Space enthusiasts and amateur astronomers will have plenty to enjoy in 2026, with supermoons, solar and lunar eclipses, and a host of meteor showers across the skies.
Four eclipses in 2026
February 17. An annular solar eclipse will cross the southern hemisphere, with maximum around 12:12 UTC. Only parts of Antarctica and nearby research stations will see the full annulus; people in Eswatini, Lesotho, Madagascar, Mozambique, South Africa, Zimbabwe and southern areas of Botswana, Malawi, Namibia, Tanzania and Zambia will see a partial eclipse.
March 3. A total lunar eclipse will be best viewed from the western US and Canada, Australia and Central Asia. It will not be visible from Africa, Europe or western Asia.
August 12. A total solar eclipse will have its best views in Iceland and Spain; much of the rest of Europe will see a partial eclipse. Parts of Canada and the northeastern US will see a partial solar event.
August 28. A partial lunar eclipse will favor regions that missed the March total lunar eclipse. Best viewing will be across South America; it will also be visible in parts of the US and Canada, Europe and Africa.
Meteor showers visible in 2026
There will be about a dozen notable meteor showers this year, including:
– Lyrids — visible April 16–25, peak April 22, near Lyra.
– Eta Aquariids — visible April 19–May 28, peak May 6, near η Aquarii in Aquarius.
– Delta Aquariids — visible July 12–August 23, peak July 30, near δ Aquarii.
– Perseids — visible July 17–August 24, peak August 13, near Perseus.
– Draconids — visible October 6–10, peak October 9, near Draco.
– Orionids — visible October 2–November 7, peak October 21, near Orion.
– Taurids — visible September 10–November 20 (southern hemisphere) and October 20–December 10 (northern hemisphere), near Taurus.
– Leonids — visible November 6–30, peak November 18, near Leo.
– Geminids — visible December 4–20, peak December 14, near Gemini.
– Ursids — visible December 17–26, peak December 22, near Ursa Minor.
– Quadrantids — visible from December 28 into the first week of January 2027; a major shower occurring near Boötes, in a region of sky similar to the Ursids.
When is the next supermoon of 2026?
There are three supermoons in 2026. The first occurred on January 3 (the Super Wolf Moon). The next is the Super Beaver Moon on November 24, followed by the Super Cold Moon on December 24. Supermoons happen when the Moon is near perigee (closest approach to Earth), making it appear up to about 10% larger and noticeably brighter.
What’s in a full moon’s name?
Each full moon has a traditional name tied to the season; many come from North American indigenous and colonial naming traditions and are now widely used. The 13 full moons for 2026 are:
– January 3: Super Wolf Moon
– February 1: Snow Moon
– March 3: Worm Moon
– April 2: Pink Moon
– May 1: Flower Moon
– May 31: Blue Moon
– June 30: Strawberry Moon
– July 29: Buck Moon
– August 28: Sturgeon Moon
– September 26: Corn or Harvest Moon
– October 26: Hunter Moon
– November 24: Super Beaver Moon
– December 24: Super Cold Moon
Edited by: Carla Bleiker, Zulfikar Abbany
Editor’s note: This article was originally published on December 3, 2025, and updated on January 16, 2026.