Happy New Year!
As we enter 2026, we can look back at all the great events that have happened in space over the past 12 months, starting with the arrival of our third famous interstellar visitor – 3I/ATLAS — see beautiful manifestations of the northern lights, discover Vera K. Rubin Observatory it may change our views of the universe in ways we have yet to understand.
Now we'll look at some very interesting things that skywatchers might want to keep an eye on in the coming year.
Meteors, meteors, meteors!
Let's start with meteor showers, since they are the most accessible to everyone.
The year starts with Quadrantidsrain that occurs from December 28 to January 12. The peak occurs at night January 2, until dawn on January 3..
This shower can produce more than 120 meteors per hour under ideal conditions, but it is also quite challenging compared to other meteor showers because the peak lasts only a few hours.
“You know, it's one of those showers where if you get it at the right time and in the right conditions, you'll actually see an increase in activity because it's such a fast-growing, fast-moving shower,” said Peter Brown, Canada Research Director in Meteor Astronomy and a professor at Western University in London, Ont.
But the spectacle will be even harder to catch this year.
“The sad part about the Quadrantids this year is that they fall on a full moon,” Brown said, as bright skies make meteors harder to spot.
He also noted that typically cloudy winter weather can make the task even more difficult.
Now, if you have the patience and are willing to wait eight months to see an amazing meteor shower, buckle up. Because it could be a real show.
2026 Perseid meteor shower runs from July 17 to August 24, but the peak night is August 12–13at a rate of approximately 150 meteors per hour in ideal conditions.
But there's something else that makes this shower one of the most anticipated of the year.
“For the Perseids, it's all about the moon, and we [have a] good moon for next year. In fact, it’s literally a new moon,” Brown said.
Thus, in the absence of moonlight, even faint meteors will be visible, especially if you are in a dark place.
Finally there will be a return Geminids meteor shower in December. It runs from December 4 to 17 and reaches its peak on the night of December 17. December 13-14. This shower also produces over 150 meteors per hour under ideal conditions. And on peak nights, the moon will be in the shape of a waxing crescent, meaning it will not interfere with viewing.
Canadian goes to the moon
It's been a long time coming, but finally NASA's Artemis II mission is ready to head to the Moon.
Unlike the 2022 uncrewed mission, when the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket blasted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida on its maiden mission and the Orion capsule orbited the Moon and returned safely to Earth, this time the astronauts on board include NASA's Reid Wiseman, Christina Koch, Victor Glover and Canadian Space Agency employee Jeremy Hansen.
Canadian Space Agency astronaut Jeremy Hansen is heading to the Moon as part of the Artemis 2 mission. He sits down with CBC's Nicole Mortillaro to talk about the physical, mental and collaborative parts of preparing to go to the farthest place humanity has ever gone.
The exact launch date is unknown, but at the time of publication the launch window is open February 5 for a nearly 10-day mission. The astronauts will launch and then circle the Earth several times before heading to the Moon, where they will orbit the Moon once, checking systems and conducting lunar exploration from orbit, before returning home.
The mission's orbit will take the four astronauts further than man has ever gone, even surpassing Apollo 13 in 1970.
Eclipses
For Canadians, eclipses were scarce in 2025, but 2026 changes that.
On March 3will total lunar eclipse it will be visible throughout the country. The best location will be along the West Coast and Northwest Territories, where the entire eclipse will be visible. To the east, the eclipse will be visible during moonset, the moment the Moon disappears above Earth's horizon.
Remember the Perseids mentioned above and what a new moon is? Well, what else do we sometimes get during the new moon? That's right: solar eclipse.
This does not mean that every new moon month there is a solar eclipse somewhere in the world. The mechanics of the Earth and Moon orbits must be ideal. And it just so happens that in August this mechanic works in our favor.
On August 12A total solar eclipse will occur in the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and Spain. But for Canada we will get partial solar eclipse. The best places to watch will be in the central and eastern parts of the country, where it will look like something has taken a small bite out of the sun.
Then, two weeks later, it happens partial lunar eclipse.
On August 28, Most of the Moon will pass through the Earth's shadow. All but a tiny part of the Moon will take on an orange-reddish color, depending on what's in the atmosphere. The eclipse will be visible across the country.
Space missions
In addition to the Artemis II flight to the Moon, many other space missions await us in 2026.
An ambitious Rocket Lab project is planned for the summer of 2026. mission to Venusone of several planned for Earth's sister planet.
Following a 2020 study in which the authors said they had discovered phosphine – a chemical signature produced by Earth's organisms – in the clouds of Venus, several missions have been proposed as follow-up missions.
The mission will drop a probe into the planet's atmosphere to search for the presence of organic material.
Life in the clouds of Venus? Perhaps we'll find out soon.
Then there's Japan Exploring the Martian Moon. This mission is scheduled to launch sometime in 2026, where it will study two of Mars' moons, Phobos and Deimos. What makes this mission especially exciting is that it will collect a sample from Phobos and bring it back to Earth.
Finally, there is the most important thing: Rome Nancy Grace Space Telescope. But, as with all planned missions, the launch date is subject to change.
Its launch may occur as early as the fall of 2026, although it may extend to 2027.
This space telescope has been waiting in the wings for a long time. His goal? To search for the elusive dark matter and dark energyboth of which are invisible to the human eye, but are believed to make up approximately 75 percent of the universe.
These are just some of the things to look forward to in 2026, but who knows what surprises are in store? Perhaps another interstellar visitor or a comet lighting up the night?
You will just have to look to the sky.
