Sky calendar
The next 18 months of things that happen on a date, solved from the ephemeris rather than kept in a list. Almost every one is the same instant for everybody on Earth, so a date here needs no location to be true — what is visible tonight is the list that does depend on where you are standing.
Coming up
] SOONEST FIRST- CONJUNCTIONIN 8 DAYS8TUE
The Moon 46′ from Jupiter
46′ between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, before dawn.
- FLYBYIN 10 DAYS11FRI
(2026 OH3) passes at 12.3 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 146 m and 326 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 12.3 lunar distances out at 20.17 km/s.
- CONJUNCTIONIN 13 DAYS14MON
The Moon 29′ from Venus
29′ between the Moon and Venus — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT THE EIGHT KINDS ARE
- Eclipses — solar and lunar, with where on Earth each is greatest.
- Meteor showers — dated by where the Earth is in its orbit, not by a fixed calendar day.
- Moon phases — the four quarters, which set what else is worth chasing that fortnight.
- Close pairings — two bright things within a few degrees of each other.
- Oppositions — the night each outer planet is closest, biggest and up all night.
- Elongations — the mornings and evenings Mercury and Venus stand furthest from the Sun.
- Equinoxes and solstices — the four turning points of the year.
- Flybys — near-Earth asteroids passing inside twenty lunar distances.
Pick a place and every event will say which hours are worth being outside for it. Until you do, nothing here is answered for anywhere in particular.
September 2026
] 5 EVENTS- 8TUECONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 46′ from Jupiter
The Moon passes 46′ from Jupiter — close enough that a thumb held at arm's length covers both at once, and a pair of binoculars holds them in one field. Look before dawn; the Moon moves its own width every hour, so the gap looks noticeably different either side of tonight.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.8° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 31° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 11FRIFLYBY--:--
(2026 OH3) passes at 12.3 lunar distances
(2026 OH3), somewhere between 146 m and 326 m across depending on how dark its surface is, makes its closest approach to Earth at 12.3 lunar distances (4.7 million km), moving past at 20.17 km/s. At magnitude 21.0 it is far below anything an amateur telescope reaches — this one is a fact rather than a sight. A pass at this range is ordinary rather than alarming — it is the reason the object is tracked, not a reason to worry about it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 20.17 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 12.3 lunar distances — 4 731 952 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 21.0 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 146 m – 326 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 14MONCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 29′ from Venus
The Moon passes 29′ from Venus — close enough that a thumb held at arm's length covers both at once, and a pair of binoculars holds them in one field. Look after sunset; the Moon moves its own width every hour, so the gap looks noticeably different either side of tonight.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.5° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 41° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 17THUFLYBY--:--
(2026 NT2) passes at 16.1 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 240 m and 536 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 16.1 lunar distances out at 12.54 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 12.54 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 16.1 lunar distances — 6 183 442 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 18.0 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 240 m – 536 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 26SATOPPOSITION--:--
Neptune at opposition
Neptune is directly opposite the Sun from here, so it rises as the Sun sets, stands highest at midnight and sets at sunrise. It is also about as close to Earth as it gets this time round, which makes this its brightest and biggest night of the year — the one to point a telescope at it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
October 2026
] 5 EVENTS- 4SUNOPPOSITION--:--
Saturn at opposition
Saturn is directly opposite the Sun from here, so it rises as the Sun sets, stands highest at midnight and sets at sunrise. It is also about as close to Earth as it gets this time round, which makes this its brightest and biggest night of the year — the one to point a telescope at it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
- 5MONCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.1° from Mars
The Moon passes 1.1° from Mars — close enough that a thumb held at arm's length covers both at once, and a pair of binoculars holds them in one field. Look before dawn; the Moon moves its own width every hour, so the gap looks noticeably different either side of tonight.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.1° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 68° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
- 6TUECONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 10′ from Jupiter
10′ between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.2° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 53° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 12MONELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (evening sky)
Mercury stands 25° away from the Sun in our sky today, the widest that gap opens on this pass. Look west just after sunset: this is the easiest Mercury gets to find, and Mercury is hard to catch at any other time.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 25° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 31SATFLYBY--:--
(2025 UK9) passes at 0.8 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 3 m and 6 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 0.8 lunar distances out at 7.83 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 7.83 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 0.8 lunar distances — 314 823 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 20.1 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 3 m – 6 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
November 2026
] 9 EVENTS- 2MONCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 58′ from Mars
