Astronomical Events in January 2026: Explore the Night Sky This Month!

~9 min
Topics:Skywatching
January sky 2026
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Kick off 2026 with January's breathtaking astronomical events! In this guide, you'll find the full stargazing forecast for January, including a Supermoon, brilliant Jupiter, a promising comet, and more. To easily find celestial objects in the sky, use the free Sky Tonight astronomy app. Let's get started!

Contents

January Celestial Events Calendar: What’s Up in the Sky This Month

We provide the event dates in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). For your location, the exact times may vary. To find out the time and date of the event for your city, use the Sky Tonight astronomy app.

The highlighted events are the month's outstanding events.

About magnitude: the faintest magnitude for stars and planets visible to the naked eye in cities with moderate light pollution is about 4. Typical amateur binoculars allow you to observe objects with a brightness of 8-10 mag. Small-to-medium telescopes, when used under dark skies, help you see up to 12-13 mag.

January Moon Events

Moon Phases in January 2026

  • Full Moon: January 3, 10:03 GMT
  • Last Quarter: January 10, 15:48 GMT
  • New Moon: January 18, 19:52 GMT
  • First Quarter: January 26, 04:47 GMT

To learn what the Moon looks like tonight, visit the new Moon Phases section on our website. There, you can check out the monthly lunar calendar and find out the Moon phase for any specific day, as well as the moonrise and moonset times.

January 3 – The First Supermoon of 2026

The Full Moon occurs on January 3 at 10:03 GMT in the constellation Gemini. It is traditionally called the Wolf Moon because howling wolves were commonly heard in the Northern Hemisphere at this time of year. The January Full Moon in 2026 is also a Supermoon, appearing 6% bigger and 13% brighter than an average Full Moon. Although the size difference may be too subtle for the naked eye to notice, the first Supermoon of the year will still be a great sight!

Learn more: January Supermoon 2026

January 14 – Lunar Occultation of Antares (in Australia)

Occultation of Antares (2026-01-14)
Visibility map of the lunar occultation of Antares on January 14, 2026.
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On January 14, 2026, skywatchers in Australia and in some parts of Africa will get a special treat: a thin 14%-lit crescent Moon will pass in front of Antares, the bright reddish star in Scorpius, briefly covering it from view. Depending on your exact location, the occultation will occur sometime between 18:05 and 21:55 GMT.

In other parts of the world, there won’t be an occultation, but the Moon will still pass very close to Antares. Look for the pairing in Scorpius on the morning of January 15 – it’s visible with the naked eye, and even better through binoculars.

Learn more: Antares – The “Rival of Mars”

January 18 – New Moon

The New Moon occurs on January 18 at 19:52 GMT, when the Moon is essentially invisible in the sky. This creates the darkest night of the month, which is ideal for spotting faint deep-sky targets. You can observe such objects as the Beehive Cluster (M44) in the Northern Hemisphere or the Omicron Velorum Cluster (IC 2391) in the Southern Hemisphere. Additionally, the Gamma-Ursae Minorid meteor shower peaks that night, so you may spot up to 3 meteors per hour in the moonless sky.

Learn more: January Deep-Sky Objects, January Meteor Showers

January 31 – Moon Near Jupiter and Pollux

Moon near Jupiter, Pollux, Castor
On January 31, the Moon teams up with Jupiter, Pollux, and Castor, visible together all night long. Don’t miss this photo opportunity!
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On January 31, the 95%-illuminated Moon passes close to Pollux (mag 1.2) and Jupiter (mag -2.6) in Gemini. The Moon comes within about 3° of Pollux and 4° of Jupiter, so the trio can fit comfortably in a single binocular view. But you can simply look up – each object is visible to the naked eye under good sky conditions. Castor will sparkle close to the Moon as well, making our natural satellite look like another “sibling” of the famous Twins.

Learn more: What Planet Is Near the Moon Tonight?

Planets in January 2026

In January 2026, Mercury, Venus, and Mars will be too close to the Sun to be observed. So, no competition is left for Jupiter – the planet is at its best now, visible the whole night and shining at its brightest. Saturn is also easily visible, and Uranus and Neptune can be seen with binoculars or a telescope.

