Dark Sky News

Don’t miss the Jupiter opposition and some moon transit events!:

Monday, January 5, 2026

08:52 UT, Io’s shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
08:58 UT, Io begins transit of Jupiter.
11:08 UT, Io’s shadow leaves Jupiter’s disk.
11:14 UT, Io ends transit of Jupiter.

Tuesday, January 6, 2026

8:34PM EST, Io exits occultation behind Jupiter.
8:58PM EST, Ganymede’s shadow begins to cross Jupiter.
9:18PM EST, Ganymede begins transit of Jupiter.
12:18AM EST, Ganymede’s shadow leaves Jupiter’s disk.
12:40AM EST, Ganymede ends transit of Jupiter.

With a bright moon just past full dominating the night sky, the Quadrantid meteor shower isn’t expected to be anything special this year. However, with up to 120 shooting stars per hour possible, you may spot a few if you keep the bright moon behind you and out of your line of peripheral vision. Quadrantids are caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system by an object called 2003 EH1, an asteroid with comet-like origins. Quadrantids appear to radiate from the constellation Boötes, though the shower’s odd name comes from a now defunct constellation called Quadrans Muralis. 

At about 46.6″, don’t miss Jupiter at opposition in the constellation Gemini! It should be at about magnitude  -2.7 and transits the meridian just before midnight.