October 4, 2026: Saturn reaches opposition today, rising at sunset and setting at sunrise. Follow the Ringed Wonder through Cetus and track its retrograde motion with a binocular until December.
Tag: opposition
2026, September 25-29: Harvest Moon and Saturn Share the Autumn Sky During the Season’s First Week
September 25-29, 2026: The Harvest Moon occurs September 26 and appears near Saturn during several evenings. Learn why the moon rises later each night while changing little in altitude after sunset.
2026, September 7: Crescent Moon with Jupiter and Mars Before Sunrise, Venus in Evening Twilight
September 7, 2026: The waning crescent moon aligns with Castor and Pollux before sunrise while Jupiter and Mars shine in the eastern sky. After sunset, brilliant Venus shines low in the west-southwest as it pulls away from Spica.
2026, January 10: Jupiter at Opposition Brightens the Night Sky
January 10, 2026: Jupiter reaches opposition, shining as the brightest starlike object in the night sky. Learn when to see it, how it moves, and why it retrogrades this year near Gemini.
2026, January 9: Mars at Conjunction, Jupiter Closest to Earth
January 9, 2026: Mars reaches conjunction on the sun’s far side while Jupiter nears opposition and shines all night as the brightest starlike object in the sky.
2026, January 5: Jupiter Passes Castor as Opposition Nears
January 5, 2026: Bright Jupiter passes Castor in Gemini as it nears opposition. See where to find the planet each evening and how its retrograde motion becomes easy to observe.
2025, December 21: Winter Solstice, See Jupiter and Saturn
December 21, 2025: Sun reaches its solstice point, a thin lunar crescent returns, and Jupiter and Saturn shine during the long nights. Mercury retreats into bright twilight.
2025, November 25: Jupiter Rules the Night with Saturn and the Crescent Moon
November 25, 2025: Bright Jupiter dominates the night sky while Venus sinks deeper into morning twilight. See Jupiter retrograding in front of Gemini, Saturn, and the crescent moon after sunset.
2025, October 21: Venus–Saturn Opposition: Planets on Opposite Sides of the Sky
October 21, 2025: Venus and Saturn reach opposition, appearing in opposite directions in the sky. Saturn sets as Venus rises, marking their final appearance before dawn this Venusian apparition.
2025, October 8: Sky Watching Almanac – Sun, Moon, Planets
October 8, 2025: The sky offers the Harvest Moon, bright Venus nears Virgo, Jupiter near Pollux, and Saturn lingering in Pisces. Mercury and Mars are lost in twilight while Uranus and Neptune wait for darker skies.