2026 starts off with a supermoon! On January 3, the full moon is known as the “Old Moon,” and the “Wolf Moon.” It’s also one of three supermoons this year, with the next not being until November. This month also offers good views of Jupiter and Saturn.
The Quadrantids Meteor Shower will peak on January 3 and January 4, producing an impressive 40-meteors-per-hour. The brightness of the supermoon will make these meteors tougher to spot, however. The meteors of this shower are thought to be from the likely-extinct comet 2003 EH1, discovered in 2003. Or was it? It is thought this comet is related to the comet C/1490 Y1 which exploded over China in 1490 and was observed by East Asian astronomers at the time.
The comet 24P/Schaumasse will reach its closest point to the Sun in its orbit on January 8. It’s visible close to the horizon for a few days, only to head back out, returning in about eight years.
The Beehive Star Cluster will be visible this month near the Moon. The 700-million-year-old cluster contains over 1,000 stars.
There is a new moon on January 18, making this the perfect time to star-watch. There will be a smaller meteor shower, the y-Ursae Minorid Meteor Shower, peaking the next day on January 19. This one only produces about 3-to-4 meteors per hour, however.
Astronomy Update for January
By Sam Bishop