The stargazing events to look forward to in 2026
Watching the solar eclipse in Menan, Idaho in 2017
Natalie Behring/Getty Images
As a year comes to a close, I like to get excited about what the coming year has in store for me in terms of astronomical events and write them into my calendar. For 2026, at the top of my list are aligned planets, various eclipses, and the usual meteor shower schedule. All of these events are visible in both hemispheres unless otherwise noted.
In January, we hope that the dark skies of the Northern Hemisphere will provide us with plenty of opportunities to see the Northern Lights, as this continues to be an active time for solar flares. The Quadrantid meteor shower, which peaks on January 3, should also provide a nice show, although that night’s full moon could obscure some of the fainter meteors.
Jupiter will be bright in the sky throughout January as it reaches opposition, meaning it will be on the opposite side of Earth from the Sun. This is the best time to observe this magnificent planet using binoculars or a telescope.
In late February, you’ll have the opportunity to witness an impressive parade of six planets as Mercury, Venus, Neptune, Saturn, Uranus and Jupiter stretch across the sky, all visible at the same time, just after sunset on February 28.
On March 2 and 3, a total lunar eclipse will be visible from parts of North and South America, Asia, Australia and the Pacific Islands. The Moon will enter the shadow cast by Earth, making it darker and red in color – giving it the evocative name Blood Moon.
Other meteor showers to be logged include the Lyrids, peaking on April 22, the Perseids, peaking on August 12, the Leonids on November 17, and the Geminids on December 14.
In addition to these showers, another exciting event will be the total solar eclipse on August 12. The moon and sun will line up in the sky so that the moon perfectly blocks the sunlight for a few moments, as seen from parts of Earth (the one pictured is from 2017, seen in Menan, Idaho).
Totality – the time during which sunlight is completely blocked by the moon – will last up to 2 minutes and 18 seconds. The total eclipse will be visible from northern Spain, the Balearic Islands, parts of Russia, Greenland and Iceland. But partial eclipses will be seen in many other places around the world. As usual with solar eclipses, a few weeks later there will be a partial lunar eclipse, or Blood Moon, on August 28.
If you have a powerful telescope, September 25 will be a great time to look for Neptune, as it will be closest to Earth and fully illuminated by the sun. Then, on October 4, Saturn will be at opposition, making it the best time of year to view the planet and possibly its rings through a small telescope. It will be visible all night.
There are also two supermoons to watch for in late 2026. The first, on November 24, is the Beaver Moon. Then the year ends with a super Christmas moon. Happy stargazing!
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Abigail Beall is editor of special articles at New scientist and author of The art of urban astronomy. Follow her @abbybeall
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