Jupiter will reach opposition—when it appears on the opposite side of the sun in our sky—on January 10, 2026. Around that time, Jupiter will be closest, brightest, and visible all night long. This will be the best time to observe Jupiter.
Jupiter at opposition 2026
Moment of opposition: Jupiter will reach opposition on January 10, 2026, at 08:00 UTC (3 a.m. EST).
When to see: At opposition on January 10, 2026, Jupiter will rise in the east at sunset and be visible all night. After opposition, Jupiter will disappear from the morning sky gradually as it rises and sets four minutes earlier each day.
Three months after opposition, i.e., by mid-April 2026, Jupiter will be visible only in the evening sky, as it will set around midnight.
Constellation: Around opposition on January 10, 2026, Jupiter will be located in the zodiac constellation Gemini the Twins. It will shine brightly near the twin stars of Gemini, Castor (bluish) and Pollux (yellowish).
How to identify: Jupiter will appear brighter than all the stars in the night sky. It will shine with a steady light (unlike stars) and will be easily visible to the naked eye.
Through binoculars, Jupiter will appear as a bright white disk. You will be able to see Jupiter’s four largest moons, known as the Galilean moons, appearing as star-like points of light next to Jupiter.
Through a telescope, you will be able to see the actual color of Jupiter. You will need a larger telescope (6-inch diameter or more) to see Jupiter’s bands and the Great Red Spot in more detail.
Closest approach of Jupiter: Around opposition on January 10, 2026, Jupiter will be closest to Earth, at a distance of about 4.23 AU (approximately 633 million km).
Brightness: Around opposition on January 10, 2026, Jupiter will be brightest in 2026 and will shine at magnitude −2.5.
Jupiter is the fourth-brightest object visible in the sky after the sun, moon, and Venus. However, in January 2026, Venus will not be visible in the night sky, so Jupiter will be the brightest star-like object visible at night.
Apparent size: Around opposition on January 10, 2026, Jupiter will be largest in apparent size in 2026 and will appear about 45.6 arcseconds in diameter through a telescope.
What does “Jupiter at opposition” mean?
Jupiter reaches opposition when Earth passes between the sun and the giant planet Jupiter.
As the sun and Jupiter lie on opposite sides of Earth during opposition, they appear on opposite sides of the sky, about 180° apart.
As a result, Jupiter rises in the east when the sun sets in the west, reaches its highest point in the sky at midnight when the sun is below your feet, and sets in the west when the sun rises in the east.
Does Earth’s shadow fall on Jupiter during opposition?
No, Earth’s shadow does not fall on Jupiter during opposition because Jupiter is too far away.
Earth’s shadow, specifically the umbra (the darkest part), extends about 1.4 million km into space. Meanwhile, around opposition on January 10, 2026, when Jupiter is closest to Earth, it will still be about 633 million km away. Since Earth’s shadow does not reach Jupiter, there will be no eclipse on Jupiter during opposition.
However, if an observer were standing on Jupiter during opposition, they would see a transit of Earth, when a tiny black dot (Earth’s silhouette) crosses the face of the sun.
How often does Jupiter reach opposition?
Jupiter takes about 12 Earth years to orbit the sun once. So when our Earth makes one full orbit around the sun, Jupiter travels 1/12 of the way around the sun. So to create Jupiter’s opposition, our Earth would have to travel an extra 1/12 of the way in its orbit, which takes about (1/12)*365 = 30 days to travel.
That’s why Jupiter reaches opposition once every 1 year and 30 days, or 13 months.
Jupiter’s opposition from 2026 to 2030
Here are the dates of Jupiter’s opposition from 2026 to 2030:
| Date of opposition | Distance from Earth (AU) |
|---|---|
| January 10, 2026 | 4.23 |
| February 11, 2027 | 4.36 |
| March 12, 2028 | 4.44 |
| April 12, 2029 | 4.45 |
| May 13, 2030 | 4.39 |
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