ISO 2026-W53
Week begins: Monday, December 28, 2026
Calendar
| Date | Zodiac day | Events |
|---|---|---|
| Mon, Dec 28, 2026 | ♑ 8 | |
| Tue, Dec 29, 2026 | ♑ 9 | Epsilon Eridani (ε Eridani) —  — Tropical Winter |
| Wed, Dec 30, 2026 | ♑ 10 | 🌗 Last Quarter — 18:59:30 UTC |
| Thu, Dec 31, 2026 | ♑ 11 | |
| Fri, Jan 1, 2027 | ♑ 12 | β Ret —  4 3.8 — Southern WinterC5 / IC 342 —  9 9.2 — Arctic WinterM45 — 2 1.6 — Northern Winter |
| Sat, Jan 2, 2027 | ♑ 13 | |
| Sun, Jan 3, 2027 | ♑ 14 |
Weekly Solar-System Ephemeris
Snapshot: Week begins December 28, 2026, 00:00 UTC.
(-90° to +90°; defaults +45°, 21:00 LAT)
| Body | ☉︎ | ☽︎ | ☿︎ | ♀︎ | ♂︎ | ♃︎ | ♄︎ |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecliptic | ♑︎ 6°15′ β +0°00′ | ♍︎ 1°04′ β −0°52′ | ♑︎ 3°32′ β −1°26′ | ♏︎ 19°33′ β +3°20′ | ♍︎ 9°20′ β +3°08′ | ♌︎ 26°40′ β +0°55′ | ♈︎ 8°12′ β −2°28′ |
| Observing |  | -11.4 | ☉︎ | -4.6 | -0.1 | -2.4 | 0.7 |
| Rise | 07:36 | 20:58 | 07:35 | 03:41 | 21:33 | 20:30 | 12:01 |
| Set | 16:24 | 10:30 | 16:02 | 13:49 | 11:10 | 10:29 | 00:14 |
Extended targets:
| Body | ⚳︎ | ♅︎ | ♆︎ | ♇︎ |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ecliptic | ♋︎ 19°41′ β +6°54′ | ♊︎ 2°26′ β −0°08′ | ♈︎ 1°41′ β −1°23′ | ♒︎ 4°14′ β −4°15′ |
| Observing | 7.0 | 5.6 | 7.8 | 14.6 |
| Rise | 16:44 | 14:03 | 11:41 | 09:42 |
| Set | 09:21 | 05:06 | 23:42 | 18:25 |
β = ecliptic latitude (+ north, − south).
Rise and set are Local Apparent Time for the selected latitude.
Naked-eye observing uses the Sun’s altitude at the selected Monday observer time: Daylight (Sun ≥ −0.833°), Civil twilight (−0.833° to −6°), Nautical twilight (−6° to −12°), Astronomical twilight (−12° to −18°), and Night (below −18°).
Solar Glare identifies a body too close to the Sun when the sky-state rule does not already supersede its naked-eye classification.
The Sun’s observing status uses this same five-state sky classification.
Planet Finder
Sky Notes
Kilroy: Sky Notes · generated 2026-10-12 13:05:48 UTC
ISO 2026-W53 runs from December 28 through January 3. To find Jupiter, first identify Leo, trace the Sickle, and locate Regulus in that pattern. Jupiter lies about 3.2° away in ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot; use the finder to transfer from Regulus to the planet.
Naked eye: 🌗 Last Quarter — 18:59:30 UTC. Moderate moonlight makes timing and local sky position important for faint targets. Use Epsilon Eridani as the week’s fixed-sky framework.
Planets: Moon: Naked eye; magnitude -11.4; direct motion; 78.9% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Jan 03 13:07 UTC. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Dec 28 14:13 UTC. Mercury: In solar glare; magnitude -1.1; direct motion; 99.7% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Solar conjunction in ecliptic longitude Jan 01 17:07 UTC. Venus: Naked eye; magnitude -4.6; direct motion; 46.5% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 03 13:07 UTC. Mars: Naked eye; magnitude -0.1; direct motion; 92.3% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Dec 28 14:13 UTC. Ceres: Binoculars; magnitude 7.0; retrograde motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Jupiter: Naked eye; magnitude -2.4; retrograde motion; 99.5% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Saturn: Naked eye; magnitude 0.7; direct motion; 99.7% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Uranus: Binoculars; magnitude 5.6; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Neptune: Telescope; magnitude 7.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Pluto: Substantial telescope; magnitude 14.6; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.
