Observe the sky: January 2026

Let’s begin this new year also from an astronomical perspective, and what better way to do so than with our monthly article on the night sky. Moreover, the year 2026 brings us the first of three solar eclipses that will be visible from Spain, though this will take place in August (when we will also be able to enjoy a lunar eclipse), and there will be time to discuss it then. Below you will find the main astronomical events to highlight during January 2026.

Day	Time	Event
1	22:12	Moon at perigee ( 360327 km)
3	11:05	Full Moon
3	19:16	Earth at perihelion ( 0.983 AU)
3	23:56	Moon in conjunction with Jupiter 3.62° N of Jupiter
6	17:07	Venus at superior conjunction
8	03:25	Venus in conjunction with Mars 0.17° N of Mars
9	12:29	Mars at conjunction
10	09:31	Jupiter at opposition
10	16:52	Last Quarter
13	22:18	Moon at apogee ( 405420 km)
18	08:28	Mercury in conjunction with Mars 0.96° S of Mars
18	16:14	Moon in conjunction with Mars 2.54° S of Mars
18	16:52	Moon in conjunction with Mercury 1.55° S of Mercury
18	20:55	New Moon
19	03:06	Moon in conjunction with Venus 2.05° S of Venus
21	16:36	Mercury at superior conjunction
23	10:34	Moon in conjunction with Saturn 3.85° N of Saturn
26	05:49	First Quarter
29	11:17	Mercury in conjunction with Venus 0.69° S of Venus
29	22:37	Moon at perigee ( 365775 km)
31	04:18	Moon in conjunction with Jupiter 3.78° N of Jupiter

Table 1: Main astronomical events of the month of January. Local time.

After reaching its lowest altitude of the year, the Sun begins to climb higher, rising and setting further to the North. We may not yet notice it, but we are moving closer to good weather. In particular, during this month of January the Sun will gain approximately 5° in altitude, still barely perceptible since its apparent movement is quite small. Let us remember that we have just passed the solstice, which literally means “still Sun,” due to how little its position seems to change from one night to the next.

Meanwhile, the Moon will begin the month approaching its full phase and very close to perigee (the minimum Earth–Moon distance), which will occur at 22:12 on the 1st of the month. Since January has 31 days, and the Moon’s orbital period is around 27–28 days, on the 29th—before the month ends—the Moon will once again reach perigee.

Sun during January 2026. — **Figure 1:** Variation of the Sun's position during the month of January. Left: Maximum daily elevation of the Sun during the month. Right: Position in the sky if observed every day at the same time (12.00 UT). In orange the positions of the Sun throughout January; in yellow, throughout the year (analemma).

Moon during January 2026. — **Figure 2:** Observability and illumination of the Moon during the month of January 2026. In red the time zone (universal time, UT; local time = UT + 2) during which you will be able to observe the Moon. The vertical white lines indicate the time of the Moon's passage through the local meridian.

Moon during January 2026 (II). — **Figure 3:** Phases and Moon orbit during January 2026.

This month we also encounter a special planetary situation. None of the planets with orbits inside that of Earth will be visible in January 2026. Mercury and Venus are in superior conjunction, meaning they are projected as hidden behind the Sun (as far from Earth as possible). Mars, for its part, will also be in conjunction (on the 9th of the month), and therefore likewise “hidden” behind the Sun. However, the outer planets will indeed be visible in January, especially during the first half of the night, with Jupiter visible throughout the entire night since it will be in opposition on the 9th (in a position completely opposite the Sun relative to Earth). Thus, January will be a fun month to observe many phenomena involving Jupiter’s satellites (Jupiter table).

Planets observability towards the beginning of January 2026 — **Figure 4:** Observability of the different planets of the Solar System from Granada in January 2026. In red, the time zone (universal time) during which you will be able to observe the different planets. The vertical white lines indicate the time of the passage of the various planets through the local meridian.

Planets observability towards the middle of January 2026 — **Figure 4:** Observability of the different planets of the Solar System from Granada in January 2026. In red, the time zone (universal time) during which you will be able to observe the different planets. The vertical white lines indicate the time of the passage of the various planets through the local meridian.

Planetary situation for the month of January 2026 in Granada. — **Figure 5:** Representation of the sky that will be observable at the end, beginning and middle of a typical January night from Granada (January 14th is chosen as representative). The positions of the planets as well as their motion relative to the fixed stellar background are indicated. For the planets with less apparent motion (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus and Neptune) a zoom is included for tracking with telescopes.

As for the stars, the truly beautiful season for astronomy enthusiasts is now beginning. During the winter months, the night sky is characterized by bright stars, the passage of the Milky Way (in the direction opposite to the galactic center), and clear, stable skies (thanks precisely to the cold that accompanies us). Constellations such as Orion, Gemini, Canis Major, Auriga, Cassiopeia, and Perseus dominate the night sky.

The sky over Granada during the month of January 2026. — **Figure 6:** Representation of the sky that will be observable on a typical January night from Granada. The ecliptic is indicated (dashed line) as well as the main deep sky objects.

Finally, for those who enjoy luminous phenomena observable from the city, here is a summary of the main passes of the International Space Station (ISS table). Stay tuned on Telegram, where we will send notifications and alerts about the most notable passes.

My work ends here. January is exam month, so we will not be organizing any observation sessions, but we will resume in February with great energy—and hopefully with many successful results as well. As always, we remind you that we are open to suggestions on our Telegram channel, where you can also stay informed about activities, receive timely alerts about easily observable astronomical events, and much more. Here is the link! We look forward to seeing you soon at our activities. I hope you have a good start to the year, and I wish you the best of luck with your exams.

Good luck! And Clear Skies!