If you’re stepping outside right now and wondering why there's a ridiculously bright "star" hanging out near the moon, you aren't alone. It’s not a star. Honestly, it’s the King of Planets.
Tonight, January 16, 2026, the planet you see shining with a steady, golden-white light near the moon is Jupiter.
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While stars like Sirius or Betelgeuse might be twinkling like crazy, Jupiter is different. It doesn't flicker. It just glows. Since the moon is currently in its waxing crescent phase, moving toward its first quarter, it’s high enough in the sky to act like a giant cosmic finger pointing right at the solar system’s biggest gas giant.
Why is Jupiter so bright right now?
Basically, we just passed a major celestial event. On January 10, Jupiter reached opposition. This is a fancy way of saying Earth was positioned directly between Jupiter and the Sun. Because of that, Jupiter is still at its closest point to us for the entire year of 2026.
It’s about as bright as it ever gets.
Think of it like this: Jupiter is currently 100% illuminated by the sun from our perspective. It’s the celestial equivalent of having a high-powered flashlight pointed right at you from across a dark field. Even though it's hundreds of millions of miles away, its sheer size—you could fit 1,300 Earths inside it—makes it impossible to miss.
Where to look (and what you'll see)
You don't need a PhD or a $5,000 telescope to find it. Just look for the moon.
Tonight, Jupiter is located in the constellation Gemini. It’s sitting just below the "twins," Castor and Pollux. If you have a pair of basic bird-watching binoculars, grab them. Seriously. Even with cheap optics, you can usually see four tiny pinpricks of light in a straight line around the planet. Those are the Galilean moons: Io, Europa, Ganymede, and Callisto.
What about Saturn?
If you're looking earlier in the evening, right after sunset, you might see another planet. That’s Saturn.
Saturn is hanging out much lower in the west-southwest. It’s not nearly as bright as Jupiter—maybe about 1/30th as bright—and it’s currently in the constellation Pisces. It sets pretty early, usually before 10:00 PM, while Jupiter stays up for most of the night.
The 2026 "Pressure Cooker" Alignment
There's actually a lot of chatter right now in the astrological community about today. On January 16, Mars moves into Capricorn.
Some folks call this a "Panchgrahi Yoga"—a five-planet alignment. While astronomers focus on the visual beauty of the moon and Jupiter, many astrologers are warning about a "volatile cosmic cocktail." They argue that with Mars (the planet of drive) moving into Capricorn (the sign of structure), there’s a lot of tension in the air. Whether you believe in that or not, it’s a cool reminder that people have been looking at these same dots of light for thousands of years, trying to make sense of their lives.
Skywatching Tips for Tonight
The moon is currently about 28% illuminated. This is actually the "sweet spot" for stargazing.
Why? Because when the moon is a thin crescent, it doesn't wash out the rest of the sky with "light pollution" from its own surface. You get to see the craters along the terminator line (the line between the dark and light side of the moon) and still see the bright planets nearby.
- Check the Horizon: If you have tall buildings or trees to your west, you’ll miss Saturn. Head to a park or an open field.
- Let Your Eyes Adjust: It takes about 20 minutes for your "night vision" to kick in. Put the phone away. The blue light from your screen will ruin your ability to see the dimmer stars.
- Look for Earthshine: Look at the "dark" part of the moon tonight. You might see a faint, ghostly glow. That’s actually sunlight reflecting off Earth, hitting the moon, and bouncing back to your eyes. It's called Da Vinci Glow.
Jupiter is going to stay a dominant feature of our night sky for the rest of the winter. But tonight, having the moon as a guide makes it the perfect time to point it out to your kids or just take a second to realize how small we are.
Next Steps for Your Stargazing Session
Check your local weather forecast to ensure clear skies before heading out, then download a free sky map app like SkyView or Stellarium. These apps allow you to point your phone at the sky to confirm exactly which planet is under the moon from your specific GPS coordinates.