Planning your stargazing for the year? Here's a friendly calendar of the night-sky highlights for 2026 that you can enjoy from Varanasi and across India — meteor showers, planet viewing, and notes on the year's eclipses.
Major meteor showers in 2026
Meteor showers recur at the same time every year. For the best experience, watch after midnight from a dark spot, let your eyes adapt, and just look up — no telescope needed. Approximate peak nights:
- Quadrantids — early January (around Jan 3–4)
- Lyrids — mid-to-late April (around Apr 22)
- Eta Aquariids — early May (around May 6), debris from Halley's Comet
- Perseids — mid-August (around Aug 12–13), one of the year's best
- Orionids — late October (around Oct 21)
- Leonids — mid-November (around Nov 17)
- Geminids — mid-December (around Dec 13–14), reliably the richest shower of the year
A dark, moonless sky makes all the difference — showers near a new moon are far more rewarding.
Eclipses in 2026
2026 has both solar and lunar eclipses globally. Most of the year's solar eclipses fall outside India, but lunar eclipses are often visible across wide regions. Because exact visibility and timing from Varanasi depend on the specific event, we publish precise, India-focused timings on our Sky Tonight page as each eclipse approaches — follow along there so you don't miss one.
Best planet viewing in 2026
Across the year, Saturn, Jupiter, Mars, and Venus all take their turns in the evening and morning sky. Jupiter and Saturn are the crowd favourites through a telescope — Jupiter for its moons and cloud bands, Saturn for its rings. Venus is dazzling to the naked eye near sunrise or sunset.
How to make the most of it
- Track the moon phase — darker skies mean more meteors and fainter objects.
- Get away from city lights when you can.
- Bring warm clothes, a mat, and patience.
- For planets and detail, a guided telescope session beats going it alone.
Want help catching the big events of 2026? Book a session with Kashi Cosmos and we'll make sure you're looking at the right thing, at the right time.