Astronomy calendar
Upcoming sky events: full moons, meteor showers, solar and lunar eclipses, and the changing of the seasons.
🌕 Upcoming full moons
| Date | ISO | |
|---|---|---|
| Next | Sunday, May 31, 2026 | |
| Monday, June 29, 2026 | ||
| Wednesday, July 29, 2026 | ||
| Thursday, August 27, 2026 | ||
| Saturday, September 26, 2026 | ||
| Sunday, October 25, 2026 |
Full-moon dates computed from the synodic-month formula. Local moonrise time depends on your latitude — usually within an hour either side of sunset on the listed date.
☄️ Upcoming meteor showers
| Shower | Peak | Rate | Notes | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Next | Southern Delta Aquariids | Thursday, July 30, 2026 | ~25/hr at peak | Steady, faint meteors — best from southern latitudes. |
| Perseids | Wednesday, August 12, 2026 | ~100/hr at peak | Year's most popular shower — bright, frequent, warm summer nights. | |
| Draconids | Thursday, October 8, 2026 | ~10/hr at peak | Slow meteors visible right after sunset — variable, occasional outbursts. | |
| Orionids | Wednesday, October 21, 2026 | ~20/hr at peak | Fast meteors from Halley's Comet — good from both hemispheres. | |
| Leonids | Tuesday, November 17, 2026 | ~15/hr at peak | Famous for occasional storms (peaks every 33 years). |
Best viewing is usually after midnight, away from city lights. The Perseids (August) and Geminids (December) are the year's most reliable shows.
🌑 Solar & lunar eclipses
| Date | Type | Best viewed from | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Next | 2026-08-12 | Total solar | Iceland, Spain, partial across Europe |
| 2026-08-28 | Partial lunar | Americas, Europe, Africa | |
| 2027-02-06 | Annular solar | Pacific, Americas partial | |
| 2027-02-20 | Penumbral lunar | Americas, Africa, Europe | |
| 2027-07-18 | Penumbral lunar | Asia, Australia, Pacific | |
| 2027-08-02 | Total solar | North Africa, Mediterranean, Saudi Arabia, Yemen |
Eclipse data from NASA's catalog. Solar eclipses require certified solar-viewing glasses — never look directly at the sun.
🌍 Solstices & equinoxes
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sunday, June 21, 2026 | Summer solstice (N) / Winter solstice (S) |
| Tuesday, September 22, 2026 | Autumnal equinox |
| Monday, December 21, 2026 | Winter solstice (N) / Summer solstice (S) |
| Saturday, March 20, 2027 | Vernal equinox |
| Monday, June 21, 2027 | June solstice |
| Thursday, September 23, 2027 | September equinox |
| Tuesday, December 21, 2027 | December solstice |
An equinox is when the Sun crosses the celestial equator (day and night roughly equal everywhere). A solstice is when the Sun reaches its furthest from the equator (longest or shortest day, depending on hemisphere).
About astronomical calendars
Most astronomical events follow predictable cycles. The synodic month (full-moon to full-moon) is 29.53 days. Earth's tilt drives the seasons. Meteor showers happen when Earth crosses the orbital paths of comets, scooping up the dust and ice particles they've shed — the same shower happens on roughly the same calendar day every year.
Eclipses are predictable centuries in advance, but where they're visible from changes each time. Total solar eclipses are visible from a narrow path only ~100 km wide, while total lunar eclipses are visible from anywhere on Earth's night side.
Find good weather windows for your next stargazing trip.