Have you ever gazed at the Moon and noticed a bright star nearby, wondering if it might be a planet? Identifying planets in the night sky can be a fascinating endeavor. This guide will help you distinguish planets from stars and provide tips for locating them, particularly in relation to the Moon, throughout the year 2026. Farmers’ Almanac teams up with expert astronomer Dean Regas for this go-to guide to tell you which visible planets are shining tonight (or tomorrow morning) and which direction to look.
Planet symbols
Visible for a brief time at the end of February 2025. The main problem with finding Mercury is that it orbits very close to the Sun. To see Mercury when it is at its greatest eastern elongation, you will want to look to the western sky 15 minutes after sunset.
Visible Planets in the Night Sky
The first step in identifying planets is knowing which ones are visible without a telescope. The five brightest planets observable by most people are:
- Mercury
- Venus
- Mars
- Jupiter
- Saturn
Of this list, Mercury can be the hardest one to spot…it is the closest planet to the Sun and is never seen too far from the Sun, so its low altitude and the glare of the rising or setting Sun can make it hard to pick out.
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To find the other planets, Uranus and Neptune, you will need a telescope. Uranus can be spotted with a pair of binoculars, but it will only look like a tiny pinpoint of light. Through a telescope, Uranus will appear as a pale blue-white circle of light.
Venus is the brightest planet in the nighttime sky. It is so dazzlingly bright because it is relatively close to Earth and because a thick blanket of clouds perpetually covers its surface. Some stargazers call Venus the Morning Star or Evening Star, depending on when it is visible.
Mars is easy to find in the night sky with the naked eye because of its distinctive color. It is nicknamed the Red Planet because it shines with an extremely off-white light. In the sky Mars appears brighter than the brightest stars that are visible from even urban locations.
Jupiter is an unmistakable light in the night sky. It appears to be a non-twinkling cream-colored star and is very often the brightest starlike object in the entire night sky.
Saturn appears to be a non-twinkling yellow star that shines with a light equal to or sometimes greater than the brightest first magnitude stars like Vega and Arcturus. The farthest planet you can see with the naked eye, from even suburban locations, is Saturn.
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Distinguishing Planets from Stars
Why Stars Glow and Planets Don't
A quick rule of thumb is that stars twinkle, while planets don't. Stars are much farther away, so their light is more affected by our atmosphere. Planets shine with a steadier light.
Planet Identification Chart
Color and Brightness
Planets also have distinct colors. Mercury appears whitish, Venus is bright white, Mars has a rust-orange hue, Jupiter is light tan, and Saturn is yellowish-tan. The brightness of a planet can vary depending on its distance from Earth and its position relative to the horizon.
Using Celestial Coordinates
To find a planet's location, consider its altitude and direction. Altitude is the angle the planet makes with the horizon, while direction (azimuth) is measured in degrees, with north at 0°, east at 90°, south at 180°, and west at 270°.
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Additionally, to find Venus’ location you can use a mobile sky observing smartphone app. There are a variety of night sky apps you can try, including examples like: Night Sky, Sky Safari, and Stellarium.
Planetary Alignments and the Moon
People often notice a planet when it appears near the Moon. The Moon and planets seem to traverse a ring around the Earth called the zodiac. These are the stars in the famous zodiac constellations like Aries, Virgo, and Sagittarius. The Moon monthly passes through all twelve zodiac constellations while the planets move through them at various, slower speeds. But each month, the Moon will appear to pass near each planet.
Two or more visible planets can often appear to line up as seen from Earth. The most picturesque pairing is when the crescent Moon shines next to the brightest planet, Venus. Here at Farmers’ Almanac we refer to this as The Moon “kissing” Venus. Pairings of Jupiter and the Moon are a close second!
Notable Celestial Events in January 2026
As darkness falls on January 1, the bright waxing gibbous moon will lie near Jupiter and among some of our brightest stars. They include Capella, Betelgeuse and Aldebaran. And Jupiter is near the twin stars of Gemini: Castor (the slightly dimmer one) and Pollux (the slightly brighter one). You can see them through dawn the next morning.
Here’s a look at some key events to watch for:
- January 2-3: The January full moon, known as the Wolf Moon, will be a supermoon.
- January 3-4: On the evenings of these days, the waning gibbous moon will lie near bright Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux.
- January 5-6: In the late evening hours, the waning gibbous moon will be near Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion.
- January 10: On the morning of this day, the 3rd quarter moon will be approaching Spica, the brightest star in Virgo the Maiden.
- January 13-14: On the mornings of these days, the waning crescent moon will be heading toward the bright red star Antares.
- January 22-23: The waxing crescent moon will pay a visit to Saturn on the evenings of these days.
- January 26: On the evening of this day, the first quarter moon will lie near the famous Pleiades star cluster.
- January 30-31: On the evenings of these days, the waxing gibbous moon will lie near bright Jupiter and the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux.
Additional Tips for Stargazing
- Give your eyes time to adjust to the darkness.
- Use a night sky app on your smartphone.
- Consult astronomical calendars and guides for specific viewing times and locations.
By following these tips, you'll be well-equipped to identify planets near the Moon and enjoy the wonders of the night sky in 2026!