Astronomical Events 2026 Times are Central Time Zone ...OK To Copy
3rd Draft -see the website gpclements.com or the sites on the back side of this page for updates after January 7, 2025
June 21 June Solstice, Start of Summer for Northern Hemisphere. Start of Winter for S. Hemisphere. Greatest length of daylight hours for N. Hemisphere. The Sun is at its northernmost point on the sky at Noon as viewed from Earth, 23.5 degrees north of the projection of the Earth’s equator on the sky.
June 29 Full Moon
July Sometime this month the Griffin Mission One is planned to launch with the goal of landing a rover on the Moon
July 6 The Earth is at its farthest point from the Sun for the year. (Warm temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are due to the tilt of Earth's axis. The Sun is higher in the sky at Noon in July than in January.)
July 14 New Moon
July 26 Saturn begins retrograde motion (westward motion through the starfield)
July 29 Full Moon
August Sometime this month the Chang’e 7 (China) is planned to launch to the Moon with the goal of landing near the South Pole of the Moon to search for water ice
August 12 New Moon
August 12 Total Solar Eclipse visible from Greenland, Iceland, Northern Spain in the late afternoon. But, Total Eclipse lasts about two minutes. Not visible in the USA. August 2, 2027 solar eclipse will have 6+ minutes of totality.
August 12,13 Perseid Meteor Shower - Up to 50 meteors per hour if you have a dark sky. Meteors appear to come from
the Perseus constellation. Observe after midnight. The Moon will not interfere with viewing.
August 15 Venus is at a large angle (about 46 degrees) east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it high in the west after sunset.
August 20 After 9 p.m. The Moon is near the star Antares on the sky (closest at 10:18 p.m.) -- low on SW horizon
August 27 Full Moon
August 27 Partial Lunar Eclipse - 93% of the Moon will be in Earth’s shadow. Find location with view of East horizon.
Partial Eclipse Begins Maximum Eclipse
OMAHA, NE 9:33 p.m. CDT 11:12 p.m.
September 10 New Moon
September 22 September Equinox, 12 hours of night, 12 hours of daylight, Start of Fall for Northern Hemisphere
September 26 Full Moon
October 4 Saturn Opposition … Saturn is closest to Earth, and brightest, for the year. It is visible all night long. View it in the eastern sky at sunset and in the southern sky at midnight. October 10 New Moon
October 12 Mercury is almost 20 degrees east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset.
October 21,22 Orionid Meteor Shower - perhaps 20 meteors per hour if you have a dark sky. View after midnight. Meteors will appear to come from the Orion constellation. The light from the Moon will interfere a little.
October 25 Full Moon
October 27 After 8 p.m. The Moon is near the Pleiades star cluster on the sky – look in the eastern sky, near horizon
November 1 End of Daylight Savings Time in USA if that system is in use, Set clocks back one hour Saturday night.
November 9 New Moon
November 16 after 12:30 a.m. on the 17th…. Mars is near Jupiter – both are near the eastern horizon
November 17,18 Leonid Meteor Shower - Up to 15 meteors per hour if your sky is dark. Meteors appear to come from
the constellation of Leo. View after midnight. The light from the Moon will interfere a little with viewing.
November 24 Full Moon -"Supermoon." The Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky as the Moon will be at a point in its orbit slightly closer to the Earth than its average distance. December 8 New Moon
December 10 Saturn ends retrograde motion (westward through starfield) and resumes prograde motion (eastward)
December 12 Jupiter begins retrograde motion (westward motion through the starfield)
December 13,14 Geminids Meteor Shower - up to 50 meteors/hour if you have a dark sky. Meteors seem to come from
the Gemini constellation. View after midnight. The light from the Moon will not interfere with viewing.
December 21 December Solstice – This date has the shortest amount of daylight for observers in the Northern
Hemisphere. Start of Winter for Northern Hemisphere. The Sun is at its lowest point in the sky at Noon as viewed from Earth, 23.5 degrees below the projection of the earth’s equator on the sky.
December 23 Full Moon -"Supermoon." The Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky as the Moon will be at a point in its orbit slightly closer to the Earth than its average distance.
This list was assembled by Greg Clements. Sources: seasky.org, timeanddate.com, nakedeyeplanets.com, in-the-sky.org, www.astropixels.com/almanac/almanac21/almanac2026cst.html, universetoday.com, planetary.org
Astronomy videos on YouTube, indexed at astronomy.gpclements.com Free, no registration Physics videos on YouTube, indexed at physics.gpclements.com Free, no registration The physics videos (about 360) are for an introductory physics class. The astronomy videos (about 200) include videos for the general public and educational videos.
This sky calendar can be freely accessed and printed at astronomy.gpclements.com . -maybe revised after January 7, 2026This list was assembled by Greg Clements. Sources: seasky.org, timeanddate.com, nakedeyeplanets.com, in-the-sky.org, www.astropixels.com/almanac/almanac21/almanac2026cst.html, universetoday.com, planetary.org
Astronomy videos on YouTube, indexed at astronomy.gpclements.com Free, no registration Physics videos on YouTube, indexed at physics.gpclements.com Free, no registration The physics videos (about 360) are for an introductory physics class. The astronomy videos (about 200) include videos for the general public and educational videos.
This sky calendar can be freely accessed and printed at astronomy.gpclements.com . -maybe revised after January 7, 2026