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Stargazing
Stargazing Calendar 2026: Meteor Showers, Eclipses & Rare Sky Events
Team Social Exoticamp
10 Feb 2026
The night sky has always been our oldest storyteller. Long before apps and alerts, people tracked the moon phases. They followed wandering planets across the sky and waited patiently for a shooting star to streak through Earth’s atmosphere.
Fast forward to 2026, and heaven still has much to say. This year is filled with beautiful events like meteor showers, eclipses, and glowing full moons. There are so many rare sights to see that you should make sure to step outside and enjoy them.
Here, we'll walk you through the stargazing calendar of the year. Dive in, then!
Early entries in the stargazing calendar begin with winter skies dominated by the constellations Orion and Gemini. These serve as primary reference points for locating other celestial bodies.
The first major celestial event of the year is the peak of the Quadrantid meteor showers, occurring between January 3 and 4. The Quadrantids are capable of producing high meteors per hour. But this year's event is expected to be obscured by the brightness of the full moon, traditionally called the wolf moon.
On January 10, Jupiter reaches opposition. It means Jupiter is on the opposite side of the Earth from the sun. This makes it the most prominent bright star-like object in the evening sky, visible from sunset until sunrise. You can observe the cloud bands of the giant planet and its four largest moons through a basic telescope.
A notable highlight on the stargazing calendar arrives on February 17, 2026, with the first solar eclipse of the year.
This is an annular eclipse, where the moon is at a point in its orbit that makes it appear smaller than the sun. The result is the "Ring of Fire." The sun's corona is not visible, but a bright ring of light surrounds the dark lunar surface.
While this is a significant celestial event, it will not be visible from Indian regions. The path of the partial eclipse is limited to the southern hemisphere, specifically Antarctica, parts of southern Africa, and the southern tip of South America.
One of the most anticipated events for the Indian stargazing calendar 2026 is the total lunar eclipse on March 3.
During this event, the moon passes entirely into the Earth's shadow, specifically the umbra. As sunlight filters through the Earth's atmosphere, the shorter blue wavelengths are scattered. That leaves only the longer red wavelengths to reach the lunar surface. This creates the visual effect known as a blood moon.
Delhi and Mumbai, however, will witness a partial lunar eclipse. Only a part of the moon will look dark or red. The moon will rise while the eclipse is already underway. This full moon is also called the worm moon. It marks the end of winter. Later in the month, we have the March equinox on March 20. This is the official start of spring.
However, in the eastern sky, the deep red hue of the blood moon will be a spectacular sight for those in Assam, Manipur, and West Bengal.
The Lyrids meteor shower peaks on the night of April 21 to 22, 2026. This is a medium-strength shower, typically producing about 18 meteors per hour.
In 2026, the moon phases are favorable for the Lyrids. A waxing crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving the sky dark for the early morning hours when the radiant is highest.
The Eta Aquariid shower will peak early in the morning on May 5 to 6. This shower will be caused by the debris from Halley's Comet, the same parent object responsible for the Orionids meteor shower later in the year.
However, in India, a waning gibbous moon will be roughly 84% full, likely washing out many of the faint meteors. Only the brightest meteors will be visible against the moonlight.
On June 8 to 9, 2026, a spectacular conjunction of Venus and Jupiter will be visible in the western sky.
Venus and the giant planet Jupiter are the two brightest planets visible to the naked eye. They will appear within 1.6 degrees of each other, roughly the width of two fingers at arm's length, located in the constellation Gemini.
To see it, look toward the west-northwest shortly after sunset to see these two planets appear as a brilliant double star. This celestial event is easily visible even from cities with significant light pollution, though dark skies will reveal the nearby stars Castor and Pollux more clearly.
June 21 is the summer solstice. It is the longest day of the year. After this day, the nights start getting longer again. In July, you can see the crescent moon near the star clusters called the Pleiades in the early morning.
If there is one event most people circle on their stargazing calendar, it is the Perseid meteor shower. In 2026, the Perseids will peak in mid-August, specifically on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13.
The most significant factor for the 2026 Perseids is the new moon, which occurs on August 12. The night sky will be perfectly dark, providing optimal conditions to see up to 100 meteors per hour. These meteors travel at roughly 59 km/s and are known for being very bright and colourful.
On November 15 to 16, 2026, Jupiter and Mars will experience a close approach, passing within 1°11' of each other. This event is best viewed in the early morning hours.
The pair will rise in the eastern sky around midnight and reach their highest point in the southern sky by dawn. Jupiter will be significantly brighter than the reddish Mars, and both will be located in the constellation Leo, near the bright star Regulus.
The year concludes with the Geminid meteor shower calendar highlighting December 13 to14 as the final major event.
The Geminids are unique because their parent object is an asteroid (3200 Phaethon) rather than a comet. This results in meteors that are denser and slower (33.8 km/s) than the Perseids or Leonids.
In India, the Geminids are particularly accessible because the radiant in the constellation Gemini is well-placed throughout the night. In 2026, the moon will be a waxing crescent moon, which will set early in the evening sky, providing excellent dark-sky conditions for the peak night. You can expect to see between 75 and 120 meteors per hour in rural areas.
To see these events, you need to find dark skies. City lights make it hard to see the stars. If you can, travel to a quiet place. Here are the top spots where you can get the best views of the bright meteors and star clusters:
Hanle is the site of India's first Dark Sky Reserve. At an elevation of 4,500 meters, it is one of the highest observatories in the world. The air at this altitude is thin and dry, which minimizes the scattering of light by the Earth's atmosphere.
In Hanle, the Milky Way is visible with the naked eye, appearing as a dense, glowing band of stars. This is the premier location in India for witnessing the meteor shower peaks of the Perseids or Geminids.
The Spiti Valley in Himachal Pradesh and Mukteshwar in Uttarakhand are also emerging dark sky hubs. Like Ladakh, these regions benefit from high altitude and a lack of industrial pollution. You can observe the constellation Orion in such detail that the Orion Nebula is visible without a telescope.
The wide, white salt deserts of the Rann of Kutch offer a special view where you can see the horizon in every direction. This clear view of the horizon can help you spot comets and planets, as they are low in the sky. The wintertime, from October to March, has especially clear skies, and this happens at the same time as the Rann Utsav festival.
As it is often humid in South India, the high mountain areas of Coorg and Yercaud are the best spots to see stars when it is dry in winter. From there, you can see groups of stars in the southern sky that people in the north cannot see very well.
The sky is always putting on a show. In 2026, it’s just especially generous.
From poetic moons to thrilling meteor shower peaks, the stargazing calendar 2026 invites you to slow down and reconnect with the universe.
You don’t need expensive gear. Just curiosity, a little patience, and the willingness to step outside and let your eyes adjust to the night sky. So, don’t miss the chance to look up, breathe deeply, and let the night sky work its timeless magic.
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