Sky events
What happens in the sky over the coming months: eclipses, meteor showers, comets, planets meeting. Everything is computed; times are in UTC. A click opens the star map at the moment your place sees it best and works out how it looks from there.
October 2026
CometSun 18 October 2026, 00:00 UTC
Comet 161P/Hartley-IRAS at its brightest
About magnitude 9.7: at the limit of binoculars, better in a telescope
Comets are lumps of ice and dust on long orbits around the Sun. Near it the ice evaporates and head and tail begin to glow; the tail always points away from the Sun. How bright a comet gets is hard to predict: it may stay fainter or suddenly flare up. The orbit comes from the Minor Planet Center and is renewed daily.
MeteorsWed 21 October 2026, 18:00 UTC
Orionids: peak
Up to 20 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 78 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
The second shower from the dust of Halley's Comet. Very fast meteors, often with glowing trains. The radiant lies near Orion's club; best in the second half of the night. They hit the atmosphere at 66 km/s. Active from about 2 October to 7 November. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
November 2026
ConjunctionMon 2 November 2026, 13:39 UTC
The Moon near Mars
Only 0.97° apart, a little different from your place
Mars and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
ConjunctionMon 2 November 2026, 22:45 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 0.48° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
ConjunctionSat 7 November 2026, 10:43 UTC
The Moon near Venus
Only 0.95° apart, a little different from your place
Venus and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
ConjunctionMon 16 November 2026, 02:05 UTC
Mars and Jupiter close together
Only 1.19° apart
Jupiter and Mars lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye and in binoculars.
MeteorsTue 17 November 2026, 23:00 UTC
Leonids: peak
Up to 15 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 55 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
The fastest of all meteors, from the Sickle of Leo, from Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Roughly every 33 years a meteor storm occurs; in 1833 they rained so densely that the shower was discovered that way. They hit the atmosphere at 71 km/s. Active from about 6 November to 30 November. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
PlanetFri 20 November 2026, 23:31 UTC
Mercury in the morning sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 19.6°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen before sunrise in the east. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
PlanetWed 25 November 2026, 22:41 UTC
Uranus at opposition
Closest and brightest of the year: magnitude 5.6, 2,759 million km away
The Earth passes between the Sun and Uranus. Uranus stands exactly opposite the Sun: it rises as the Sun sets, can be seen all night and is as close and bright as at no other time of the year. Uranus is then just at the edge of naked-eye visibility under a very dark sky.
ConjunctionMon 30 November 2026, 08:24 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 1.05° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
December 2026
MeteorsMon 14 December 2026, 13:00 UTC
Geminids: peak
Up to 150 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon hardly interferes.
The richest shower of the year, from Gemini near Castor. Its source is not a comet but the asteroid Phaethon. The meteors are slow and bright, and they fall from the evening on, all night. They hit the atmosphere at 35 km/s. Active from about 4 December to 20 December. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
SeasonMon 21 December 2026, 20:49 UTC
December solstice
Sun's turning point
The shortest day in the north, the longest in the south: the Sun stands at its southernmost.
MeteorsTue 22 December 2026, 22:00 UTC
Ursids: peak
Up to 10 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 98 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
A small shower just before Christmas from the Little Bear near Polaris, from Comet Tuttle. As the radiant never sets for most of Europe, you can watch all night. They hit the atmosphere at 33 km/s. Active from about 17 December to 26 December. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
MoonThu 24 December 2026, 01:28 UTC
Supermoon
Full moon only 356,738 km away
The Moon orbits the Earth on an ellipse. When full moon falls near the closest point, the Moon looks a little larger and brighter than a full moon at its farthest, up to a seventh in diameter. Hard to tell with the naked eye; lovely all the same, especially just after moonrise.
ConjunctionSun 27 December 2026, 16:26 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 1.38° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
January 2027
PlanetSun 3 January 2027, 17:58 UTC
Venus in the morning sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 47.0°
Venus orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen before sunrise in the east. After the Sun and the Moon, Venus is the brightest light in the sky, the evening or morning star.
MeteorsMon 4 January 2027, 03:00 UTC
Quadrantids: peak
Up to 80 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon hardly interferes.
