10 Astronomical Events "Astronomy" In 2026, starting with "Jupiter Closest to Earth" Including meteor showers and moon-adjacent stars visible throughout the year
On 29 December 2025, Mr. Supharuk Karuhanon, Assistant Director of the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand (NARIT), revealed that each year there are notable astronomical events to follow. On the occasion of the upcoming New Year, NARIT has selected 10 astronomical events in 2026 to share with the Thai public as follows.
1. Jupiter closest to Earth of the year on 10 January 2026
Jupiter will be in opposition to the Sun (Jupiter Opposition), making it closest to Earth for the year at approximately 633 million kilometers. It can be observed all night, appearing bright in the sky. Through a telescope with at least 30x magnification, one can observe the Galilean moons and Jupiter's beautiful cloud bands. Using 100x or greater magnification, the Great Red Spot—a giant storm 1.3 times the size of Earth—can be clearly seen. This event occurs approximately every 13 months.
2. Total lunar eclipse on 3 March 2026
Coinciding with Makha Bucha Day, from about 15:44 to 21:23 (Thailand time). In Thailand, observation can begin once the moon rises around 18:23 (Bangkok time, with slight regional variation) in the east, during the total lunar eclipse. The full moon will appear brick red until about 19:02, then a partial eclipse occurs until the event ends around 21:23. The eclipse is visible to the naked eye throughout Thailand.
3. Full moon at the closest and farthest points from Earth (Micro Full Moon) on 31 May 2026
Coinciding with Visakha Bucha Day, this is also the second full moon of the month, known as a Blue Moon, a rare event called the “Micro Blue Moon.” The full moon will appear slightly smaller than usual. The year's Super Full Moon, when the full moon is closest and appears slightly larger, will occur on 24 December 2026, coinciding with Christmas Eve.
4. Moon occulting Venus on 14 September 2026
From about 19:28 to 20:34 (Bangkok time), observation can begin early evening after sunset toward the western horizon. Around 19:28, the moon will gradually cover Venus until it disappears behind the moon's dark side, then reappears fully from the illuminated crescent side around 20:34. However, the moon sets at about 20:24 that night, so observers in Thailand will not see the entire event but can watch the initial occultation phase if skies are clear, visible to the naked eye across Thailand.
5. Venus at its brightest
Occurs twice this year: first on 22 September 2026 in the early evening westward, and again on 27 November 2026 in the early morning eastward. Viewed through a telescope, Venus appears as a crescent similar to the moon.
6. Saturn closest to Earth of the year
On 4 October 2026, Saturn will be in opposition to the Sun (Saturn Opposition), making it closest to Earth at approximately 1.261 billion kilometers. It can be observed all night. This event recurs roughly every 378 days.
7. Moon occulting Jupiter early morning on 3 November 2026
The "Moon occulting Jupiter" event will be visible from Earth as the moon gradually covers Jupiter until it disappears behind the moon's illuminated crescent side and reappears from the dark side around 05:23 (Songkhla time). In Thailand, this is visible to the naked eye only in the southern region and some islands in Trat province. Other areas will see Jupiter near the moon throughout the night.
8. Meteor showers to watch
Meteor showers occur annually from Earth crossing streams of debris left by asteroids and comets. In 2026, the meteor showers with no moonlight interference and visible in Thailand include: Lyrids on 22-23 April (18 meteors/hour), Perseids on 12-13 August (100 meteors/hour), Orionids on 21-22 October (20 meteors/hour), Southern Taurids on 5-6 November (10 meteors/hour), Northern Taurids on 12-13 November (5 meteors/hour), Leonids on 17-18 November (15 meteors/hour), and Geminids on 14-15 December (150 meteors/hour).
9. Moon-adjacent stars and planetary conjunctions in 2026
Several events throughout the year include: 16 April 2026—moon near Mercury, Mars, and Saturn; 19-23 April—planetary conjunction of Mercury, Mars, and Saturn; 14 May—moon near Saturn; 20 May—moon near Jupiter; 10 June—Venus near Jupiter; 16-18 June—moon near Mercury, Jupiter, and Venus; 11 July—moon passes in front of the Pleiades cluster; 11 October—Mars passes in front of the Beehive cluster; 16 November—Mars near Jupiter; 25 November—Mars near Regulus; 30 November-1 December—moon near Mars, Jupiter, and Regulus.
10. Sun directly overhead in Thailand
Thailand experiences the sun passing directly overhead twice yearly. The first period is from April to May, starting from the south and moving up to Bangkok on 27 April 2026, ending in the north in May. The second is from July to September, beginning in the north in late July, moving down to Bangkok on 16 August 2026, and ending in the south by September. When the sun is directly overhead, shadows fall exactly beneath objects, making them appear shadowless.
Meteor shower viewing depends on weather conditions. Clouds or rain hinder visibility. On clear, cloudless nights, choose dark locations away from city lights and observe with the naked eye while lying down, as meteors spread across the sky. Those interested can follow these dates or get more astronomical event information via the National Astronomical Research Institute of Thailand's Facebook page at www.facebook.com/NARITpage.