THE2026 will be no ordinary year for astronomy. The celestial calendar will offer a succession of rare and evocative eventscapable of transforming the sky into a memorable spectacle. No scientific skills or professional tools will be needed: many of the wonders of the year will be visible to the naked eyesimply giving yourself time to observe. Among all, the the true protagonist will be the Sunalthough there will be no shortage of passing comets, meteor showers, exceptional moons and planets in great evidence.
In the sky of 2026 the great return of the total solar eclipse
To mark a historic date, it will be August 12th. Yes, because, after more than twenty-five years, a total solar eclipse will once again affect the European continent. During this event, the Moon interposes itself perfectly between the Earth and the Sun, completely obscuring the solar disk for a few minutes And leaving only its outer crown visiblea normally invisible ethereal structure. The band in which the Sun will be totally covered will cross the North Atlantic, Iceland, Greenland and above all Spain, which will become one of the privileged places to witness the show in its most intense form.
As will be seen in Italy
In Italy the eclipse will not be total, but it will still be very impressive. In the northern regions, more than 90% of the Sun will be obscuredwith the maximum of the event coinciding with sunset. This detail will make the atmosphere even more suggestive, with an unreal light and a rapid lowering of the ambient brightness. Moving on towards the Center and the South, coverage will gradually decreasewhile remaining clearly perceptible.
Comets will also be protagonists of the 2026 sky. In the photo, Comet Lemmon passed by in 2025 (Getty)
The nights of the disappearing Moon
2026 will also offer two lunar eclipsesmore accessible and always fascinating events. The first, on March 3, will be a total lunar eclipse. On these occasions our satellite completely enters the Earth’s shadow and takes on reddish hues, an effect due to the refraction of sunlight through the Earth’s atmosphere. The event will be visible above all in other parts of the world, proving unfavorable from Italy. More interesting for the Italian sky will be the lunar eclipse at the end of August. In this case the Moon will be largely covered by the Earth’s shadow and the moment of maximum obscuration will occur when the satellite is low on the horizon, just before setting. A configuration that promises a particularly suggestive glance.
Moons out of the ordinary: supermoons and micromoons
Throughout the year the full Moon will present itself in unusual forms. Three times it will be a “supermoon” and therefore on these nights the lunar disk will appear slightly larger and brighter than normal, especially when it rises or sets. The supermoons will fall in early January and in the heart of the following winter, between November and Decemberwith the Christmas one destined to be the flashiest of the year. At the other extreme there will be the micromoon at the end of Maywhen the full Moon will coincide with the moment of maximum distance from the Earth. On that occasion the satellite will appear smaller and less bright and the same event will also be a “Blue Moon”, i.e. the second full Moon in the same month.
Passing comets: unpredictable guests
Also comets they will be among the most fascinating and unpredictable objects that will cross the sky in 2026. There will be at least three to keep an eye on. The most promising is the C/2025 R3: this comet could reach such a brightness as to make it visible even without instruments, especially in the spring of the year. Other comets, like the 10P/Tempel and the C/2024 E1will be weaker and intended mainly for enthusiasts equipped with binoculars or telescopes, with observation conditions that are not always ideal from Italy.
The showers of shooting stars
The meteors will accompany the entire year, with some now classic events. The Quadrantids they inaugurated 2026 in the first days of January. The Eta Aquarids will arrive between April and Maylinked to the remains of the famous Halley’s comet. The most awaited moment, however, it will be August as always, with the Perseids. The peak will fall on the nights of the solar eclipse, with a new Moon which will guarantee dark skies and ideal conditions. In December, the Geminids they will close the year with one of the most intense and reliable swarms, often considered the most spectacular of all.
The planets in the spotlight
2026 will also see a strong presence of the planets. At certain times of the year it will be possible to observe multiple planets in the sky at the same timea phenomenon known as planetary alignment. This does not imply a perfectly linear arrangement, but a concentration of the planets in the same region of the sky. Jupiter and Saturn will play a leading role thanks to their oppositionsthe moments when they are brightest and most visible throughout the night. These will be the best opportunities to admire them even with simple instruments, appreciating details such as Jupiter’s satellites or Saturn’s rings.
Equinoxes and Solstices, the rhythm of the seasons
To close the astronomical year there will be, as always, the events that regulate the natural cycle of the seasons. The equinoxes of March and September they will mark the balance between day and night, while the June and December solstices will indicate respectively the longest and shortest day of the year. In short, 2026 is looming like a year capable of bringing the sky back to the center of attentionnot only for rare and spectacular events, but for the continuity with which it will offer opportunities for wonder.