58′ between the Moon and Mars — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.0° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 81° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 2MONFLYBY--:--
524522 Zoozve (2002 VE68) passes at 15.7 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 207 m and 464 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 15.7 lunar distances out at 8.72 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 8.72 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 15.7 lunar distances — 6 018 535 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 15.6 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 207 m – 464 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 2MONCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 29′ from Jupiter
29′ between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.5° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 76° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 6FRIFLYBY--:--
(2001 KF54) passes at 18.8 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 293 m and 655 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 18.8 lunar distances out at 16.42 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 16.42 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 18.8 lunar distances — 7 243 615 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 15.9 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 293 m – 655 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 7SATCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 57′ from Venus
57′ between the Moon and Venus — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.9° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 22° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 16MONCONJUNCTION--:--
Mars and Jupiter 1.2° apart
Mars and Jupiter come within 1.2° of each other, close enough to take in with one glance and to frame together in binoculars. They are 88° from the Sun, so look east before sunrise.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.2° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 88° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
- 20FRIELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (morning sky)
Mercury stands 20° away from the Sun in our sky today, the widest that gap opens on this pass. Look east shortly before sunrise: this is the easiest Mercury gets to find, and Mercury is hard to catch at any other time.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 20° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 25WEDOPPOSITION--:--
Uranus at opposition
Uranus is directly opposite the Sun from here, so it rises as the Sun sets, stands highest at midnight and sets at sunrise. It is also about as close to Earth as it gets this time round, which makes this its brightest and biggest night of the year — the one to point a telescope at it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
- 30MONCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.1° from Jupiter
1.1° between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.1° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 102° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
December 2026
] 2 EVENTS- 8TUEFLYBY--:--
(2016 NV) passes at 14.3 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 284 m and 634 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 14.3 lunar distances out at 10.42 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 10.42 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 14.3 lunar distances — 5 478 070 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 15.0 — needs a telescope
- SIZE
- 284 m – 634 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 27SUNCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.4° from Jupiter
1.4° between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.4° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 129° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
January 2027
] 3 EVENTS- 3SUNELONGATION--:--
Venus at its furthest from the Sun (morning sky)
Venus stands 47° away from the Sun in our sky today, the widest that gap opens on this pass. Look east shortly before sunrise: this is the easiest Venus gets to find.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 47° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 23SATCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.4° from Jupiter
1.4° between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.4° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 160° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
- 28THUFLYBY--:--
(2020 OP3) passes at 7.6 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 172 m and 384 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 7.6 lunar distances out at 16.86 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 16.86 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 7.6 lunar distances — 2 918 357 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 18.0 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 172 m – 384 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
February 2027
] 5 EVENTS- 3WEDELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (evening sky)
18° from the Sun, west after sunset — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 18° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 8MONCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 19′ from Mercury
The Moon passes 19′ from Mercury — close enough that a thumb held at arm's length covers both at once, and a pair of binoculars holds them in one field. Look after sunset; the Moon moves its own width every hour, so the gap looks noticeably different either side of tonight.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.3° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 17° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 11THUOPPOSITION--:--
Jupiter at opposition
Jupiter is directly opposite the Sun from here, so it rises as the Sun sets, stands highest at midnight and sets at sunrise. It is also about as close to Earth as it gets this time round, which makes this its brightest and biggest night of the year — the one to point a telescope at it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
- 19FRIOPPOSITION--:--
Mars at opposition
Mars is directly opposite the Sun from here, so it rises as the Sun sets, stands highest at midnight and sets at sunrise. It is also about as close to Earth as it gets this time round, which makes this its brightest and biggest night of the year — the one to point a telescope at it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
