Jupiter Eclipse 2026: The moon is about to swallow the giant planet, when and where can you watch it

Jupiter will perform a disappearing act before sunrise on Tuesday, Oct. 6. Skywatchers across large parts of North America will see the giant planet slip behind a thin crescent moon. Jupiter will remain hidden for roughly an hour before emerging from the moon’s dark edge.

The event is being called a Jupiter Eclipse online. Astronomers use a different name. It is a lunar occultation of Jupiter. Location will decide whether viewers see the full disappearance or only a close meeting between the two objects.

What Is the Jupiter Eclipse?

A lunar occultation happens when the moon passes directly in front of a distant object from Earth’s viewpoint. The planet does not actually lose its light. It only becomes hidden behind the moon.


NASA describes a lunar occultation as an event in which the moon briefly blocks another celestial object from view.

Jupiter is far larger than the moon. Distance creates the illusion. The moon is close enough to Earth to cover the distant gas giant in our sky.

Unlike a star, Jupiter will not vanish in a single blink. Its visible disk is wide enough for the disappearance to take around one minute. Its return should take about the same amount of time.

Where Will the Jupiter Eclipse Be Visible?

The complete occultation will be visible across much of the eastern and central United States. Viewers in southern Canada will also have a chance to see it.

New York City and Montreal are among the locations expected to receive a strong view. Parts of the Midwest and southern US also fall within the visibility zone, as per a report by Forbes.

Conditions become more difficult farther west. Jupiter and the moon will sit lower in the sky. A clear view of the east-northeast horizon will be essential.


Washington and California will miss the full occultation. Oregon and Nevada are also outside the main viewing zone. Jupiter will already have passed behind the moon before the pair rises there.

Western viewers still get a consolation prize. Jupiter will appear extremely close to the moon after moonrise, creating a striking celestial pairing.

What Time Will Jupiter Disappear on Oct. 6?

The precise time changes by location. The waning crescent moon should rise near 2:30 a.m. local daylight time in many parts of North America, as per a report by Forbes. Jupiter will appear close to its illuminated edge.

Observers in New York and Montreal can expect the middle of the occultation near 4:50 a.m. EDT. Jupiter should return to view around 5:30 a.m.

Memphis viewers may see Jupiter disappear at approximately 3:15 a.m. CDT. The planet will be only a few degrees above the horizon, making an open observing site important.

Local timing tables from the International Occultation Timing Association can provide the most accurate schedule for individual cities. Space.com says the IOTA resources include timings for hundreds of locations in the US and Canada.

How to Watch the Jupiter Eclipse

Look toward the east-northeast before dawn. Jupiter will be easy to identify. It will resemble a bright point of light beside the moon’s narrow crescent. Binoculars should make the disappearing act easier to follow. A small telescope will offer a clearer view of Jupiter’s disk.

The reappearance may be visible without equipment. Jupiter will emerge from behind the moon’s dark side, which should create a sudden jewel-like effect.

Telescope users may also spot Jupiter’s four Galilean moons. Europa will disappear shortly before Jupiter. Io and Callisto will follow close together. Ganymede should vanish shortly after the planet.

How Rare Is a Lunar Occultation of Jupiter?

Lunar occultations of Jupiter happen somewhere in the world fairly regularly. Seeing one from a particular city at night is much less common.

A dark-sky Jupiter occultation occurs at an individual location about once every 13 years on average. New York City last received a comparable nighttime view in December 2004.

The Oct. 6 spectacle is expected to be North America’s best Jupiter occultation since that event.

FAQs

Is the Jupiter Eclipse a real eclipse?

“Jupiter Eclipse” is an informal description. The correct astronomical term is a lunar occultation of Jupiter.

Can the Jupiter Eclipse be seen without a telescope?

Jupiter’s return may be visible to the naked eye. Binoculars will provide a better view of its disappearance.