2026 Cosmic Calendar: Moon and Sun Take Center Stage in a Year of Celestial Events
In 2026, the moon and sun will take center stage in the cosmic calendar. The year will kick off with the moon attracting the first astronauts in over 50 years and a fleet of robotic lunar landers, including Jeff Bezos' Blue Moon. A supermoon is set to appear on Jan. 3, followed by an astronomical blue moon in May. The sun will also make headlines with an annular eclipse in February and a total solar eclipse in August. Expect more auroras in unusual locations, although not as frequently as in recent years. The comet 3I/Atlas, a visitor from another star, is fading after passing Earth and will head towards Jupiter in March before leaving our solar system in a decade.
NASA's upcoming moon mission commander, Reid Wisema, anticipates exploring uncharted areas of the lunar far side missed by the Apollo astronauts. The crew, consisting of three Americans and one Canadian, will conduct observations that could benefit geologists and future landing site selection. Additional robotic moon landings are planned by China and U.S. companies, with Blue Origin launching a prototype lunar lander and other entities targeting lunar exploration in 2026.
A total solar eclipse on Aug. 12 will be a highlight of the year, starting in the Arctic and crossing over Greenland, Iceland, and Spain. The eclipse will last two minutes and 18 seconds as the moon obscures the sun. A ring-of-fire eclipse in the Antarctic in February and a total lunar eclipse in August will precede the solar eclipse. Six planets will align in the sky around Feb. 28, with Mars absent but joining a planetary parade in August. Three supermoons are expected in 2026, with the closest occurring on Christmas Eve.
The sun is predicted to produce more eruptions in 2026, potentially leading to geomagnetic storms and stunning auroras on Earth. The 11-year solar cycle is expected to decline, with space weather forecasters eagerly awaiting data from new observatories to better understand solar activity and its impacts. 2026 promises to be an exciting year for space weather enthusiasts and astronomers alike.