There are many great astronomical events that take place each year. Here are the highlights for 2026:
- January 3-4: Quadrantids Meteor Shower (40/hr, best after midnight, from near Bootes. Full moon will hide a lot of them.)
- January 10: Best view of Jupiter (at opposition)! See the planet with multiple moons with binoculars or a telescope.
- February 19: Mercury is at its best position for viewing, in the western sky just after sunset.
- March 3: Watch as the total lunar eclipse darkens the moon to a blood-red.
- April 3: Mercury is in the morning sky today. If you like to wake up early on the west end of the lake, watch for this in the pre-dawn sky.
- April 22-23: Lyrids Meteor Shower (20/hr, best after midnight, from Lyra). The moon will set early, leaving a nice, dark sky. Perfect if you are opening up your place early!
- May 6-7: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower (30/hr from Halley's Comet, best after midnight, from Aquarius. The waning gibbous moon will block out most, but you might see some of the brighter ones.)
- July 28-29: Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower (20/hr, best after midnight, from Aquarius, but the full moon won't be kind to stargazers.)
- August 12: The Icelandic total solar eclipse occurs today! We'll just BARLEY be able to see the sun darken as the moon clips the edge of the solar disk from our vantage point in MI. If you travel to northern MI, you'll get a bit better view, but you really need to be in Iceland....
- August 12-13: Perseids Meteor Shower (60/hr, best after midnight, from Perseus. No moon and warm weather makes this a great show this year. Please dim your exterior lights!)
- August 15: Venus, in the western sky at sunset, will be at its brightest.
- August 28: A partial lunar eclipse. Not as good as the total in March, but it can still be cool to watch on a warm evening if you're out looking for shooters.
- September 25: If you have a telescope, look for Neptune, which will be at its brightest tonight.
- October 4: Saturn at opposition tonight. Get out the binoculars or telescope and ogle the rings.
- October 7: Draconids Meteor Shower (10/hr, best in early evening (which is unusual for showers), from Draco. The waning crescent moon will be clear early.)
- October 21-22: Orionids Meteor Shower (20/hr, best after midnight, from Orion, with the waxing gibbous moon blocking many of the dimmer ones.)
- November 4-5: Taurids Meteor Shower (5-10/hr, best after midnight, from Taurus (look for the red "eye" of Taurus), but the waning crescent moon will go away to leave a nice, dark sky.)
- November 17-18: Leonids Meteor Shower (15/hr, best after midnight, from Leo -- with a waxing gibbous moon that blocks some of the fainter ones, but it will set by midnight, leaving a nice dark sky, if you like the cold.)
- November 25: Uranus at opposition tonight. You'll need a telescope to see the tiny blue-green dot in the darkness.
- December 13-14: Geminids Meteor Shower (120/hr, best after midnight, from Gemini -- a waxing crescent will set early to leave behind nice dark skies with cold, crisp air.)
- December 21-22: Ursids Meteor Shower (5-10/hr, best after midnight, from Ursa Minor -- the full moon will likely wash this out, so stay in, stay warm, and enjoy your Christmas!)
Get more details about each of these events from this Astronomy Calendar.
In preparation for these heavenly shows, please turn off or dim your lighting, especially the large outdoor lights that light up the entire lake. Better yet, consider boxing your exterior lights! See the International Dark-Sky Association's web site for information and for suggestions on replacing your lighting with fixtures that provide light but still preserve the darkness for others.
