SKY · EVENTS · CHINA
Sky Events Over Beijing
The upcoming celestial calendar in Beijing's local time — conjunctions, planet parades, oppositions, the solstices and equinoxes, and full Moons — with which way to look for the planet pairings from your latitude.
June 2026
June solstice
Mon, Jun 22, 1:36 AM
The longest day in the northern hemisphere, the shortest in the south.
Full Moon
Tue, Jun 30, 7:50 AM
The Moon is fully lit and up all night — great for moon-watching, tough for faint stars and the Milky Way.
July 2026
The Moon meets Jupiter
Wed, Jul 15, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 3.2° from Jupiter — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look WSW, about 53° up.
The Moon meets Venus
Fri, Jul 17, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 3.8° from Venus — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look S, about 59° up.
Full Moon
Wed, Jul 29, 10:19 PM
The Moon is fully lit and up all night — great for moon-watching, tough for faint stars and the Milky Way.
August 2026
The Moon meets Mars
Sun, Aug 9, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 4.4° from Mars — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look WNW, about 9° up.
The Moon meets Jupiter
Wed, Aug 12, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 4.8° from Jupiter — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look W, about 36° up.
4-planet morning parade
Sat, Aug 15, 3:30 PM
4 naked-eye planets are visible together in the morning sky around now — a "planet parade." Look S, about 45° up.
The Moon meets Venus
Sun, Aug 16, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 1.7° from Venus — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look S, about 45° up.
September 2026
The Moon meets Venus
Mon, Sep 14, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 1.7° from Venus — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look SSW, about 32° up.
September equinox
Wed, Sep 23, 5:17 PM
Day and night are nearly equal again — autumn in the north, spring in the south.
Full Moon
Sun, Sep 27, 12:51 AM
The Moon is fully lit and up all night — great for moon-watching, tough for faint stars and the Milky Way.
October 2026
Saturn at opposition
Sun, Oct 4, 3:30 PM
Saturn sits opposite the Sun — closest, biggest and brightest for the year, and up all night. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
The Moon meets Mars
Mon, Oct 5, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 1.4° from Mars — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
The Moon meets Jupiter
Tue, Oct 6, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 1.3° from Jupiter — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
Saturn at opposition
Fri, Oct 9, 3:30 PM
Saturn sits opposite the Sun — closest, biggest and brightest for the year, and up all night. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
The Moon meets Venus
Mon, Oct 12, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 3.2° from Venus — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look SW, about 19° up.
Full Moon
Mon, Oct 26, 12:28 PM
The Moon is fully lit and up all night — great for moon-watching, tough for faint stars and the Milky Way.
November 2026
The Moon meets Mars
Mon, Nov 2, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 3.2° from Mars — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
The Moon meets Venus
Sat, Nov 7, 3:30 PM
The Moon passes about 1.9° from Venus — an easy naked-eye pairing. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
Mars meets Jupiter
Mon, Nov 16, 3:30 PM
Mars and Jupiter pass about 1.2° apart — close enough to frame together. Look below the horizon at the exact peak — look on the nights around it.
Times shown in Beijing's local zone, computed from orbital elements (accurate to within a day for planning). Look-directions are for Beijing's latitude at the event's peak.