Planets, line-ups and comets in the UK sky, 2026–27

Regulus, Jupiter, Mars, a thin crescent Moon and the Beehive Cluster form a striking line across the dawn sky.

Third western elongation of Mercury (about 20°); morning visibility.

Uranus lies opposite the Sun and is visible all night; findable in binoculars from a dark site, and a small green disc in a telescope.

The brightest periodic comet of the year, reaching about magnitude 4; low in the evening sky from the UK through December, so you need a clear western horizon.

Encke is the parent of the Taurid meteor shower.

One of Encke's best returns for UK observers since 2003, brightening quickly and possibly reaching magnitude 5 by late January. It sits well up in the south-west after dark early in the month, then sinks into the evening twilight; binoculars recommended. Comet brightness is notoriously unpredictable.

Encke is the parent of the Taurid meteor shower.

Venus reaches its greatest distance west of the Sun (about 47°) and shines brilliantly as the morning star, around 20° up in the south-south-east at sunrise.

Mercury stands about 18° east of the Sun; one of its best evening showings of the year from the UK, around 10° up in the west-south-west half an hour after sunset.

Jupiter lies opposite the Sun and is visible all night, riding high in the south around midnight at magnitude -2.6. Its four bright moons are easy in binoculars.

Mars is opposite the Sun and visible all night, high in the south around midnight at magnitude -1.3. This is a distant opposition, so the disc is small in a telescope (about 14 arcseconds).

Mercury reaches about 23° east of the Sun; a good evening apparition for the UK, around 12° up in the west-north-west 40 minutes after sunset.

Mercury reaches about 21° west of the Sun; a fair morning showing, low in the east-north-east before sunrise. Binoculars help, and it climbs a little higher over the following week.

Neptune lies opposite the Sun and is visible all night, highest around midnight. At magnitude 7.7 you will need binoculars or a telescope and a finder chart.

The ringed planet lies opposite the Sun: visible all night and at its brightest (magnitude 0.1), due south around midnight. An excellent target for even a small telescope.

Mercury reaches about 19° west of the Sun; its best morning apparition of the year for the UK, around 10° up in the east-south-east half an hour before sunrise.

Venus passes about 0.3° from Mars, but very low in the south-west after sunset, only around 5° up half an hour after the Sun goes down. You will need a flat horizon and binoculars to pick out faint Mars beside brilliant Venus; wait until the Sun has fully set.

Uranus lies opposite the Sun and is visible all night, riding high around midnight; findable in binoculars from a dark site at magnitude 5.6, and a small green disc in a telescope.