will appear its largest and brightest , and you’ll have a chance to see it nearly all night long. Find the planet near the stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini, the celestial twins.

Is this a W or an L? You decide.