- 20SATCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.1° from Jupiter
1.1° between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.1° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 169° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
March 2027
] 6 EVENTS- 4THUFLYBY--:--
474158 (1999 FA) passes at 16.5 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 192 m and 429 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 16.5 lunar distances out at 6.63 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 6.63 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 16.5 lunar distances — 6 350 271 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 16.6 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 192 m – 429 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 4THUFLYBY--:--
535844 (2015 BY310) passes at 9.2 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 111 m and 249 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 9.2 lunar distances out at 8.02 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 8.02 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 9.2 lunar distances — 3 527 630 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 16.2 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 111 m – 249 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 6SATCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.1° from Mercury
1.1° between the Moon and Mercury — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.1° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 24° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
- 17WEDELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (morning sky)
28° from the Sun, east before sunrise — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 28° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 18THUFLYBY--:--
506074 Svarog (2015 UM67) passes at 19.0 lunar distances
A body 665 m across, passing 19.0 lunar distances out at 22.41 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 22.41 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 19.0 lunar distances — 7 308 194 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 15.2 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 665 m — measured
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 19FRICONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 52′ from Jupiter
52′ between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.9° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 139° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
April 2027
] 1 EVENT- 15THUCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 55′ from Jupiter
55′ between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.9° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 112° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
May 2027
] 3 EVENTS- 7FRICONJUNCTION--:--
Venus and Saturn 36′ apart
Venus and Saturn come within 36′ of each other, close enough to look like a double star to the unaided eye and to sit in one telescope field together. They are 26° from the Sun, so look east before sunrise.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.6° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 26° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 12WEDCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 1.2° from Jupiter
1.2° between the Moon and Jupiter — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 1.2° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 86° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
A naked-eye sight rather than a telescope one: the two are far enough apart that magnifying them separates them. Binoculars frame the pair nicely. The nights either side are nearly as good, so cloud on the night itself is not the end of it.
- 28FRIELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (evening sky)
23° from the Sun, west after sunset — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 23° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
June 2027
] 2 EVENTS- 6SUNFLYBY--:--
4953 (1990 MU) passes at 12.0 lunar distances
4953 (1990 MU), somewhere between 2.8 km and 6.3 km across depending on how dark its surface is, makes its closest approach to Earth at 12.0 lunar distances (4.6 million km), moving past at 23.82 km/s. At magnitude 9.9 it is a binocular object, moving fast enough across the stars to watch it move. A pass at this range is ordinary rather than alarming — it is the reason the object is tracked, not a reason to worry about it.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 23.82 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 12.0 lunar distances — 4 612 019 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 9.9 — a binocular object
- SIZE
- 2.8 km – 6.3 km — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
Bright enough to find, and fast enough that the finding is the sport: it moves against the stars while you watch, so what you are looking for is the one point that will not stay put. Have a chart of the field ready before it arrives.
- 28MONFLYBY--:--
456938 (2007 YV56) passes at 19.6 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 169 m and 379 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 19.6 lunar distances out at 17.79 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 17.79 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 19.6 lunar distances — 7 530 376 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 17.8 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 169 m – 379 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
July 2027
] 1 EVENT- 15THUELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (morning sky)
21° from the Sun, east before sunrise — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 21° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
August 2027
] 3 EVENTS- 7SATFLYBY--:--
137108 (1999 AN10) passes at 1.0 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 653 m and 1.5 km across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 1.0 lunar distances out at 26.28 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 26.28 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 1.0 lunar distances — 389 781 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 7.8 — a binocular object
- SIZE
- 653 m – 1.5 km — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
Bright enough to find, and fast enough that the finding is the sport: it moves against the stars while you watch, so what you are looking for is the one point that will not stay put. Have a chart of the field ready before it arrives.
