2026 Astronomy Calendar

View major astronomical events in 2026, including meteor showers, eclipses, lunar phases, planetary oppositions, and notable skywatching dates.

Geomagnetic Activity and Aurora Index

Taiwan and Hong Kong are normally far too low in geomagnetic latitude for aurora. Even Hokkaido generally needs an extreme Kp≥8 storm for a chance of low-latitude aurora. Use this mainly for overseas aurora and photography planning.

Aurora Forecast · Source: NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center

Comets to Track in 2026

Brightness ranges are site estimates based on available data, not guarantees. Comets can outburst, fade, or fragment, so regenerate a current ephemeris before observing. This first version uses NASA/JPL orbital data only and does not use COBS.

10P/Tempel 2

Perihelion: 2026-08-02 · Estimated magnitude range: 7–11

A summer 2026 periodic comet with widely varying brightness estimates. From Taiwan it is a low evening-to-pre-midnight telescope or tracked-imaging target, not a promised naked-eye object.

View NASA/JPL SBDB orbital data

220P/McNaught

Perihelion: 2026-06-14 · Estimated magnitude range: 9–13

A major outburst occurred before its 2026 perihelion and may fade rapidly. Recheck current charts for its morning window and magnitude; it is useful for tracking coma changes, not for quoting a fixed brightness.

View NASA/JPL SBDB orbital data

Comets: from icy nucleus to extreme orbit

Month 1

• 2026-01-03 · Meteor Shower — Quadrantids (ZHR≈120) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1
• 2026-01-10 · Planetary opposition — Jupiter at opposition Learn how it forms

Major moon phases — Full Moon 2026-01-03 · Last Quarter 2026-01-10 · New Moon 2026-01-19 · First Quarter 2026-01-26 View observing information

Month 2

• 2026-02-17 · Eclipse — Annular Solar Eclipse · Taiwan: not visible View observing information · Learn how it forms · Source 1 · Source 2
• 2026-02-26 · Planetary retrograde — Mercury retrograde: first station Learn how it forms

Major moon phases — Full Moon 2026-02-02 · Last Quarter 2026-02-09 · New Moon 2026-02-17 · First Quarter 2026-02-24 View observing information

Month 3

• 2026-03-03 · Eclipse — Total Lunar Eclipse · Taiwan: visible View observing information · Learn how it forms · Source 1 · Source 2
• 2026-03-20 · Equinox — Vernal Equinox · Reviewed year-specific source Source 1

Major moon phases — Full Moon 2026-03-03 · Last Quarter 2026-03-11 · New Moon 2026-03-19 · First Quarter 2026-03-26 View observing information

Month 4

• 2026-04-22 · Meteor Shower — Lyrids (ZHR≈20) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1

Major moon phases — Full Moon 2026-04-02 · Last Quarter 2026-04-10 · New Moon 2026-04-17 · First Quarter 2026-04-24 View observing information

Month 5

• 2026-05-06 · Meteor Shower — Eta Aquariids (ZHR≈50) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1

Major moon phases — Full Moon 2026-05-02 · Last Quarter 2026-05-10 · New Moon 2026-05-17 · First Quarter 2026-05-23 · Full Moon 2026-05-31 View observing information

Month 6

• 2026-06-21 · Solstice — Summer Solstice · Reviewed year-specific source Source 1
• 2026-06-30 · Planetary retrograde — Mercury retrograde: first station Learn how it forms

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-06-08 · New Moon 2026-06-15 · First Quarter 2026-06-22 · Full Moon 2026-06-30 View observing information

Month 7

• 2026-07-07 · Planetary retrograde — Neptune retrograde: first station Learn how it forms
• 2026-07-27 · Planetary retrograde — Saturn retrograde: first station Learn how it forms
• 2026-07-28 · Meteor Shower — Delta Aquariids (ZHR≈25) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-07-08 · New Moon 2026-07-14 · First Quarter 2026-07-21 · Full Moon 2026-07-29 View observing information

Month 8

• 2026-08-12 · Eclipse — Total Solar Eclipse · Taiwan: not visible View observing information · Learn how it forms · Source 1 · Source 2

  On 12 August 2026, the path of totality crosses the Arctic, Greenland, Iceland and the Iberian Peninsula. Taiwan lies outside every visibility zone, so the global event remains listed and is explicitly marked not visible from Taiwan. Use a certified solar filter.

  A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves between the Sun and Earth, sweeping its umbra, antumbra, or penumbra over the surface. A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon enters Earth's penumbra or umbra. The shadow zone determines the visible phase.

• 2026-08-12 · Meteor Shower — Perseids (ZHR≈100) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1
• 2026-08-28 · Eclipse — Partial Lunar Eclipse · Taiwan: not visible View observing information · Learn how it forms · Source 1 · Source 2

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-08-06 · New Moon 2026-08-13 · First Quarter 2026-08-20 · Full Moon 2026-08-28 View observing information

Month 9

• 2026-09-10 · Planetary retrograde — Uranus retrograde: first station Learn how it forms
• 2026-09-23 · Equinox — Autumnal Equinox · Reviewed year-specific source Source 1
• 2026-09-26 · Planetary opposition — Neptune at opposition Learn how it forms

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-09-04 · New Moon 2026-09-11 · First Quarter 2026-09-19 · Full Moon 2026-09-27 View observing information

Month 10

• 2026-10-03 · Planetary retrograde — Venus retrograde: first station Learn how it forms
• 2026-10-04 · Planetary opposition — Saturn at opposition Learn how it forms
• 2026-10-21 · Meteor Shower — Orionids (ZHR≈20) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1
• 2026-10-24 · Planetary retrograde — Mercury retrograde: first station Learn how it forms

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-10-03 · New Moon 2026-10-10 · First Quarter 2026-10-19 · Full Moon 2026-10-26 View observing information

Month 11

• 2026-11-17 · Meteor Shower — Leonids (ZHR≈15) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1
• 2026-11-26 · Planetary opposition — Uranus at opposition Learn how it forms

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-11-02 · New Moon 2026-11-09 · First Quarter 2026-11-17 · Full Moon 2026-11-24 View observing information

Month 12

• 2026-12-13 · Meteor Shower — Geminids (ZHR≈150) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1
• 2026-12-13 · Planetary retrograde — Jupiter retrograde: first station Learn how it forms
• 2026-12-22 · Meteor Shower — Ursids (ZHR≈10) · Annual forecast View observing information · Source 1
• 2026-12-22 · Solstice — Winter Solstice · Reviewed year-specific source Source 1

Major moon phases — Last Quarter 2026-12-01 · New Moon 2026-12-09 · First Quarter 2026-12-17 · Full Moon 2026-12-24 · Last Quarter 2026-12-31 View observing information

2027

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