It is not wrong to think of heaven as a clockwork machine above our heads. We use our planet’s revolution to mark a day and its revolution around the Sun to mark a year. That annual orbital calculation also means that the same constellations appear in the same parts of the sky on the same calendar dates, providing a sense of regularity. It’s comfortable in its own way.
Many astronomical events, such as meteor showers, also follow the calendar. But our Moon and other planets move with the cycles of various celestial gears. So every year, we get a new assortment of fun events to look forward to; 2026 is no exception.
Some are familiar, such as the dozen—or Baker’s Dozen—full moons in any given year. Others are unique – or at least obscure to people who don’t pay attention to the night sky. All are lovely, and worth a visit. Below you’ll find the things I’m, in particular, most looking forward to seeing in 2026. I will note that this list is, by necessity, US-centric. If you want a more complete list Everything Take a look at what’s going to happen in the sky over the next 50 weeks or so In-The-Sky.orgA website that provides details of visible events from around the world (you can also enter your location to get local information).
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10 January: The giant planet Jupiter, king of the solar system, will reach opposition. This means it will be located opposite the Sun in the sky, the planet will rise at sunset and will be 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 – so it will appear largest and brightest. Go outside after dark and look east and see it shining like a gem near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini. Through binoculars, you can see one or more of Jupiter’s four large moons located right next to it. A telescope will also reveal the planet’s extensive atmospheric stripes and bands. It is one of my favorite objects to see in the sky, and I have braved many cold nights just to catch a glimpse of it. And while this day will be the best time to see Jupiter, any time over the next few months will be fine too.
2 February: In the early evening (shortly before 9 p.m. EST), the waning moon will pass directly in front of Regulus, the bright star in Leo. This rare “occultation event”, in which the star will suddenly brighten behind the moon, will be visible over much of the eastern US north to Florida. This revelation will last less than an hour, after which Regulus will reappear on the other side of the moon. The exact time will depend on your location, So check out In-The-Sky.org for your local details,
3 March: Those who wake up very early in America will get a rare gift: total lunar eclipseWhich occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s shadow while revolving around our planet. I wrote about the mechanics of the lunar eclipse in my March 7, 2025, The Universe column. But for this eclipse, the show will actually start at 4:50 a.m. EST, when the darkest, most noticeable part of Earth’s shadow slips across the moon. Totality — when our planet’s shadow completely engulfs the moon — will begin at 6:04 a.m. and continue for less than an hour, when a small, sunlit sliver of the moon’s surface will be visible again at 7:02 a.m. The show will end at 8:17 a.m., just after the sun rises, making the last part of the eclipse invisible to the eastern coasts — but if you’re west of the Rockies, you’ll be able to see the entire event. When watching a lunar eclipse, it’s fun to go outside every few minutes to see how the moon changes. And in its totality it is a wonderful sight to see through a telescope; The surface may also appear brown or bloodyDepends on your local atmospheric conditions.
This composite image shows the progress of a total lunar eclipse.
25 April: Moon will occult Regulus again around 8:30 p.m. (depending on your location), though this time it will be best seen from sites east of the Mississippi, where the pair will be higher in the sky.
18 May: After sunset, the Moon will pass less than three degrees past Venus, which is always a beautiful sight! In a clear sky Venus will be an impossible-to-miss beacon to the west, while the Moon will be a Very Slender crescent moon, possibly more difficult to spot than Venus! The view will be excellent through binoculars. So if you have a pair, break 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 see it in 2026. As a bonus, Venus and Jupiter will be only 1.5 degrees apart in the sky on June 9, although they will remain a striking pair for several days before and after. As a Second Bonus, elusive Mercury will be between them and the horizon; Dim and fast-moving compared to Venus, it never goes far above the horizon, so much so that even many astronomers have never seen it! Observing the sky with binoculars after sunset will help you see this.
17th June: On this date the Moon will conceal the planet Venus! This event will be visible across the US, so you might think it would be easy to see. But that will happen at about 3:45 PM EDT (however you should expect that). check your local time) during daylight. Careful use of binoculars should reveal the view. alert: You Never Trying to look at the Sun through a telescope will cause severe damage to your retina. I like to stay on the shady side of a large tree and scan the sky far enough away from the Sun to see Venus during the day; At that time it will be about 38 degrees east (to the left) of the Sun. It may also be easier to recognize than the very thin crescent moon. Unlike a star, Venus will not just blink; The planet has a visible disk, so it would take a few seconds for the moon to completely slide across it and block it. This event will last for about 90 minutes, before the planet becomes visible again on the other side of the moon.
4th July: If you’ve never seen the distant planet Uranus, this will be your chance: Early in the morning, before sunrise, there will be the bright planet Mars and the much fainter Uranus extremely Close in the sky, less than a tenth of a degree away! Such a phenomenon is called an effect, although the term “combination” is more commonly used. Through binoculars, Uranus will appear as a pale blue star above redder Mars, about 60 times brighter than the more distant planet. If you have binoculars I would recommend a binocular here.
12 August: The most spectacular event of the year is a total solar eclipse, when the Moon passes in front of the Sun and day becomes night. It can only be seen on a narrow land route that runs from Greenland, over Iceland and finally to SpainHowever, if you live in the extreme northeastern region of the US, you will still see a partial eclipse, with a small portion of the Sun blocked, For example, in Maine about 25 percent of our star will be eclipsed, while at my location in central Virginia, only about 1,5 percent of it will be, 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 vendors,
A view of a solar eclipse near totality, revealing the Sun’s curved corona and “diamond ring” effect as rays of sunlight slide through the valleys of the Moon. The bright star Regulus is also visible (lower left).
John Finney Photography/Getty Images
27-28 August: we will be blessed Second lunar eclipse this nightbut that won’t happen extremely Overall: At most, a little more than 90 percent of the Moon will be in Earth’s shadow. Event begins at 10:35 pm EDTAnd maximum eclipse will occur just after midnight. It won’t be as cold as the March eclipse, but the timing will be much milder.
6 October: This time the Moon will hide Jupiter at about 4:15 a.m. EDT (as usual). check your local timeThis phenomenon will be visible over the eastern part of the US and will last for a little more than an hour. However, you should watch a little early, because Jupiter’s largest moons will also join in on the fun! First, Europa will be blocked, followed by Io and Callisto, very close to each other, then Jupiter and finally Ganymede. The moon will be a waning crescent, so its brightness may not overpower the dim moons, but you’ll need a good pair of binoculars or a telescope to see all the activity.
16 November: For night owls, Mars and Jupiter will be just 1.1 degrees apart this night. Yellow Jupiter will be about 3.5 times brighter than orange Mars, so it will be a beautiful pair. They won’t wake up until about midnight, but it’s worth staying up to watch.
Of course, there will also be a meteor shower this year. on the night of 12 AugustOn the same day as the solar eclipse, the Perseids will be at their best. and on 14th December The Geminids, my favorite shower of the year, will be in their stride. Both of these usually have excellent showers, with up to 100 and even 150 meteors per hour respectively (although, to be fair, usually less). You can read general information about the Perseids and Geminids scientific American Articles published last year.
There are many other lunar conjunctions this year If you want to try your hand at watching them. And I always recommend going outside to see the moon whenever possible. Most people enjoy a full moon, but I prefer it when it is a crescent, especially if the “dark” part is illuminated by the Earth’s glow, which is light reflected from the Earth. Looking at the sky is one of my favorite things and it awakens poetry in my soul.
But my advice is every year, every day, every Nightis always the same: if you are able, Look upThere’s an entire universe passing over our heads, and if you don’t glance at it from time to time, you might miss something amazing,
