Look up, there’s lots to see in 2026!
January
3rd & 4th: Quadrantid Meteor Shower peak. A high-rate meteor shower known for their colour and leaving fine trails. This year it will be hampered by the bright full moon. Sightings still possible but fewer will be visible.
3rd: Full Moon: the Wolf Moon. Moonrise from 3.50pm. First of the three “supermoons” this year.
9th & 10th: Jupiter is now at “opposition” which means it is at its brightest and largest in the sky. Visible all night.
18th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 6.30pm.
February
1st: Imbolc. The ancient seasonal festival celebrating the beginning of Spring and the goddess Brigid, also marked as St.Brigid’s Day.
1st: Full Moon: the Snow Moon. Moonrise from 4.30pm.
10th – 19th: Planet Mercury is visible low in the western sky after the Sun sets between 6.00pm and 7.00pm. Tricky to see. Joined by a slim Moon on the 18th & 19th.
17th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 7.30pm.
26th & 27th: The bright star beside the Moon is the planet Jupiter.
March
3rd: Full Moon: the Worm Moon. Moonrise from 6.30pm.
19th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 8.30pm.
20th: Spring Equinox. Day and night are at equal length. This day marks the beginning of the astronomical spring season.
20th- 28th: Irish Astronomy Week 2026. “Connecting communities through the Cosmos”.
28th: Earth Hour 2026.
29th: Clocks go forward 1 hour for the start of British Summer Time.
April
2nd: Full Moon: the Pink Moon. Moonrise from 9pm.
10th: 61st anniversary of George Barnett’s death. “Geordie” was a local historian, archaeologist, and discovered the Beaghmore Stone Circles.
13th-20th: International Dark Sky Week 2026.
14th: Annie Maunder Day. Designated day celebrating the birth of noted astronomer Annie Maunder, born in 1868 in Strabane, County Tyrone.
17th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 10.30pm.
19th: The Moon passes close to Venus in the sky after sunset. Visible between 9.00pm and 10.00pm.
22nd – 23rd: Lyrid Meteor Shower peak. Caused by debris from Comet Thatcher as it burns up in the Earth’s atmosphere.
May
1st: Bealtaine. The ancient seasonal festival celebrating the beginning of Summer, also marked as May Day.
1st: Full Moon: the Flower Moon. Moonrise from 9:30pm.
1st: National Space Day 2026.
16th: New Moon. No astronomical darkness.
19th: A slim crescent Moon can be found between the planets Jupiter and Venus. Visible from 10.30pm.
31st: Full Moon: a “Blue” Moon. Moonrise from 11pm.
June
9th: Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. Visible between 11.00pm and Midnight.
15th: Mercury is visible low in the western sky after sunset, in a line with planets Jupiter and Venus. Visible between 11.00pm and Midnight. Tricky to see. A slim Moon will join the line-up on the 16th and 17th.
15th: New Moon. No astronomical darkness.
21st: Summer Solstice: The Sun reaches its most northerly point in the sky giving us the longest period of daylight and the shortest night. In the weeks around the Summer Solstice there is no official darkness as the Sun doesn’t get low enough below the horizon for most parts of the UK & Ireland. Known as “Midsummer’s Day” this seasonal half-way point in the year has been marked and celebrated since ancient times, and midsummer sunrise alignments can be found at sites like Newgrange, Stonehenge, the Hill of Tara, and Beaghmore Stone Circles.
30th: Full Moon: the Strawberry Moon. Moonrise from 11pm.
July
14th: New Moon. No astronomical darkness.
17th: Moon and Venus visible close together. Look west between 10.00pm and 11.00pm.
24th: A low Moon passes close to southern star Antares. A rare sight only visible in Summer.
29th: Full Moon: the Buck Moon. Moonrise from 9.50pm.
August
1st: Lughnasadh. The ancient seasonal festival celebrating the beginning of harvest season. Named after the god Lugh who marked the day in memory of his mother, the goddess Tailtiu.
12th/13th: Perseid Meteor Shower peak. Excellent conditions for the best meteor shower of the year as it occurs during New Moon this year.
12th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 11pm.
12th: Partial Solar Eclipse visible from UK & Ireland. A 93% eclipse of the Sun will occur between 6.10pm and 8.03pm, with the maximum visible at 7.08pm. The view of total eclipse will only be visible from Iceland, Spain and North Africa. Times and visibility will depend on your location – local times are used here. Please remember to never look directly at the Sun. Always use special solar equipment for viewing.
28th: Full Moon: the Sturgeon Moon. Moonrise from 8.30pm.
28th: Partial Lunar Eclipse visible from UK & Ireland. A 93% eclipse of the Moon will occur between 2.23am and 6.38am, with the maximum visible at 5.12am. Times and visibility will depend on your location – local times are used here.
September
9th: New Meteor Shower 45P-id.
11th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 9.30pm.
14th: A slim crescent Moon sits beside the Evening Star Venus in the west.
19th: International Observe the Moon Night 2026.
22nd: Venus is now at maximum brightness as the Evening Star.
23rd: Autumn Equinox. Day and night are at equal length. This day marks the beginning of the astronomical autumn season.
26th: Full Moon: the Harvest Moon. Moonrise from 6.50pm.
October
4th-10th: World Space Week 2026.
4th: Saturn is now at “opposition” which means it is at its brightest and largest in the sky. Visible all night.
10th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 8pm.
21st/22nd: Orionid Meteor Shower peak.
25th: Clocks go back 1 hour for the end of British Summer Time.
26th: Full Moon: the Hunter’s Moon. Moonrise from 4.30pm.
31st: Samhain. The ancient seasonal festival celebrating the beginning of Winter, also marked as Halloween.
November
9th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 6.30pm.
16th: Conjunction of Mars and Jupiter. Visible from 11pm.
17th & 18th: Leonid Meteor Shower peak. Known for fast bright meteors with excellent trails caused by debris from the Comet Tempel-Tuttle. Be sure to watch the whole sky and let your eyes adjust fully to the dark. Best view after the Moon sets at 11pm.
20th: Mercury visible in the dawn sky at 6.30am below bright Venus. Tricky to see.
24th: Full Moon: the Beaver Moon. Moonrise from 3.30pm. Second of the three “supermoons” this year.
27th: Venus is now at greatest brightness as the Morning Star.
December
4th & 5th: The three planets Venus, Jupiter, Mars all visible in the morning sky, joined by a slim Moon.
9th: New Moon. Astronomical darkness from 6pm.
13-15th: Geminid Meteor Shower peak. The Moon sets at 8pm.
21st: Winter Solstice. The shortest day of the year and the longest night has been marked throughout Ireland for over 5000 years. The word ‘solstice’ comes from Latin ‘sol’ (sun) and ‘sistere’ (to stand still) referring to this motion when the sun reverses direction in the sky. After the Winter Solstice days become longer and nights shorter as spring approaches – the return of light and warmth. Some archaeologists believe that the Beaghmore Stone Circles have been constructed in relation to the rising of the sun at the solstices.
24th: Full Moon: the Cold Moon. Moonrise from 4pm. Third of the three “supermoons” this year. Brightest full moon for 9 years.
Calendar compiled with credit to: timeanddate.com, in-the-sky.org, Stellarium, and Philip’s Stargazing 2026.