Planets Visible in the Northern Hemisphere – January 2026

Mercury (Sagittarius, Capricornus): Too close to the Sun to be observed in January 2026, as it reaches solar conjunction on January 21.

Venus (Sagittarius, Capricornus): Unobservable in January 2026, remaining too near the Sun for safe viewing. The planet reaches solar conjunction on January 6.

Mars (Sagittarius, Capricornus): Lost in the solar glare this month as it reaches solar conjunction on January 9.

Jupiter (Gemini): The highlight of January 2026. Visible all night at the start of the month, it remains an excellent evening object through mid and late January. Jupiter reaches opposition on January 10, which is the best time to observe it. The planet starts the month at a magnitude of -2.7 and dims slightly to -2.6, remaining the best planet of the month.

Saturn (Aquarius, Pisces): Easily visible in the evening sky, appearing low in the southwestern direction after sunset. It sets earlier as the month progresses, so the best views come soon after dusk, especially in early January. Slightly brightens from a magnitude of 1.2 to 1.1 by the end of the month.

Uranus (Taurus): Visible in the evening and night sky throughout January 2026. It’s faint, but visible through binoculars or a small telescope. Slightly dims from a magnitude of 5.6 to 5.7 by the end of the month.

Neptune (Pisces): Visible in the evening and night sky at the beginning of the month, shifting to mainly an evening object by mid and late January. You’ll need strong binoculars or a telescope to observe it. Preserves a steady magnitude of 7.9.

January Planets 2026
The listed viewing times for the planets reflect their peak visibility. The recommendations for observing planets in the Northern Hemisphere are based on New York, USA, and correspond to the middle of a given month.
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Planets Visible in the Southern Hemisphere – January 2026

Mercury (Sagittarius, Capricornus): Too close to the Sun to be observed in January 2026, as it reaches solar conjunction on January 21.

Venus (Sagittarius, Capricornus): Unobservable in January 2026, remaining too near the Sun for safe viewing. The planet reaches solar conjunction on January 6.

Mars (Sagittarius, Capricornus): Lost in the solar glare this month as it reaches solar conjunction on January 9.

Jupiter (Gemini): The clear highlight of January 2026. Visible all night at the start of the month, it remains an excellent evening object through mid and late January. Jupiter reaches opposition on January 10, which is the best time to observe it. The planet starts the month at a magnitude of -2.7 and dims slightly to -2.6, remaining the best planet of the month.

Saturn (Aquarius, Pisces): Easily visible in the evening sky, appearing low in the northwestern direction after sunset. It sets earlier as the month progresses, so the best views come soon after dusk, especially in early January. Slightly brightens from a magnitude of 1.2 to 1.1 by the end of the month.

Uranus (Taurus): Visible in the evening and night sky throughout January 2026. It’s faint, but visible through binoculars or a small telescope. Slightly dims from a magnitude of 5.6 to 5.7 by the end of the month.

Neptune (Pisces): Visible in the evening and night sky at the beginning of the month, shifting to mainly an evening object by mid and late January. You’ll need strong binoculars or a telescope to observe it. Preserves a steady magnitude of 7.9.

January 2026 Planets, Southern Hemisphere
The listed viewing times for the planets reflect their peak visibility. The recommendations for observing planets in the Southern Hemisphere are based on Sydney, Australia, and correspond to the middle of a given month.
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January 10 – Jupiter at Opposition

Jupiter will reach opposition on January 10 at 08:34 GMT, meaning it will be directly opposite the Sun in the sky. The planet will shine at a magnitude of -2.7 in the constellation Gemini. It will rise in the east around sunset and remain visible all night, appearing highest near local midnight.

Even with the naked eye, Jupiter will appear as an exceptionally bright “star.” With binoculars or a small telescope, you can see the four Galilean moons – Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto – as tiny points aligned with the planet. A telescope will also reveal Jupiter's characteristic dark and bright cloud bands.

Around the time of opposition, Jupiter will be at its minimum distance from Earth in 2026, at roughly 4.23 astronomical units (AU) away. Its apparent disk will swell to about 46.6 arc seconds, making this an especially rewarding time for detailed observation and imaging.

January: Jupiter at opposition
Jupiter will be visible all night long, from sunset to sunrise, reaching its highest point around midnight. Look for it in the constellation Gemini.
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Learn more: What Is Opposition in Astronomy?

