When you buy through links on our articles, Future and its syndication partners may earn a commission.Rising moon and Venus photographed from Namibia. . | Credit: Westend61/Getty ImagesWant to know when each planet will be at its best or when you can catch eye-catching planetary pairings in 2026?This guide breaks down the major planetary events of the year, from conjunctions to oppositions to close planet-star encounters.Related: Night sky tonight live blog MercuryMercury, the smallest of the planets visible to the naked eye, appears as an evening star in the western sky, setting about an hour after the sun. As a morning star, it rises about an hour before the sun in the eastern sky. To view the planet, a clear, unobstructed view of the horizon is essential. Mercury usually appears as a bright “star” with a yellowish or ochre tint.Visibility windows in 2026Evenings: Feb. 5–26; June 1–22; Sept. 28–Oct. 19Mornings: March 27– April 17; July 26– Aug. 16; Nov. 13– Dec. 4When will it be at its best?Evening: Feb. 5–26Morning: Nov. 13– Dec. 4AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn the evening of Feb. 18, about 30 minutes after sunset, Mercury will sit just 1 degree above a slender waxing crescent moon low in the west-southwest.VenusVenus will shine bright in the evening sky from March through October. Here is shines over the Ghar Lapsi cliff face in Malta, while the Orion Nebula is seen on the right. | Credit: William Attard McCarthy – McCarthy’s PhotoWorks/Getty ImagesVenus, with its nearly circular orbit and a diameter only 400 miles (640 kilometers) smaller than Earth’s, shines with a brilliant, steady silvery light.Visibility windows in 2026Evenings: March 8– Oct. 14Mornings: Nov. 3– Dec. 31When will it be at its best?Venus reaches greatest brilliancy in the evening sky on Sept. 19 and in the morning sky on Nov. 29. In late September through mid-October, and again through most of November, Venus will show a striking crescent phase in telescopes and steady binoculars.Notable conjunctions:March 8: Venus passes 1 degree to the upper right of Saturn.June 9: Venus passes 1.6 degrees to the upper right of Jupiter — a brilliant sight in the west-northwest 45 minutes after sunset.Nov. 7 (morning): Shortly before sunrise, look low to the east-southeast for Venus, a crescent moon, and the star Spica, all fitting within 2.5 degrees.MarsMars, long associated with Ares, the Greek god of war, shines like a star with a yellowish-orange hue and can vary considerably in brightness.Visibility in 2026Mornings: March 18- Dec. 31When will it be at its best?This is an “off” year for Mars. The planet begins 2026 lost in the sun’s glare and reaches solar conjunction on Jan. 9, sitting on the far side of the solar system about 223 million miles from Earth.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementMars begins to reappear in the third week of March, rising before sunrise among the faint stars of Aquarius. It moves into Taurus for the first half of summer, shining only around magnitude +1.3.Sky highlights:Oct. 11: Mars passes through the Beehive Cluster in Cancer — an attractive sight in binoculars.Nov. 26: Mars passes 1.7 degrees above Regulus in Leo, creating a dramatic color contrast.By late December, Mars brightens to magnitude –0.1 and will rival Arcturus in both color and brightness.Feb. 19, 2027: Mars reaches its next opposition, so it steadily approaches Earth late in 2026.Notable conjunctions:AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementApril 20: Mars aligns closely with Saturn and Mercury.July 4: Mars passes just 0.1 degree south of Uranus, offering a superb guidepost for locating Uranus.Nov. 16: Mars passes 1.2 degrees to the upper left of Jupiter.JupiterJupiter and Venus will shine close together on June 9, 2025. | Credit: Kerrin / 500px/Getty ImagesJupiter, the giant planet with a diameter about 11 times bigger than Earth’s, shines with a bright silver-white luster.Visibility windows in 2026Mornings: Jan. 1–9; Aug. 19– Dec. 31Evenings: Jan. 10–July 7Jupiter reaches opposition on Jan. 10 and shines brightest from Jan. 1–22 at magnitude –2.7 in Gemini. It enters Cancer on June 22 and Leo on Sept. 24, where it remains through year’s end.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementOn June 9, Jupiter pairs with Venus in a stunning “double planet” display low in the west-northwest at dusk.Oct. 6 lunar occultationOn the morning of Oct …
