🌌 2026 Space Events 🌌
A Year of Cosmic Wonder and Celestial Spectacles
Quadrantid Meteor Shower
Kick off the year with one of the strongest meteor showers! The Quadrantids can produce up to 120 meteors per hour at their peak. Best viewing is before dawn.
Meteor ShowerJupiter at Opposition
Jupiter reaches its closest point to Earth, appearing at its brightest and largest in the night sky. Perfect time for telescope observation!
Planetary EventArtemis II Launch
NASA's historic crewed mission to the Moon! Artemis II will take astronauts on a lunar flyby, marking humanity's return to lunar orbit for the first time in over 50 years.
Space MissionTotal Lunar Eclipse (Blood Moon)
Witness the Moon turn a spectacular reddish color during this total lunar eclipse. Visible from North America, Europe, Africa, and parts of Asia.
EclipseMoon, Pleiades & Venus Conjunction
A stunning triple conjunction! The Moon will pass close to both Venus and the beautiful Pleiades star cluster, creating a breathtaking evening sky scene.
Planetary EventEta Aquarid Meteor Shower
Debris from Halley's Comet creates this spectacular shower, producing up to 60 meteors per hour. Best viewed from the Southern Hemisphere.
Meteor ShowerJupiter, Venus & Mercury Conjunction
Three planets align! Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury will appear close together in the evening sky, creating a rare planetary triangle.
Planetary EventTotal Solar Eclipse
The year's MARQUEE EVENT! This total solar eclipse will be visible across Iceland, Spain, and parts of North Africa. The UK will see a partial eclipse - the best since 1999!
EclipsePerseid Meteor Shower Peak
One of the most popular meteor showers! The Perseids can produce 60-100 meteors per hour. Unfortunately, this year coincides with the solar eclipse.
Meteor ShowerVenus as the Evening Star
Venus reaches peak brightness in the evening sky, shining brilliantly after sunset. The perfect time for photography!
Planetary EventPartial Lunar Eclipse
A partial lunar eclipse will be visible across the Americas, Europe, and Africa. A great follow-up to the total solar eclipse earlier in the month!
EclipseChina's Tianwen-2 Reaches Asteroid
China's ambitious asteroid sample-return mission reaches its target, a quasi-moon asteroid. This mission will collect samples and return them to Earth.
Space MissionSaturn at Opposition
Saturn reaches its closest approach to Earth, making it the perfect time to observe the planet's magnificent rings through a telescope!
Planetary EventMoon & Mars Close Conjunction
The Moon and Mars will appear extremely close together in the pre-dawn sky, creating a beautiful sight for early risers.
Planetary EventESA's Hera Arrives at Didymos
ESA's Hera mission arrives at the Didymos asteroid system to study the aftermath of NASA's DART impact, advancing planetary defense technology.
Space MissionJupiter & Mars Conjunction
Jupiter and Mars will appear very close together in the pre-dawn sky, visible before sunrise on November 15.
Planetary EventLeonid Meteor Shower
Known for occasional meteor storms! While typically producing 15 meteors per hour, the Leonids can surprise stargazers with spectacular outbursts.
Meteor ShowerNancy Grace Roman Space Telescope Launch
NASA's next-generation space telescope launches! With a field of view 100 times larger than Hubble, it will revolutionize our understanding of dark energy and exoplanets.
Space MissionGeminid Meteor Shower
Often the year's best meteor shower! The Geminids can produce up to 120 colorful meteors per hour. Perfect for ending the year with a cosmic bang!
Meteor ShowerChristmas Supermoon
A spectacular supermoon on Christmas Eve! The Moon will appear larger and brighter than usual, making for a magical holiday sight.
Planetary EventBepiColombo Reaches Mercury
After a 7-year journey, ESA and JAXA's joint mission finally arrives at Mercury to study the planet's mysteries, including its magnetic field and surface composition.
Space Mission
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