Constellations in January 2026

Northern Hemisphere Constellations in January

In the Northern Hemisphere, January is a good time to view such prominent constellations as Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, Gemini, Perseus, and Auriga. These constellations rise high in the sky around 9 p.m. local time, making them easy to observe.

January Constellations, Northern Hemisphere
Constellations visible from the Northern Hemisphere in January.
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Learn more: Best Constellations of January

Southern Hemisphere Constellations in January

In the Southern Hemisphere, the constellations Eridanus, Dorado, Hydrus, Phoenix, and Sculptor are well-placed for observations in January.

January Constellations, Southern Hemisphere
Constellations visible from the Southern Hemisphere in January.
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🌟 Best Constellation of January: Orion

January's top constellation is Orion, best seen in the Northern Hemisphere, but also well-placed for southern latitudes this month. Known as one of the brightest and easiest-to-find constellations, Orion features fiery red Betelgeuse and brilliant bluish-white Rigel — both among the top ten brightest stars in the night sky. The constellation's most iconic feature is Orion's Belt, formed by three stars in a straight line!

Constellation Orion myth
In Greek mythology, Orion was a great hunter who died tragically, either by Artemis's arrow or the sting of the giant scorpion. The gods placed Orion, his dogs, and the animals he hunted in the heavens, and put Scorpius on the opposite side of the sky, ensuring the two would never meet again.
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Learn more: Orion: the Hunter Constellation

Meteor showers in January 2026

Two meteor showers peak this month, both visible in the Northern Hemisphere:

  • Quadrantids on January 3 with 80 meteors per hour.
  • Gamma-Ursae Minorids on January 18 with up to 3 meteors per hour.

The Quadrantids are among the most impressive meteor showers of the year; however, this year the meteors share the stage with the Full Moon, which will outshine most of them. Of the expected 80 meteors per hour, only about 10 brightest will remain visible – still an incredible show! These meteors often glow yellow and orange and are known for producing bright fireballs. To see more meteors, try to block the Moon’s glare with a building, tree, or hill.

The Gamma-Ursae Minorids are a minor meteor shower, but this year the observing conditions for them are ideal – the meteor shower peaks during the New Moon. Take this opportunity to spot up to 3 meteors per hour against a perfectly dark sky.

Learn more: January Meteor Showers

Comets in January 2026

In January, two comets reach perihelion, which often marks the time of their improved visibility:

  • January 8: Comet 24P/Schaumasse (mag 7.7)
  • January 20: Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) (mag 8)

Around the perihelion date, comet 24P/Schaumasse will be visible through telescopes and high-powered binoculars in both hemispheres under dark skies.

Comet C/2024 E1 (Wierzchos) will be visible with large binoculars or a modest telescope from the Southern Hemisphere. Some optimistic forecasts suggest that it may reach a magnitude of 5 and be visible even with small binoculars; however, comets’ behavior is unpredictable.

Learn more: Upcoming Comets

How do I navigate the night sky tonight from my location?

There are several ways to do this:

  1. Become a professional astronomer (which can take a long time, FYI).

  2. Memorize all the constellations, learn the brightest stars, and get a compass. It's easier than the first option but still requires a lot of effort.

15 stars everyone can find Intro
Learn how to identify the most famous stars: Polaris, Sirius, Arcturus, and many others. Familiarize yourself with the night sky using this infographic!
See Infographic
  1. Get the Sky Tonight mobile app, which does all these things and more. It only takes a few taps to download and is free to use! This app is an interactive sky map that works for your exact location. It also works offline.

The choice is yours, but we'd stick with option number three!

Bottom Line: Celestial Events in January 2026

January is a strong start to 2026: it brings the first Supermoon of the year, colorful Quadrantid meteors, Jupiter at its brightest, and much more. Don’t miss the greatest January astronomy events! Check the exact timings for your location with the free Sky Tonight app – just pick an event from the Calendar, and let the app guide you to the stars. Clear skies and happy stargazing!

Full Astronomy Calendar 2026

Get ready for more exciting celestial events of 2026: eclipses, planetary alignments, shooting stars, and comets await you! Our guides will help you see every great event:

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