If you like astronomy that feels cinematic, 2026–2028 is trying to outdo every space-movie poster you’ve ever seen. This January, Jupiter puts on a show, but it’s the chain of eclipses barreling toward us over the next three years that will make travel agents, archaeologists, and stargazers rearrange calendars.

January’s Headline Act: Jupiter at Opposition (Jan 10)

• Jupiter reaches opposition on January 10; Earth sits almost exactly between the Sun and the gas giant.

• It will blaze at roughly magnitude −2.7, the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon and Venus.

• Through a modest telescope Jupiter will appear large and detailed, about 45-46 arcseconds across, making cloud bands and moons delightfully easy to see.

• The planet rises in the east at sunset in Gemini and rules the night through to dawn. Bring binoculars or a small scope and catch Europa, Io, Ganymede and Callisto hopping around the disk.

Other January Picks

• January 23: Saturn slides into a close conjunction with the Moon, appearing just below the lunar disk after sunset, a pleasant photo-op for wide-angle evening shots.

• Messier 44 (the Beehive Cluster) sits in Cancer all month, a jewel of at least a thousand suns visible to the naked eye under dark skies and spectacular in binoculars.

The Bigger Narrative

Three years of eclipses everyone will be talking about

From 2026 through 2028 a remarkable run of eclipses, three total and three annular will cross heavily populated regions, offering unusually accessible and long-lived totalities. If you’ve ever wanted to plan for one of those once-in-a-lifetime sky events, now is the time.

Key Events:

• August 12, 2026: Total solar eclipse: shadow crosses southern Greenland, Iceland and northern Spain. Coastal Iceland sees up to ~2 minutes+ of totality; Spanish cities including Valencia, Bilbao and Palma fall into the path.

• February 6, 2027: Annular eclipse: track across parts of South America and Africa (a “ring of fire” for those in the path).

• August 2, 2027: The so-called “eclipse of the century”; a total solar eclipse slicing from southern Spain across North Africa into the Middle East. Luxor, Egypt, sits near the spot of longest totality, around 6 minutes 22-23 seconds, the longest on land until well into the next century. Expect massive tourism and organized expeditions (many already selling out).

• January 26, 2028: Annular eclipse sweeping Ecuador, Peru, Brazil and even touching southern Spain.

• July 22, 2028: A crowning total eclipse across Australia and New Zealand another irresistible destination event.

Why the 2027 Eclipse Will Get a Lot of Air Time

• Duration: Totality near Luxor will exceed six minutes, an unusually long stretch of darkness that magnifies every atmospheric and cultural effect (birds, temperature, ancient monuments under a suddenly lunar sky).

• Accessibility: The path crosses major cities and tourist corridors, so this isn’t just a remote-science-obsession like some eclipses, it’s a global festival-of-darkness with easy logistics for many travelers.

• Rarity: Nothing comparable in duration over such culturally resonant ground will return for decades, so expect packed tours, scientific teams, and heavy coverage.