“January’s skies offer some of the most spectacular stellar cartography of all, with brilliant Orion, Taurus, Canis Major, and others sparkling through much of the night …” — StarDate Sky Almanac 2026 and Stellarium
We flew between the giant planet Jupiter and the sun on January 10. This is Jupiter’s yearly opposition. We are now in the middle of the best time of year to watch this mighty world. Watch for Jupiter ascending in the east after darkness falls tonight. You won’t believe how bright it is! Read about Jupiter’s opposition. Or watch a video.
Jupiter, -2.66 magnitude, is the largest planet in our solar system and third brightest object in the night sky, next to the Moon and Venus. Through binoculars, Jupiter reveals a bright disk. If you look closely, you will see several of its four large moons—called the Galilean satellites—appearing as pinpoints of light, arrayed in a line that bisects the giant planet. Read: “Jupiter’s moons: How to see and enjoy them.”
The brightest true star in northern skies is Sirius the Dog Star, -1.47 magnitude. The smaller the number, the brighter the celestial object (i.e., note the negative number). Sirius rises in the east-southeast at 5:50 p.m. this evening. The Great Dog star sets in the southwest at 3:48 a.m.
New Moon tomorrow, the 18th: Darkest nights for stargazing followed by young crescent moons in the west waxing to half phase on the 25th. Full Snow Moon rises February 1.
Vital statistics:
Saturday, January 17, 2026: Astronomical Twilight 5:31 a.m., Civil Twilight 6:39 a.m., Sunrise 7:10 a.m., Sunset 4:38 p.m., Twilight 5:09 p.m., Twilight A 6:17 p.m. Eve of New Moon, Day length 9 hours and 28 minutes. (“Twi A” stands for Astronomical Twilight, or the darkest stage.)
Friday, January 30, 2026: Twi A 5:23 a.m., Civil Twi 6:30 a.m., Sunrise 7:00 a.m., Sunset 4:55 p.m., Twi 5:26 p.m., Twi A 6:31 p.m. Day length 9 hours and 54 minutes.
Day length is 9 hours and 28 minutes on January 17.
Day length is 9 hours and 54 minutes on January 30: Day gains 27 minutes in 13 days.
