If you stepped outside just now and looked up, you probably saw it. A massive, brilliant "star" hanging out right next to the moon. It’s glowing with a steady, yellowish-white light that doesn't flicker like the others. Honestly, it’s beautiful. But here’s the thing: it’s not a star at all.
That’s Jupiter.
The solar system’s largest planet is putting on a massive show tonight, January 16, 2026. Because we just passed "opposition" on January 10, the Earth is basically sandwiched directly between Jupiter and the Sun. This means the gas giant is at its absolute brightest and closest for the entire year. It’s huge. It’s bright. And tonight, it’s using the moon as a celestial billboard to make sure you don't miss it.
Why Jupiter looks so bright tonight
You’ve probably noticed that most stars twinkle. That’s just atmospheric turbulence messing with distant pinpoints of light. Planets are different. Because Jupiter is a disk (even if it looks like a dot to your eyes), its light is more stable.
Tonight, Jupiter is glowing at a staggering magnitude of -2.7. For context, that’s more than twice as bright as Sirius, which is the brightest actual star in the entire night sky. It’s currently hanging out in the constellation Gemini, the Twins. If you look closely, you’ll see it sits just below the two famous stars Castor and Pollux.
There’s a specific reason why this pairing feels so intense right now. The moon is currently in its waning crescent phase, only about 1% to 3% illuminated. It’s a tiny, razor-thin silver sliver. Because the moon is so dim, it isn't "washing out" the sky with light. This allows Jupiter’s brilliance to really pop.
The view through binoculars (and what to look for)
If you happen to have a pair of birdwatching binoculars or a cheap telescope in the garage, grab them. Seriously. You don’t need NASA-grade equipment to see something cool tonight.
When you point binoculars at that "star" next to the moon, you won’t just see a bigger dot. You’ll see a tiny, creamy-colored marble. And if your hands are steady enough, you’ll see four tiny sparks of light lined up in a neat row around it.
These are the Galilean Moons:
- Io: The volcanic one.
- Europa: The icy one with a hidden ocean.
- Ganymede: The biggest moon in the solar system.
- Callisto: The old, cratered veteran.
It’s kinda wild to think that those four little dots are actual worlds, some of which might even host life in their subsurface oceans. According to data from the U.S. Naval Observatory, tonight’s alignment has all four moons visible, though their positions shift by the hour.
What most people get wrong about these "conjunctions"
A lot of people think that because Jupiter and the moon look close, they’re actually near each other. They aren't. Not even close.
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The moon is about 238,000 miles away. That’s a long drive, sure. But Jupiter? It’s currently roughly 390 million miles away. The two only look like they’re hanging out because of our perspective from Earth. It’s a line-of-sight trick. Imagine holding your thumb up to cover a distant mountain; your thumb isn't bigger than the mountain, it’s just much closer.
Saturn is there too (but it’s hiding)
If you’re a real sky-watcher, you might notice another yellowish light lower in the southwest. That’s Saturn.
While Jupiter is the king of the night right now, Saturn is slowly sinking toward the horizon. It crossed into the constellation Pisces just yesterday, on January 15. If you look toward the southwest about 90 minutes after sunset, you’ll see it. It’s about 35° up from the horizon.
Wait. There is one more thing.
Right near Saturn—so close you’d need binoculars to separate them—is Neptune. You won’t see Neptune with your bare eyes (it’s magnitude 7.8, way too faint), but it’s there, lurking in the background. It’s a rare moment where you can use the "bright" planets to find the "invisible" ones.
How to see it before it’s gone
You don't have all night.
The moon is setting quite early this evening—around 3:50 PM to 4:55 PM depending on your exact latitude. Since it's a waning crescent, it actually rose before the sun this morning and is following the sun across the sky.
Wait, so when should you look?
If you missed the pre-dawn pairing this morning, your best bet is actually looking toward the East just after sunset. While the moon will be gone, Jupiter will rise in the East and remain visible all night long. It will be the highest, brightest object in the sky around midnight.
Your "Tonight" Checklist
- Look East after 6:00 PM: Jupiter will be the unmistakable "star" rising as the sun goes down.
- Find the "V" shape: Jupiter is near the "V" of Taurus and the bright stars of Gemini.
- Use the "Averted Vision" trick: If you're trying to see the fainter moons or stars nearby, don't look directly at them. Look slightly to the side. Your peripheral vision is more sensitive to light.
- Check the "Earthshine": On the thin crescent moon, you might see the "dark" part of the moon glowing faintly. That’s actually light reflecting off the Earth and hitting the moon. It’s basically "Earth-light."
Honestly, just take five minutes. Put the phone down, step away from the porch light, and let your eyes adjust. There is something deeply grounding about seeing a planet that’s 1,300 times the size of Earth just hanging there in the silence.
If you want to track where it moves tomorrow, you can download a free app like Stellarium or SkySafari. They use your phone’s GPS to show you exactly what you’re looking at in real-time. It’s a lot easier than trying to read a paper star chart in the dark.
Keep an eye on the sky next week, too. On January 23, the moon will have swung around to the other side of its orbit and will perform a much closer "meet-up" with Saturn. But for tonight? Jupiter owns the stage.
Enjoy the view. It's not every day you get to see a gas giant this clearly.
Next Steps for Stargazers:
To see the planet even better, find a local "dark sky" park away from city lights. You can also check the Clear Sky Chart online to see if clouds or humidity will ruin your view before you head out. If you have a telescope, try to spot the "Great Red Spot" on Jupiter—it’s a storm twice the size of Earth that’s been raging for centuries, and it's visible tonight if your magnification is high enough.