Named after a constellation that no longer exists: the Mural Quadrant, at the edge of Boötes and Draco. The peak is short, often only a few hours; catch it and you see many meteors. Their source is probably the small body 2003 EH1, an extinct comet. They hit the atmosphere at 41 km/s. Active from about 28 December to 12 January. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
MoonFri 22 January 2027, 12:17 UTC
Supermoon
Full moon only 357,644 km away
The Moon orbits the Earth on an ellipse. When full moon falls near the closest point, the Moon looks a little larger and brighter than a full moon at its farthest, up to a seventh in diameter. Hard to tell with the naked eye; lovely all the same, especially just after moonrise.
ConjunctionSat 23 January 2027, 23:20 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 1.36° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
February 2027
PlanetWed 3 February 2027, 06:14 UTC
Mercury in the evening sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 18.3°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen after sunset in the west. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
EclipseSat 6 February 2027, 16:00 UTC
Annular solar eclipse
The map shows how much of the Sun is covered where you are
The Moon moves in front of the Sun. It is just far enough from the Earth that it does not cover the Sun completely: along a narrow track a ring of light remains. The map works out how much your place sees. Never look at the Sun without eclipse glasses, not even when it is almost completely covered.
PlanetThu 11 February 2027, 00:26 UTC
Jupiter at opposition
Closest and brightest of the year: magnitude -2.4, 652 million km away
The Earth passes between the Sun and Jupiter. Jupiter stands exactly opposite the Sun: it rises as the Sun sets, can be seen all night and is as close and bright as at no other time of the year.
PlanetFri 19 February 2027, 16:10 UTC
Mars at opposition
Closest and brightest of the year: magnitude -1.1, 101 million km away
The Earth passes between the Sun and Mars. Mars stands exactly opposite the Sun: it rises as the Sun sets, can be seen all night and is as close and bright as at no other time of the year.
ConjunctionSat 20 February 2027, 04:58 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 1.09° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
EclipseSat 20 February 2027, 23:13 UTC
Penumbral lunar eclipse
The Moon only grazes the penumbra, slightly greyed
In a lunar eclipse the Earth stands exactly between the Sun and the Moon, and its shadow falls on the Moon. It can be seen wherever the Moon is above the horizon, no eye protection needed.
March 2027
PlanetWed 17 March 2027, 06:49 UTC
Mercury in the morning sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 27.6°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen before sunrise in the east. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
ConjunctionFri 19 March 2027, 09:26 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 0.87° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
SeasonSat 20 March 2027, 20:24 UTC
March equinox
Sun's turning point
Day and night are the same length everywhere. Spring begins in the north, autumn in the south.
April 2027
ConjunctionThu 15 April 2027, 14:18 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 0.92° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
MeteorsFri 23 April 2027, 01:00 UTC
Lyrids: peak
Up to 18 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 95 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
One of the oldest known showers: Chinese chronicles describe it more than 2600 years ago. The meteors come from Lyra, near bright Vega, and stem from Comet Thatcher. They hit the atmosphere at 49 km/s. Active from about 14 April to 30 April. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
May 2027
MeteorsThu 6 May 2027, 15:00 UTC
Eta Aquariids: peak
Up to 50 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon hardly interferes.
Dust of Halley's Comet, which crosses the Earth's orbit twice. Fast meteors, best before dawn. From mid-northern latitudes the radiant stays low; from the southern hemisphere the shower is far richer. They hit the atmosphere at 66 km/s. Active from about 19 April to 28 May. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
ConjunctionFri 7 May 2027, 18:43 UTC
Venus and Saturn close together
Only 0.61° apart
Saturn and Venus lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye and in binoculars.
ConjunctionWed 12 May 2027, 21:52 UTC
The Moon near Jupiter
Only 1.23° apart, a little different from your place
Jupiter and the Moon lie almost in the same direction as seen from the Earth, although they are in truth far apart. A lovely sight with the naked eye.
PlanetFri 28 May 2027, 09:57 UTC
Mercury in the evening sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 22.9°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen after sunset in the west. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
June 2027
SeasonMon 21 June 2027, 14:10 UTC
June solstice
Sun's turning point
The longest day in the north, the shortest in the south: the Sun stands at its northernmost.
July 2027
PlanetThu 15 July 2027, 19:24 UTC
Mercury in the morning sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 20.7°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen before sunrise in the east. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
EclipseSun 18 July 2027, 16:03 UTC
Penumbral lunar eclipse
The Moon only grazes the penumbra, hardly noticeable
In a lunar eclipse the Earth stands exactly between the Sun and the Moon, and its shadow falls on the Moon. It can be seen wherever the Moon is above the horizon, no eye protection needed.