Binoculars: Trace Reticulum’s diamond-shaped figure in the finder, then identify β Ret at its charted position.
Small telescope: IC 342: this diffuse galaxy is challenging; seek a very dark, transparent sky and use a telescope; Pleiades: binoculars or a low-power wide field show the cluster together
Substantial telescope: No fixed-sky Calendar object is classified as requiring a substantial telescope this week.
Other objects listed this week: None
Mercury
Mercury: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 07:35; sets 16:02 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -1.1. The disk is 99.7% illuminated (nearly full). It is 3.1° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 1.584° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Nunki, 9.4° away. Solar conjunction in ecliptic longitude Jan 01 17:07 UTC. Mercury: 9.4° from Nunki in the Pathfinder.
Venus
Venus: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 59.1° below the horizon. Rises 03:41; sets 13:49 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -4.6. The disk is 46.5% illuminated (crescent). It is 46.8° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.968° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Zubenelgenubi, 5.1° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 03 13:07 UTC. Venus: 5.1° from Zubenelgenubi in the Pathfinder.
Moon
Moon: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 0.3° below the horizon. Rises 20:58; sets 10:30 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -11.4. The disk is 78.9% illuminated (waning gibbous). It is 125.2° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 14.236° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 1.6° away. Jupiter is 4.7° away at the snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Jan 03 13:07 UTC. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Dec 28 14:13 UTC. Moon: 1.6° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.
Mars
Mars: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 6.0° below the horizon. Rises 21:33; sets 11:10 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -0.1. The disk is 92.3% illuminated (gibbous). It is 116.9° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 0.157° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 9.5° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Dec 28 14:13 UTC. Mars: 9.5° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.
Jupiter
Jupiter: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 4.4° above the horizon. Rises 20:30; sets 10:29 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -2.4. The disk is 99.5% illuminated (nearly full). It is 129.6° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.048° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 3.6° away. Moon is 4.7° away at the snapshot. Jupiter: 3.6° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.
Saturn
Saturn: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 31.7° above the horizon. Rises 12:01; sets 00:14 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 0.7. The disk is 99.7% illuminated (nearly full). It is 91.9° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.031° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 19.0° away. Saturn: 19.0° from Diphda in the Pathfinder.
Uranus
Uranus: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 64.4° above the horizon. Rises 14:03; sets 05:06 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 5.6. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 146.2° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is retrograde at 0.033° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 9.4° away. Uranus: 9.4° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.
Neptune
Neptune: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 26.7° above the horizon. Rises 11:41; sets 23:42 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.8. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 85.4° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.009° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 16.4° away. Neptune: 16.4° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.
Ceres
Ceres: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 40.2° above the horizon. Rises 16:44; sets 09:21 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.0. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 164.9° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.218° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Castor, 3.3° away. Ceres: 3.3° from Castor in the Pathfinder.
Pluto
Pluto: substantial telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 26.1° below the horizon. Rises 09:42; sets 18:25 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 14.6. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 28.3° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.029° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 8.8° away. Pluto: 8.8° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.
Highlights
Mercury
In solar glare; magnitude -1.1; direct motion; 99.7% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Solar conjunction in ecliptic longitude Jan 01 17:07 UTC. Mercury: 9.4° from Nunki in the Pathfinder.
Venus
Naked eye; magnitude -4.6; direct motion; 46.5% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 03 13:07 UTC. Venus: 5.1° from Zubenelgenubi in the Pathfinder.
Moon
Naked eye; magnitude -11.4; direct motion; 78.9% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Venus in ecliptic longitude Jan 03 13:07 UTC. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Dec 28 14:13 UTC. Moon: 1.6° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.
Mars
Naked eye; magnitude -0.1; direct motion; 92.3% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Dec 28 14:13 UTC. Mars: 9.5° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.
Jupiter
Naked eye; magnitude -2.4; retrograde motion; 99.5% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Jupiter: 3.6° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.
Saturn
Naked eye; magnitude 0.7; direct motion; 99.7% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Saturn: 19.0° from Diphda in the Pathfinder.
Uranus
Binoculars; magnitude 5.6; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Uranus: 9.4° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.
Neptune
Telescope; magnitude 7.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Neptune: 16.4° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.
Ceres
Binoculars; magnitude 7.0; retrograde motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Ceres: 3.3° from Castor in the Pathfinder.
Pluto
Substantial telescope; magnitude 14.6; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Pluto: 8.8° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.