Seven night sky spectacles to watch for in 2026

The 2026 night sky is set to bring UK stargazers some wonderful celestial events to look out for.

The highlight will be the solar eclipse with up to 90% of the Sun obscured. Miss it and there won't be another one until September 2090.

There is also a partial lunar eclipse, three supermoons, a blue Moon, a February planet alignment plus an array of meteor showers to enjoy.

As activity on the surface of the Sun remains high, you can expect it to be another year of colourful sightings of the Northern Lights.

We begin 2026 with the annual Quadrantid meteor shower which has been active since the end of December 2025. It will peak between 3 and 4 January and continues until 12 January.

They are among the most active of meteor showers and have been known to produce over 100 meteors an hour on a clear night.

There are an array of other meteor showers to look forward to in 2026 including:

For the best chances of seeing a meteor shower, move away from light pollution, wrap up warm and let your eyes adjust to the night sky for at least 15 minutes. No equipment is needed - though a clear sky and some patience are helpful.

January saw the first of three supermoons in 2026. Known as the Wolf Moon, it was the fourth supermoon in a row.

The two other supermoons in 2026 are the Beaver Moon on 24 November followed by the Cold Moon on 23 December.

Supermoons happen when the Moon is at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, appearing up to 15% brighter and 30% bigger than regular full Moons.

Additionally there will be an extra full Moon on 31 May, known as a blue Moon. This is the name given to the second full Moon in a calendar month.

We usually get 12 full Moons a year, but as this doesn't quite match up with the lunar cycle roughly every two and half years we get an additional full Moon. As it only happens once every few years, it is where we get the expression 'once in a blue Moon' from.

If you want to take a picture make sure you turn off the flash on your phone, activate night mode and use ambient light. Oh, and check the BBC Weather forecast.

The UK will see a significant partial solar eclipse on 12 August, when the Moon covers a large part of the Sun's rays as it passes between the Earth and Sun.

Up to 90% of the Sun will be eclipsed, depending on where you are in the UK.

It will begin at 18:17 BST, with the maximum happening at 19:13.

Across parts of Europe a total solar eclipse will be visible - where the Moon completely covers the Sun. For example in Iceland, parts of Greenland and northern Spain, as well as the Arctic.

This astronomical phenomenon requires the Sun, Moon and Earth to be in complete alignment.

The next full solar eclipse in the UK will not happen for another 64 years, on 23 September 2090, according to the Royal Observatory in Greenwich, external.

You should never look directly at the Sun and experts recommend observing a partial solar eclipse safely with special solar filter glasses.

August 2026 will also see a partial lunar eclipse visible from the UK. This happens when the Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and part of its shadow covers the Moon.

It takes place on 28 August where around 90% of the Moon will be darkened by the Earth's shadow.

Lunar eclipses are safe to view with the naked eye as they only reflect sunlight. Top tips are to minimise light in your vicinity and watch from a spot where your view is not obstructed by tall buildings or trees. Check the BBC Weather forecast beforehand online or on your app and hope for a cloud-free sky.

On 28 February in the northern hemisphere, six planets will be in alignment and visible in the night sky.

Four can be seen by the naked eye: Jupiter, Saturn, Venus and Mercury. To see Uranus and Neptune you'll need a pair of binoculars or a small telescope.

The Moon which will be almost at peak brightness, will also be in the sky, appearing very close to Jupiter making for striking viewing.

The Northern Lights, or Aurora Borealis, graced our skies multiple times in 2025, as the Sun's 11-year cycle of activity peaked.

Solar activity is expected to remain elevated for the first part of 2026, before the Sun enters its declining phase which leads back to the next solar minimum around 2030.

Aurora displays are caused by charged particles from the Sun colliding with gases in the Earth's atmosphere around the magnetic poles. The most vivid auroras occur when the Sun emits large clouds of particles called Coronal Mass Ejections (CME's).

Aurora appear as bright, swirling beacons of light that range in colour from red to purple and green to blue. Beautiful multicoloured light displays were captured spectacularly by BBC Weather Watchers in 2025.

Dark and clear nights are the optimum viewing conditions so let's hope that 2026 gifts us with more spectacles in the night sky.