A brilliant “star” rising in the eastern sky after sunset this winter is drawing attention across the Northern Hemisphere.
Well, as Forbes reports, it’s not a star at all, but Jupiter, now just a two days from its direct opposition on Jan. 10, 2026, when it becomes the brightest and most visible planet of the year — shining all night long and outshining every star in the sky.
Jupiter in Opposition Fun Facts
- Jupiter can be seen in the east among the bright “twin” stars of the constellation Gemini, Castor and Pollux, with the constellation Orion nearby.
- Jupiter reaches opposition on Jan. 10, 2026, when Earth sits directly between the sun and Jupiter, making the planet fully illuminated and closest to Earth for the year.
- At peak visibility, Jupiter will shine at magnitude -2.6, brighter than any star and second only to the moon and Venus in the night sky (though Venus is not currently visible).
- Around opposition, Jupiter rises at sunset and sets at sunrise, making it visible all night. Its steady white glow makes it unmistakable, even from light-polluted cities.
- Jupiter’s opposition occurs roughly every 13 months, shifting slightly later each year. The 2026 event will make Jupiter a dominant evening object throughout January and February.
How To See Jupiter At Its Best
Jupiter is easily visible with the naked eye. However, basic optics will get you a much better view. Any pair of binoculars will reveal its four largest moons — Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto — as points of light either side of its bright disk. Through a small telescope, it’s possible to glimpse Jupiter’s cloud belts and, with good timing and good seeing (steady atmospheric conditions), its famous Great Red Spot, a centuries-old storm larger than Earth.
How Long Will This Last?
Jupiter will remain a dominant evening object through March 2026, making the coming weeks the best time of the year to observe the solar system’s largest planet. Once spring arrives, Jupiter will gradually fade from view — until it returns for its next opposition in February 2027.
Jupiter’s Role in the Lunar New Year
Jupiter also plays a role in the Lunar New Year, also known as the Chinese New Year and Spring Festival. The year of the Fire Horse will begin on Feb. 17, 2026, with Jupiter’s 11.86-year orbit of the sun roughly corresponding with the 12-year Chinese zodiac cycle, called Sheng Xiao.
Its position in the night sky, therefore, roughly aligns with an animal sign in the Chinese and Western zodiac, with Jupiter typically in Gemini in the Year of the Horse, in Cancer in the Year of the Goat, and in Leo in the Year of the Monkey, for example. However, it’s the date of the New Moon that determines the dates of the Chinese New Year.
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