August 2027
EclipseMon 2 August 2027, 10:06 UTC
Total solar eclipse
The map shows how much of the Sun is covered where you are
The Moon moves in front of the Sun. Where its umbra touches the Earth, along a narrow track, day turns dark for minutes and the solar corona shines around the black disc. The map works out how much your place sees. Never look at the Sun without eclipse glasses, not even when it is almost completely covered.
MeteorsFri 13 August 2027, 08:00 UTC
Perseids: peak
Up to 100 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 87 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
The meteors of warm August nights, also called the Tears of St Lawrence, after the martyr whose day is 10 August. Dust of Comet Swift-Tuttle. Most are seen after midnight, when Perseus stands high in the northeast. They hit the atmosphere at 59 km/s. Active from about 17 July to 24 August. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
EclipseTue 17 August 2027, 07:14 UTC
Penumbral lunar eclipse
The Moon only grazes the penumbra, hardly noticeable
In a lunar eclipse the Earth stands exactly between the Sun and the Moon, and its shadow falls on the Moon. It can be seen wherever the Moon is above the horizon, no eye protection needed.
CometSat 28 August 2027, 00:00 UTC
Comet 45P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova at its brightest
About magnitude 8.5: at the limit of binoculars, better in a telescope
Comets are lumps of ice and dust on long orbits around the Sun. Near it the ice evaporates and head and tail begin to glow; the tail always points away from the Sun. How bright a comet gets is hard to predict: it may stay fainter or suddenly flare up. The orbit comes from the Minor Planet Center and is renewed daily.
September 2027
SeasonThu 23 September 2027, 06:01 UTC
September equinox
Sun's turning point
Day and night are the same length everywhere. Autumn begins in the north, spring in the south.
PlanetFri 24 September 2027, 21:59 UTC
Mercury in the evening sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 26.3°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen after sunset in the west. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
PlanetTue 28 September 2027, 14:19 UTC
Neptune at opposition
Closest and brightest of the year: magnitude 7.8, 4,319 million km away
The Earth passes between the Sun and Neptune. Neptune stands exactly opposite the Sun: it rises as the Sun sets, can be seen all night and is as close and bright as at no other time of the year. Neptune needs binoculars or a telescope.
October 2027
MeteorsSat 9 October 2027, 07:00 UTC
Draconids: peak
Up to 10 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 67 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
Slow meteors from the head of Draco, from Comet Giacobini-Zinner. Usually quiet but unpredictable: in 1933 and 1946 thousands fell in an hour. Best in the evening, not the morning. They hit the atmosphere at 20 km/s. Active from about 6 October to 10 October. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
PlanetMon 18 October 2027, 00:35 UTC
Saturn at opposition
Closest and brightest of the year: magnitude 0.1, 1,246 million km away
The Earth passes between the Sun and Saturn. Saturn stands exactly opposite the Sun: it rises as the Sun sets, can be seen all night and is as close and bright as at no other time of the year.
MeteorsFri 22 October 2027, 00:00 UTC
Orionids: peak
Up to 20 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 58 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
The second shower from the dust of Halley's Comet. Very fast meteors, often with glowing trains. The radiant lies near Orion's club; best in the second half of the night. They hit the atmosphere at 66 km/s. Active from about 2 October to 7 November. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
November 2027
PlanetThu 4 November 2027, 08:54 UTC
Mercury in the morning sky
Greatest distance from the Sun: 18.8°
Mercury orbits inside the Earth's orbit and never strays far from the Sun. Now it is as far from it as it gets and best seen before sunrise in the east. Mercury is fleeting even so: low, brief, in twilight.
MeteorsThu 18 November 2027, 05:00 UTC
Leonids: peak
Up to 15 meteors an hour under an ideally dark sky. The Moon is 80 per cent lit then and drowns the fainter ones.
The fastest of all meteors, from the Sickle of Leo, from Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Roughly every 33 years a meteor storm occurs; in 1833 they rained so densely that the shower was discovered that way. They hit the atmosphere at 71 km/s. Active from about 6 November to 30 November. Under a city sky you see only a fraction; best far from lights, without binoculars, with plenty of sky in view.
Comets: orbits from the Minor Planet Center, renewed daily; their brightness is a forecast with large uncertainty. Meteor showers: values of the International Meteor Organization.