January 2026 sky: Jupiter opposition, Moon–Saturn conjunction, Beehive Cluster

In January 2026, skywatchers can look for three highlights: Jupiter at opposition on Jan. 10, a Moon and Saturn conjunction on Jan. 23, and the Beehive Cluster visible throughout the month.

On Jan. 10 Jupiter will be at opposition, meaning Earth is directly between Jupiter and the Sun. In that alignment Jupiter will appear bigger and brighter than it will all year. Look to the east all evening to see the planet in the constellation Gemini; only the Moon and Venus will be brighter.

On Jan. 23 the Moon and Saturn will form a conjunction, when objects in the sky appear close together even though they are far apart. To spot them, look to the west and you should see Saturn just below the Moon.

The Beehive Cluster (Messier 44 or M44) is visible throughout January. It is an open star cluster of at least 1,000 stars and one of thousands of such clusters in the Milky Way. Look to the eastern sky after sunset and before midnight, with mid-January nights often favorable; dark skies may allow a naked-eye view, while binoculars or a small telescope will help. NASA also lists the phases of the Moon for January; the update was provided by Chelsea Gohd of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory.

Key Topics

Science, Jupiter, Saturn, Moon, Gemini, Conjunction