July 29, 2026: Jupiter reaches solar conjunction and begins a new morning apparition. Learn when the Jovian Giant returns to view and the key events of its next observing cycle.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Chicago, Illinois: Sunrise, 5:39 a.m. CDT; Sunset, 8:15 p.m. CDT. Times are calculated by the US Naval Observatory’s MICA computer program. Check local sources for sunrise and sunset times.
Venus as an Evening Star
Jupiter at Conjunction
Jupiter is in conjunction with the sun today. The event is not observable because it occurs while the Jovian Giant is on the far side of the sun. From Earth, Jupiter and the sun appear in nearly the same direction in the sky. It signals the end of the last apparition (appearance) and the beginning of a new observing cycle.
Jupiter rises earlier each morning before sunrise and begins to emerge from bright morning twilight by mid-August. Unlike most bright stars and planets, Jupiter is bright enough to be located low in the sky when it first returns to view.
Jupiter with Moon
The first noteworthy observing event of the new apparition occurs on September 8, when the thin crescent moon, 9% illuminated and showing earthshine, is 3.9° to Jupiter’s upper right.
The first major planetary event of the apparition is a Jupiter-Mars conjunction on November 16.
As the solar conjunction occurs, Jupiter begins a new apparition in the eastern morning sky. During the coming weeks, the planet climbs higher before sunrise as it returns to prominence in the predawn sky. The Jovian Giant continues climbing higher into the morning sky through autumn, leading to increasingly favorable observing conditions.
LATEST ARTICLES
- 2026, September 16: Venus After Sunset, Moon Near Antares, Saturn Near Opposition, Jupiter and Mars Before Sunrise
September 16, 2026: Brilliant Venus shines low in evening twilight while the crescent moon appears near Antares. Saturn nears opposition, and Jupiter and Mars are in the eastern predawn sky. - 2026, September 15-18: Moon Passes Antares: Earthshine, Scorpius, and the Harvest Moon Path
2026, September 15-18: Watch the waxing crescent moon pass Antares, Scorpius, Ophiuchus, and Sagittarius. See earthshine, photograph the lunar crescent, and follow the moon’s path toward the Harvest Moon. - 2026, September 14: Lunar Crescent Near Venus, Jupiter and Mars Before Sunrise
September 14, 2026: The crescent moon appears near Venus after sunset while Jupiter and Mars shine before sunrise. Saturn nears opposition, Uranus is easy to locate near the Pleiades, and Neptune remains a challenging binocular target. - 2026, September 13-14: Crescent Moon Returns to Venus in Evening Twilight
September 13-14, 2026: The young crescent moon returns to the evening sky near brilliant Venus. Watch the lunar crescent, Venus, and possibly Spica low in the west-southwest after sunset. - 2026, September 12: Mars Passes Castor Before Sunrise While Closing on Jupiter
September 12, 2026: Before sunrise, Mars passes Castor in a wide conjunction while continuing its eastward march in front of Gemini. Jupiter shines lower in the eastern sky as Mars slowly closes the gap for their November conjunction.