Sky Diary for 2026

August
2	Mercury at greatest elongation west
6	Mercury at highest altitude in morning sky
3	Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
4	Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn
5	Mercury at dichotomy
6	Moon at Last Quarter
7	Close approach of the Moon and M45
8	Lunar occultation of Beta Tauri
9	Conjunction of the Moon and Mars Close approach of the Moon and Mars Conjunction of Mars and Ceres
11	Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
12	New Moon Total solar eclipse Venus at dichotomy
13	Perseid meteor shower 2026
14	Venus at greatest elongation east
15	Messier 15 is well placed Conjunction of Jupiter and Mercury
16	Messier 2 is well placed Close approach of the Moon and Venus Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
18	κ-Cygnid meteor shower 2026
20	Moon at First Quarter
21	Lunar occultation of Antares
23	Lunar occultation of Sigma Sagittarii
27	Mercury at superior solar conjunction
28	Partial lunar eclipse Full Moon Asteroid 9 Metis at opposition
31	Close approach of the Moon and Saturn Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn

September
1	Aurigid meteor shower 2026
3	Close approach of the Moon and M45
4	Moon at Last Quarter
5	Lunar occultation of Beta Tauri
6	Conjunction of the Moon and Mars Close approach of the Moon and Mars
8	Close approach of the Moon and M44 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter Lunar occultation of Jupiter
9	September ε-Perseid meteor shower 2026
10	Uranus enters retrograde motion
11	New Moon
12	Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
14	Conjunction of the Moon and Venus Close approach of the Moon and Venus Lunar occultation of Venus
17	Lunar occultation of Antares
18	Moon at First Quarter
20	Lunar occultation of Sigma Sagittarii
22	Venus at greatest brightness
23	September equinox
26	NGC 55 is well placed Neptune at opposition Full Moon
27	Close approach of the Moon and Saturn Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn Daytime Sextantid meteor shower 2026
28	47 Tuc is well placed
30	Asteroid 192 Nausikaa at opposition Close approach of the Moon and M45
27	Mercury at highest altitude in evening sky

October
2	Lunar occultation of Beta Tauri
3	The Andromeda Galaxy is well placed Moon at Last Quarter
4	NGC 253 is well placed Saturn at opposition Asteroid 2 Pallas at opposition
5	The Small Magellanic Cloud is well placed Conjunction of the Moon and Mars Close approach of the Moon and Mars Lunar occultation of Mars 136472 Makemake at solar conjunction Close approach of the Moon and M44 Conjunction of Venus and Mercury
6	NGC 300 is well placed October Camelopardalid meteor shower 2026 Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter Lunar occultation of Jupiter
7	Lunar occultation of Regulus
8	NGC 362 is well placed
9	Draconid meteor shower 2026
10	New Moon Southern Taurid meteor shower 2026
11	Close approach of Mars and M44 δ-Aurigid meteor shower 2026
12	Conjunction of the Moon and Venus Mercury at greatest elongation east Conjunction of the Moon and Mercury
13	Asteroid 4 Vesta at opposition
14	Lunar occultation of Antares
16	The Triangulum Galaxy is well placed
17	Lunar occultation of Sigma Sagittarii Mercury at dichotomy
18	Moon at First Quarter ε-Geminid meteor shower 2026 136199 Eris at opposition
21	Orionid meteor shower 2026
24	Venus at inferior solar conjunction Close approach of the Moon and Saturn Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn Leonis Minorid meteor shower 2026
26	Full Moon The Perseus Double Cluster is well placed
27	136108 Haumea at solar conjunction
28	Close approach of the Moon and M45
29	Lunar occultation of Beta Tauri

November
1	Close approach of the Moon and M44 Moon at Last Quarter
2	Close approach of the Moon and Mars Lunar occultation of Mars Conjunction of the Moon and Mars Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter Lunar occultation of Jupiter Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter
3	Lunar occultation of Regulus
4	Mercury at inferior solar conjunction
7	Lunar occultation of Venus Conjunction of the Moon and Venus
9	New Moon
11	Lunar occultation of Antares
12	Northern Taurid meteor shower 2026
13	Lunar occultation of Sigma Sagittarii
15	Conjunction of Jupiter and Mars
16	Close approach of Jupiter and Mars
17	Moon at First Quarter
18	Leonid meteor shower 2026 Mercury at dichotomy The Pleiades cluster is well placed
20	Close approach of the Moon and Saturn
19	Mercury at highest altitude in morning sky
21	Mercury at greatest elongation west Conjunction of the Moon and Saturn α-Monocerotid meteor shower 2026
24	Close approach of the Moon and M45 Full Moon
25	Uranus at opposition Lunar occultation of Beta Tauri
27	Venus at greatest brightness
28	November Orionid meteor shower 2026 The Hyades cluster is well placed
29	Close approach of the Moon and M44
30	Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter Lunar occultation of Jupiter Conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter Lunar occultation of Regulus Close approach of the Moon and Mars Conjunction of the Moon and Mars