Sky Events 2026 — Astronomy Calendar

Active Oct 2 – Nov 7. Under dark skies up to ~20 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Orion but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Halley's Comet. A bright Moon this year (81% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Hunter's Moon.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Active Oct 20 – Dec 10. Under dark skies up to ~5 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Taurus but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet Encke. Dark skies this year: the Moon is only 7% lit and will not spoil the show.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Wolf Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Old Moon. Supermoon — the Moon is near its closest point to Earth and looks slightly larger and brighter than usual.

Active Dec 28 – Jan 12. Under dark skies up to ~110 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Boötes but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from asteroid 2003 EH1, a burnt-out comet. A bright Moon this year (99% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

Jupiter stands opposite the Sun in the sky — at its closest to Earth for the year, fully lit, and above the horizon all night. This is the best time of the year to look at it, even with binoculars or a small telescope.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Snow Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Hunger Moon.

The Moon, near its far point, leaves a ring of sunlight around its edge. The ring is visible only from Antarctica and the southern Indian Ocean; a small partial eclipse touches southern Africa and the tip of South America.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Mercury reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the evening sky, 18° away. Look for it low in the west in the half hour after sunset.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Worm Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Crow, Sap or Lenten Moon.

The Moon passes through Earth’s dark shadow and turns a deep copper red. Greatest eclipse 11:35 UTC; visible across East Asia, Australia, the Pacific and the Americas.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

The Sun crosses the equator on its way north: day and night are nearly equal everywhere, and spring begins in the Northern Hemisphere (autumn in the Southern).

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Pink Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Sprouting Grass, Egg or Fish Moon.

Mercury reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the morning sky, 28° away. Look for it low in the east in the half hour before sunrise.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Active Apr 14 – 30. Under dark skies up to ~18 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Lyra but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet Thatcher, last seen in 1861. Some moonlight this year (the Moon is 39% lit) — the hours after moonset, before dawn, are best.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Flower Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Corn Planting or Milk Moon.

Active Apr 19 – May 28. Under dark skies up to ~50 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Aquarius but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Halley's Comet. A bright Moon this year (84% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Blue Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Corn Planting or Milk Moon. The second full moon in one calendar month — the rare event behind the phrase “once in a blue moon”.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Mercury reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the evening sky, 25° away. Look for it low in the west in the half hour after sunset.

The Sun reaches its northernmost point, over the Tropic of Cancer. The Northern Hemisphere gets its longest day; the Southern its longest night.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Strawberry Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Rose or Honey Moon.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Active Jul 12 – Aug 23. Under dark skies up to ~25 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Aquarius but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet 96P/Machholz. A bright Moon this year (100% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Buck Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Thunder or Hay Moon.

Mercury reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the morning sky, 19° away. Look for it low in the east in the half hour before sunrise.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Active Jul 17 – Aug 24. Under dark skies up to ~100 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Perseus but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet Swift–Tuttle. Dark skies this year: the Moon is only 0% lit and will not spoil the show.

The year’s great event: totality crosses the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain. A partial eclipse is visible across Alaska, Canada, the northern United States and Europe. Never look at the Sun without proper eye protection.

Venus reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the evening sky, 46° away. Look for it low in the west in the half hour after sunset.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Sturgeon Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Green Corn or Grain Moon.

A deep partial eclipse — about 93% of the Moon enters Earth’s dark shadow at greatest eclipse (04:14 UTC). Visible across the Americas, Europe and Africa.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

The Sun crosses the equator heading south: nearly equal day and night worldwide, autumn in the north, spring in the south.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Harvest Moon. As the full moon nearest the September equinox, this one carries the name Harvest Moon.

Neptune stands opposite the Sun — at its closest and brightest for the year, and up all night. Neptune, at about magnitude 7.9, is a telescope object: a small blue disc that betrays itself by moving slowly against the stars night to night.

Saturn stands opposite the Sun in the sky — at its closest to Earth for the year, fully lit, and above the horizon all night. This is the best time of the year to look at it, even with binoculars or a small telescope.

Active Oct 6 – 10. Under dark skies up to ~10 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Draco but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet 21P/Giacobini–Zinner. Dark skies this year: the Moon is only 3% lit and will not spoil the show.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Mercury reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the evening sky, 25° away. Look for it low in the west in the half hour after sunset.

Active Oct 2 – Nov 7. Under dark skies up to ~20 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Orion but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Halley's Comet. A bright Moon this year (81% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Hunter's Moon.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Active Oct 20 – Dec 10. Under dark skies up to ~5 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Taurus but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet Encke. Dark skies this year: the Moon is only 7% lit and will not spoil the show.

Active Nov 6 – 30. Under dark skies up to ~15 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Leo but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet Tempel–Tuttle. A bright Moon this year (56% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

Mercury reaches its farthest point from the Sun in the morning sky, 20° away. Look for it low in the east in the half hour before sunrise.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Beaver Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Frost Moon. Supermoon — the Moon is near its closest point to Earth and looks slightly larger and brighter than usual.

Uranus stands opposite the Sun — at its closest and brightest for the year, and up all night. Uranus glows at about magnitude 5.6 — just visible to the naked eye from a dark place, and an easy, steady pale-green disc in binoculars.

The Moon passes between Earth and Sun and disappears into the glare. These are the darkest nights of the month — the best time for galaxies, nebulae and star clusters.

Active Dec 4 – 17. Under dark skies up to ~150 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Gemini but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Some moonlight this year (the Moon is 21% lit) — the hours after moonset, before dawn, are best.

The Sun stands over the Tropic of Capricorn. The Northern Hemisphere gets its shortest day of the year; the Southern its longest.

Active Dec 17 – 26. Under dark skies up to ~10 meteors an hour at the peak; the streaks appear to radiate from Ursa Minor but can cross any part of the sky. The debris comes from Comet 8P/Tuttle. A bright Moon this year (99% lit) will wash out the faint meteors; expect mainly the bright ones.

The Moon stands opposite the Sun, fully lit, rising at sunset and shining all night. Traditional name: the Cold Moon. Early farming peoples also called it the Long Night Moon. Supermoon — the Moon is near its closest point to Earth and looks slightly larger and brighter than usual.