Wish to know when every planet will probably be at its greatest or when you’ll be able to catch eye-catching planetary pairings in 2026?
This information breaks down the key planetary occasions of the yr, from conjunctions to oppositions to shut planet-star encounters.
Mercury
Mercury, the smallest of the planets seen to the bare eye, seems as a night star within the western sky, setting about an hour after the solar. As a morning star, it rises about an hour earlier than the solar within the jap sky. To view the planet, a transparent, unobstructed view of the horizon is crucial. Mercury normally seems as a shiny “star” with a yellowish or ochre tint.
Visibility home windows in 2026
- Evenings: Feb. 5–26; June 1–22; Sept. 28–Oct. 19
- Mornings: March 27– April 17; July 26– Aug. 16; Nov. 13– Dec. 4
When will or not it’s at its greatest?
- Night: Feb. 5–26
- Morning: Nov. 13– Dec. 4
On the night of Feb. 18, about half-hour after sundown, Mercury will sit simply 1 diploma above a slender waxing crescent moon low within the west-southwest.
Venus
Visibility home windows in 2026
- Evenings: March 8– Oct. 14
- Mornings: Nov. 3– Dec. 31
When will or not it’s at its greatest?
Venus reaches best brilliancy within the night sky on Sept. 19 and within the morning sky on Nov. 29. In late September via mid-October, and once more via most of November, Venus will present a hanging crescent section in telescopes and regular binoculars.
Notable conjunctions:
- March 8: Venus passes 1 diploma to the higher proper of Saturn.
- June 9: Venus passes 1.6 levels to the higher proper of Jupiter — a superb sight within the west-northwest 45 minutes after sundown.
- Nov. 7 (morning): Shortly earlier than dawn, look low to the east-southeast for Venus, a crescent moon, and the star Spica, all becoming inside 2.5 levels.
Mars
Mars, lengthy related to Ares, the Greek god of struggle, shines like a star with a yellowish-orange hue and might fluctuate significantly in brightness.
Visibility in 2026
- Mornings: March 18- Dec. 31
When will or not it’s at its greatest?
That is an “off” yr for Mars. The planet begins 2026 misplaced within the solar’s glare and reaches photo voltaic conjunction on Jan. 9, sitting on the far aspect of the photo voltaic system about 223 million miles from Earth.
Mars begins to reappear within the third week of March, rising earlier than dawn among the many faint stars of Aquarius. It strikes into Taurus for the primary half of summer season, shining solely round magnitude +1.3.
Sky highlights:
- Sept. 25: Castor and Pollux level straight towards Mars.
- Oct. 11: Mars passes via the Beehive Cluster in Most cancers — a pretty sight in binoculars.
- Nov. 26: Mars passes 1.7 levels above Regulus in Leo, making a dramatic shade distinction.
- By late December, Mars brightens to magnitude –0.1 and can rival Arcturus in each shade and brightness.
- Feb. 19, 2027: Mars reaches its subsequent opposition, so it steadily approaches Earth late in 2026.
Notable conjunctions:
- April 20: Mars aligns carefully with Saturn and Mercury.
- July 4: Mars passes simply 0.1 diploma south of Uranus, providing an outstanding guidepost for finding Uranus.
- Nov. 16: Mars passes 1.2 levels to the higher left of Jupiter.
Jupiter
Jupiter, the enormous planet with a diameter about 11 instances greater than Earth’s, shines with a shiny silver-white luster.
Visibility home windows in 2026
- Mornings: Jan. 1–9; Aug. 19– Dec. 31
- Evenings: Jan. 10–July 7
Jupiter reaches opposition on Jan. 10 and shines brightest from Jan. 1–22 at magnitude –2.7 in Gemini. It enters Most cancers on June 22 and Leo on Sept. 24, the place it stays via yr’s finish.
On June 9, Jupiter pairs with Venus in a surprising “double planet” show low within the west-northwest at nightfall.
Oct. 6 lunar occultation
On the morning of Oct. 6, observers throughout most of North America (excluding the far West) and northern Cuba will witness a spectacular lunar occultation of Jupiter. A waning crescent moon will slide straight in entrance of Jupiter, hiding it for as much as an hour relying on location. Jupiter disappears behind the intense limb and reemerges dramatically from the moon’s darkish aspect.
Saturn
Saturn shines as a yellowish-white “star” of reasonable brightness. Its well-known rings, invisible to the bare eye, turned edge-on in 2025 and had been almost not possible to see for weeks. They’re now slowly opening up once more.
Constellation path in 2026:
- Begins in Aquarius (to Jan. 14)
- Enters Pisces (Jan. 14– April 8)
- Strikes via Cetus (April 9– June 2)
- Again into Pisces (June 3–Sept 4)
- Again into Cetus (from Sept. 5 onward)
Visibility home windows in 2026
- Evenings: Jan. 1–March 8; Oct. 4–Dec. 31
- Mornings: April 12– Oct. 3
Saturn reaches opposition on Oct. 4 and is brightest Sept. 24–Oct. 9.
Notable conjunctions:
- Feb. 15: Saturn sits lower than 1 diploma from Neptune, although Neptune is far fainter.
- Apr. 20: Saturn aligns with Mars and Mercury.
Uranus
Uranus could be glimpsed with the bare eye below very darkish skies by keen-eyed observers. At magnitude +5.6, it’s simply discovered with binoculars; small telescopes present a tiny greenish disk.
Uranus spends all of 2026 in Taurus.
Visibility home windows in 2026
- Evenings: Jan. 1–Might 5; Nov. 25– Dec. 31
- Mornings: June 9–Nov. 24
Uranus reaches opposition on Nov. 25 and is brightest Oct. 24–Dec. 30.
On July 4, Uranus sits solely 0.1 diploma north of Mars, making Mars a really perfect pointer to the seventh planet. Mars will outshine Uranus by an element of about 158.
Neptune
Neptune stays in Pisces all through 2026. At magnitude +7.8, it’s seen solely in binoculars or a telescope and seems bluish-gray.
Visibility home windows in 2026
- Evenings: Jan. 1–March 6; Sept. 25–Dec. 31
- Mornings: April. 8– Sept. 24
Neptune reaches opposition on Sept. 25 and is brightest July 28–Nov. 24.
On Feb. 15, Neptune lies lower than 1 diploma to the higher proper of Saturn, although Neptune is barely about 1/525 as shiny.
Joe Rao serves as an teacher and visitor lecturer at New York’s Hayden Planetarium. He writes about astronomy for Pure Historical past journal, Sky and Telescope and different publications.
