Jupiter will be opposite the Sun

By :- Amal Udawatta

On January 10, 2026, Jupiter will be at opposition, meaning it will be directly opposite the Sun. This means that Jupiter, Earth, and the Sun will be in a straight line. At this time, Jupiter will be closest to Earth and will be the brightest object in the night sky. That is, it will be visible to the naked eye as a very bright blue-white star. If you have a medium or powerful telescope, you will also be able to observe the positions of Jupiter's major moons, Io, Europa, Callisto, and Ganymede.

Fun fact: Oppositions occur roughly once every 13 months for Jupiter, but each year the planet reaches a slightly different distance from Earth. This year, it will be at its closest and brightest, offering the best viewing of 2026. At the moment of opposition, Jupiter will lie at a distance of 4.23 AU, and its disk will measure 45.6 arcsec in diameter, shining at magnitude -2.7. At opposition, its celestial coordinates will be

Object	Right Ascension	Declination	Constellation	Magnitude	Angular Size
Jupiter	07h25m30s	22°14'N	Gemini	-2.7	45.6"

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