Night sky events
What to see in the night sky, when and how: eclipses, meteor showers, planets at opposition, close conjunctions and supermoons, with a cloud forecast for your place.
Coming up
Jupiter and Mars in conjunction, 16 November 2026
Jupiter and Mars are just 1.2° apart — they fit in one binocular view.
Leonids meteor shower 2026
Peak night, up to 15 meteors an hour under a dark sky. The Moon (46%) gets in the way for part of the night — watch after it sets.
Supermoon: Beaver Moon, 24 November 2026
The full Moon is near perigee (360,765 km), so it looks up to 7% bigger and 15% brighter than average.
Uranus at opposition 2026
Uranus is opposite the Sun: up all night, at its closest and brightest (magnitude 5.6) in Taurus.
New Moon
The darkest nights of the month begin — the best time for the Milky Way.
Geminids meteor shower 2026
Peak night, up to 150 meteors an hour under a dark sky. The Moon is almost out of the way — a good year.
December solstice 2026
The longest night of the year in the north — the most hours of darkness for stargazing.
Ursids meteor shower 2026
Peak night, up to 10 meteors an hour under a dark sky. A bright Moon (94%) washes out faint meteors; only the brightest will show.
Supermoon: Cold Moon, 24 December 2026
The full Moon is near perigee (356,738 km), so it looks up to 7% bigger and 15% brighter than average.
Quadrantids meteor shower 2027
Peak night, up to 120 meteors an hour under a dark sky. The Moon is almost out of the way — a good year.
Venus at greatest western elongation, 4 January 2027
Venus is 47° from the Sun — the best time to find it low in the east before sunrise.
New Moon
The darkest nights of the month begin — the best time for the Milky Way.
Supermoon: Wolf Moon, 22 January 2027
The full Moon is near perigee (357,644 km), so it looks up to 7% bigger and 15% brighter than average.
New Moon
The darkest nights of the month begin — the best time for the Milky Way.
Annular solar eclipse 6 February 2027
The “ring of fire” crosses southern Chile and Argentina, the South Atlantic and West Africa. South America and much of Africa see a partial eclipse.
The Moon meets Mercury, 8 February 2027
The Moon passes 0.3° from Mercury — a pretty pair for the naked eye and the camera.
Jupiter at opposition 2027
Jupiter is opposite the Sun: up all night, at its closest and brightest (magnitude -2.4) in Leo.
Mars at opposition 2027
Mars is opposite the Sun: up all night, at its closest and brightest (magnitude -1.1) in Leo.
Penumbral lunar eclipse 20 February 2027
Visible wherever the Moon is up: the Americas, Europe, Africa and Asia.
Full Moon — Snow Moon
Bright all night: good for the Moon itself, poor for faint stars and the Milky Way.
New Moon
The darkest nights of the month begin — the best time for the Milky Way.
Mercury at greatest western elongation, 17 March 2027
Mercury is 27.6° from the Sun — the best time to find it low in the east before sunrise.
March equinox 2027
Day and night are about equal; spring begins in the north.
Full Moon — Worm Moon
Bright all night: good for the Moon itself, poor for faint stars and the Milky Way.
By month
Recently
The Moon meets Jupiter, 2 November 2026
The Moon passes 0.5° from Jupiter — a pretty pair for the naked eye and the camera.
Orionids meteor shower 2026
Peak night, up to 20 meteors an hour under a dark sky. A bright Moon (73%) washes out faint meteors; only the brightest will show.
Mercury at greatest eastern elongation, 12 October 2026
Mercury is 25.2° from the Sun — the best time to find it low in the west after sunset.
Draconids meteor shower 2026
Peak night, up to 10 meteors an hour under a dark sky. The Moon is almost out of the way — a good year.
The Moon meets Jupiter, 6 October 2026
The Moon passes 0.2° from Jupiter — a pretty pair for the naked eye and the camera.
Saturn at opposition 2026
Saturn is opposite the Sun: up all night, at its closest and brightest (magnitude 0.3) in Cetus.
Neptune at opposition 2026
Neptune is opposite the Sun: up all night, at its closest and brightest (magnitude 7.8) in Pisces.
September equinox 2026
Day and night are about equal; nights in the north are getting long and dark again.
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