What planet reached opposition on January 10, 2026, making it brighter and closer to Earth?

On January 10, 2026, the gas giant Jupiter reached a special alignment known as opposition. This astronomical event occurs when Earth passes directly between an outer planet and the Sun. From our perspective on Earth, this means the planet appears opposite the Sun in the sky; as the Sun sets in the west, Jupiter rises in the east, making it visible throughout the entire night.

During opposition, a planet is typically at its closest point to Earth in its orbit, causing it to appear brighter and larger than at any other time of the year. For stargazers, this makes it an ideal time to observe Jupiter, even with just binoculars, where its four largest moons, known as the Galilean moons, can often be spotted.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is truly immense; over 1,300 Earths could fit inside it. It's a gas giant, composed primarily of hydrogen and helium, and is famous for its distinctive cloud bands and the Great (Review) Red Spot, a colossal storm that has been raging for centuries and is larger than Earth itself. Despite its enormous size, Jupiter has the shortest day of any planet, completing a full rotation in just under ten hours.