Jupiter is at its best and brightest of 2026 tonight! Here's what to expect as the gas giant reaches opposition.

Jupiter will be at its most spectacular in 2026 in the early hours of Jan. 10, as it shines above the eastern horizon among the stars of the constellation Gemini. Here's where to look and what to expect as the gas giant draws closest to Earth around opposition.

The visibility of planets in the night sky varies dramatically based on their orbital positions relative to the sun and Earth. The best time to view superior planets — worlds that orbit the sun at a greater distance than our Blue Marble — is at their points of opposition, when they line up in our night sky directly opposite the sun, with Earth in the middle.

Jupiter will be visible to the east at sunset tonight (Jan. 9) with the bright stars Castor and Pollux shining to its left, according to In-the-sky. Throughout the evening hours on Jan. 9, Jupiter will be the brightest point of light in the night sky, until the waning crescent moon rises to usurp it in the hour following midnight for viewers in the U.S. The planet will officially reach opposition at 3:34 a.m. EST (0834 GMT) on Jan 10, when it will shine magnitude -2.7.

Source: www.space.com

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