January 2026 Skywatching Tips

January 2, 2026

This video published by the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory, highlights three primary celestial events to look for in the night sky during January 2026. The first major event occurs on January 10, when Jupiter reaches opposition. This astronomical alignment places Earth directly between Jupiter and the Sun, making the giant planet appear at its biggest and brightest for the entire year. Viewers are advised to look to the east in the evening to spot Jupiter, which will be located in the constellation Gemini. It is expected to be one of the brightest objects in the sky, outshined only by the Moon and Venus.

Later in the month, on January 23, skywatchers can witness a conjunction between Saturn and the Moon. During this event, the two celestial bodies will appear close together in the sky despite being vast distances apart in space. To view this pairing, observers should look to the west, where Saturn will be visible just below the sparkling Moon.

Throughout the entire month of January, the Beehive Cluster, also known as Messier 44 or M44, will be visible. This open star cluster, located in the Milky Way galaxy, consists of at least 1,000 stars loosely bound together. It can be found in the eastern sky just after sunset and before midnight. While it may be visible to the naked eye under dark skies, the use of binoculars or a small telescope is recommended for a better view.

The video above is intended for educational purposes and does not constitute or imply an endorsement by FutureForAll.org.