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The year 2026 is shaping up to be a standout for skywatchers, with major moments from both the moon and the sun — along with rare planetary alignments and ongoing interstellar intrigue.
The moon will take center stage early in the year as NASA sends astronauts back to lunar space for the first time in more than five decades as part of its Artemis program. A supermoon will kick off the year on Jan. 3, followed by an astronomical blue moon in May.
Robotic exploration will also ramp up, with several U.S. companies and China planning lunar landings. Among them is a test flight of Jeff Bezos’ towering Blue Moon lander, designed to eventually carry astronauts. China is targeting the moon’s south polar region, aiming to explore permanently shadowed craters believed to hold water ice — a key resource for future missions.
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with the point in its orbit when it is closest to Earth. Because the moon’s path around Earth is slightly oval rather than perfectly circular, some full moons appear noticeably larger and brighter than others. During a supermoon, the moon can appear up to 14% larger and about 30% brighter than a typical full moon — a difference visible even to casual observers with the naked eye.
A blue moon, despite its name, has nothing to do with color. Instead, it refers to timing. An astronomical blue moon happens when there are two full moons in the same calendar month — a relatively rare event due to the moon’s roughly 29.5-day cycle. The phrase “once in a blue moon” comes from this rarity, though blue moons actually occur every two to three years.
The sun will also deliver headline-making moments in 2026. A rare ring-of-fire solar eclipse will take place on Feb. 17, visible primarily in Antarctica, while a total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 will sweep across parts of the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. During a total eclipse, the moon completely blocks the sun, briefly turning day into night and revealing the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona.
Planet lovers will have their own reason to look up. Around Feb. 28, six planets will appear lined up across the sky shortly after sunset, with several visible to the naked eye. Another planetary parade is expected in August, this time including Mars.
Three supermoons will occur in total during 2026, with the brightest arriving just before Christmas. This Christmas Eve supermoon will be the closest full moon of the year, passing unusually near Earth and creating a striking holiday night sky.
Meanwhile, solar activity is expected to continue producing vivid auroras — the northern and southern lights — though slightly less frequently than in recent years as the sun begins to ease out of its most active phase.
Adding to the cosmic intrigue is a rare interstellar comet, known as 3I/Atlas, which passed near Earth late last year. Though fading, it remains visible with powerful telescopes and is expected to pass Jupiter in March before eventually leaving the solar system entirely.
With eclipses, lunar missions, and stunning night-sky events packed into a single year, astronomers say 2026 will offer one of the richest celestial calendars in decades — whether viewed through telescopes or simply with the naked eye.
SOURCE: The Associated Press