- 19THUFLYBY--:--
(2017 QW17) passes at 17.8 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 126 m and 281 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 17.8 lunar distances out at 19.86 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 19.86 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 17.8 lunar distances — 6 833 077 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 17.4 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 126 m – 281 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 29SUNFLYBY--:--
826799 (2023 OE6) passes at 16.7 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 285 m and 637 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 16.7 lunar distances out at 25.21 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 25.21 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 16.7 lunar distances — 6 419 848 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 16.5 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 285 m – 637 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
September 2027
] 2 EVENTS- 24FRIELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (evening sky)
26° from the Sun, west after sunset — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 26° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 28TUEOPPOSITION--:--
Neptune at opposition
Neptune is up all night, at its closest and brightest for the year.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
October 2027
] 4 EVENTS- 16SATFLYBY--:--
(2026 AT6) passes at 19.9 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 267 m and 597 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 19.9 lunar distances out at 10.56 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 10.56 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 19.9 lunar distances — 7 650 309 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 14.7 — needs a telescope
- SIZE
- 267 m – 597 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 18MONOPPOSITION--:--
Saturn at opposition
Saturn is up all night, at its closest and brightest for the year.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
- 27WEDFLYBY--:--
250680 (2005 QC5) passes at 18.9 lunar distances
A body 398 m across, passing 18.9 lunar distances out at 10.88 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 10.88 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 18.9 lunar distances — 7 272 829 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 17.2 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 398 m — measured
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 29FRIFLYBY--:--
453707 (2010 XY72) passes at 18.7 lunar distances
A body 495 m across, passing 18.7 lunar distances out at 18.03 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 18.03 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 18.7 lunar distances — 7 180 573 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 23.0 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 495 m — measured
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
November 2027
] 7 EVENTS- 2TUEFLYBY--:--
(2017 QL33) passes at 8.1 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 143 m and 321 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 8.1 lunar distances out at 7.82 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 7.82 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 8.1 lunar distances — 3 110 557 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 15.6 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 143 m – 321 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 4THUELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (morning sky)
19° from the Sun, east before sunrise — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 19° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
- 13SATFLYBY--:--
(2024 TW17) passes at 2.8 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 118 m and 264 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 2.8 lunar distances out at 20.9 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 20.9 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 2.8 lunar distances — 1 066 323 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 14.2 — needs a telescope
- SIZE
- 118 m – 264 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 25THUCONJUNCTION--:--
Venus and Mars 19′ apart
Venus and Mars come within 19′ of each other, close enough to look like a double star to the unaided eye and to sit in one telescope field together. They are 27° from the Sun, so look west after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.3° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 27° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 28SUNFLYBY--:--
(2019 UT6) passes at 13.2 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 111 m and 248 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 13.2 lunar distances out at 11.79 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 11.79 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 13.2 lunar distances — 5 084 446 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 18.5 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 111 m – 248 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 30TUEOPPOSITION--:--
Uranus at opposition
Uranus is up all night, at its closest and brightest for the year.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 180° — opposite the Sun, so up all night
It rises as the Sun sets and is highest in the middle of the night, which is when to look: the higher it is, the less air is in the way and the steadier the view. Any telescope will show the disc, and a night either side of this date is indistinguishable from the date itself.
- 30TUECONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 52′ from Venus
52′ between the Moon and Venus — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.9° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 28° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
December 2027
] 2 EVENTS- 18SATFLYBY--:--
745311 (2010 XC15) passes at 19.8 lunar distances
A body somewhere between 134 m and 301 m across depending on how dark its surface is, passing 19.8 lunar distances out at 8.89 km/s.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SPEED
- 8.89 km/s — relative to Earth at closest approach
- MISS DISTANCE
- 19.8 lunar distances — 7 620 326 km
- BRIGHTNESS
- magnitude 16.6 — far below anything an amateur telescope reaches
- SIZE
- 134 m – 301 m — from its brightness, the range covering a reflective surface and a sooty one
This is a fact rather than a sight — far below what an amateur telescope reaches. It is listed because it is the kind of pass the surveys exist to catch, and because a calendar that only showed the visible ones would suggest the invisible ones are not happening.
- 29WEDCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 31′ from Mars
31′ between the Moon and Mars — one binocular field, after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.5° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 18° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
January 2028
] 2 EVENTS- 8SATCONJUNCTION--:--
Mercury and Mars 41′ apart
Mercury and Mars come within 41′ of each other, close enough to look like a double star to the unaided eye and to sit in one telescope field together. They are 16° from the Sun, so look west after sunset.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.7° — about a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 16° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 17MONELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (evening sky)
19° from the Sun, west after sunset — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 19° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
February 2028
] 2 EVENTS- 23WEDCONJUNCTION--:--
The Moon 12′ from Mercury
12′ between the Moon and Mercury — one binocular field, before dawn.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- SEPARATION
- 0.2° — about half a finger-width at arm's length
- FROM THE SUN
- 26° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Close enough to fit in the same telescope field, which is a rarer sight than either object alone. Binoculars show it comfortably; the naked eye sees two things almost touching. Look on the evenings either side too — they will still be close, and one of the two nights is usually the clearer.
