Overview
- Astronomy communicators report the exact opposition occurs around 02:34 on January 10, when Earth lies directly between the Sun and Jupiter.
- The planet will be easy to spot after sunset in the eastern sky near Gemini and will remain prominent for much of the night from locations such as Argentina and Mexico.
- During this event Jupiter will be surpassed in brightness only by the Moon and Venus, making it one of the simplest targets to identify.
- This approach is described as the closest since December 2024, with a similar opportunity not expected until 2027.
- NASA’s January sky guide also highlights a Saturn–Moon conjunction on January 23 and the Beehive Cluster’s visibility throughout the month.