For skywatchers, 2026 will start with a golden opportunity to see Jupiter at its largest and brightest, according to NASA's latest set of tips on what to look for in the night sky next month. But there's more than just Jupiter to enjoy, so read on to find out more.
Jupiter in opposition
On January 10, the largest planet in our solar system will be the brightest it will be in 2026, so it's definitely worth catching.
“Tonight, Jupiter will be at what's called 'opposition,' meaning Earth will be directly between Jupiter and the Sun,” NASA explained in a video released this week (above). “At this position, Jupiter will appear larger and brighter in the night sky than it will all year.”
To find it, look east and you will see a planet in the constellation Gemini. It will also be one of the brightest objects in the night sky, so it will be easy to spot – clear skies permitting, of course. In fact, on the evening of January 10, only the Moon and Venus will be brighter.
Moon and Saturn conjunction
Next, Saturn and the Moon will share the sky on January 23 as part of a conjunction.
“A conjunction occurs when objects in the night sky appear close to each other when they are actually far apart,” NASA said in the video.
You will find the moon quite easily. Look a little closer and you might also be able to see Saturn just below our nearest neighbor, flickering faintly in the night sky.
Cluster “Beehive”
Finally, January offers the opportunity to see a cluster of hives, also known as Messier 44 or even M44. The Beehive Cluster, which was first separated into individual stars using a telescope by Galileo in 1609, contains at least 1,000 stars in an open star cluster, meaning it is a loosely connected group of stars.
To find the Beehive Cluster, look east just after sunset until midnight in the coming weeks. NASA suggests the middle of the month as an excellent opportunity since the cluster will not be too high or too low in the sky at this time.
If the sky is dark enough and there is little light pollution around, you may be able to see a cluster of hives with the naked eye, but if you have access to binoculars or a telescope, use them for an even better view.