- 27SUNELONGATION--:--
Mercury at its furthest from the Sun (morning sky)
27° from the Sun, east before sunrise — the widest gap of this pass.
+WHAT TO EXPECTCLOSE
- FROM THE SUN
- 27° — the angle between it and the Sun in our sky
Look low, into the twilight, and start before you think you need to — the planet is bright enough to find in a colouring sky and hard to find once the sky is properly dark, because by then it is setting. Binoculars help you catch it first; an unobstructed horizon in that direction matters more than any equipment.
64 events for the 18 months from today, of the kinds selected above. Times are instants, shown on your own clock; how every number here was made.
Nothing here is a hand-kept list. Every date except the flybys is solved from the same ephemeris the rest of the site uses to place the planets, at the moment you load the page; a meteor shower is dated by the longitude the Sun reaches rather than by a day of the month, which is why its date moves a little from year to year. The same events are available as JSON and CSV.
The 38 close approaches come from NASA/JPL Center for Near-Earth Object Studies, as they stood on 2026-08-30, and cover passes inside 20 lunar distances from 2026-07-31 through 2028-04-01. Unlike everything else on this page they cannot be computed from an ephemeris here — a newly discovered asteroid has no orbit until somebody measures one — so they are as complete as that date and no more.
COMMON QUESTIONS
] 10 ANSWERED- Why is there not an eclipse every month?
- Because the Moon's orbit is tilted about five degrees to the Earth's, so at most new moons its shadow passes above or below us and misses. Eclipses arrive in seasons roughly twice a year, when the two orbital planes happen to line up with the Sun.
- What fixes the date of a meteor shower?
- Where the Earth is in its orbit, not the calendar. A shower is the Earth crossing a stream of dust a comet left behind, so the peak falls at the same point in the orbit every year and drifts by a few hours against the clock — which is why the dates here are solved rather than looked up.
- Why are moon phases on a list of events?
- Because moonlight decides what else is worth chasing. A full moon costs several magnitudes of faint detail across the whole sky, so the fortnight around new moon is when meteors, galaxies and nebulae actually repay the trip outside.
- What is an opposition, and why is it the night to look?
- Opposition is the moment an outer planet sits opposite the Sun from Earth, so it rises at sunset, stands highest at midnight and sets at sunrise. It falls close to the planet's nearest approach as well, which makes it the biggest and brightest that planet gets in the year.
- What are the equinoxes and solstices, exactly?
- The four instants at which the Sun reaches its furthest north, its furthest south, or crosses the celestial equator between the two. They are moments rather than days, and they are the same moment everywhere on Earth — which is why one of them can fall on a different date depending on your time zone.
- How close does a listed flyby come?
- Inside twenty lunar distances, which is about eight million kilometres. That is close by the standards of the Solar System and by no other standard at all: nothing on this list is a hazard, and the orbits are known accurately enough to say so well in advance.
- Do I need to say where I am?
- Not for the dates. An eclipse maximum, a shower peak or an opposition is the same instant everywhere. For whether the event clears your horizon at a sensible hour — and, for a solar eclipse, for whether you are standing inside a track a few hundred kilometres wide — the answer does depend on where you are, and the page will ask if you want it.
- How far ahead can any of this be predicted?
- Centuries, for anything driven by the positions of the Sun, Moon and planets: the ephemeris behind them holds up over far longer than a lifetime, and eclipse dates thousands of years out are routine. Meteor showers are the exception — the dates are firm and the strength is not, because it depends on how the dust happens to be distributed along the stream.
- Why do the times differ by a few minutes from other sources?
- Usually because a different thing is being timed. A shower peak is a broad maximum rather than an instant and different authorities quote it differently; a phase or an eclipse can be given in different time scales. Everything here comes from one ephemeris and is stated in one scale, so the events are at least consistent with each other.
- Can I get these into my own calendar?
- Yes. The whole window is published as a subscribable feed, so the events appear in whatever calendar application you already use and follow the solutions as they are recomputed.