Today:
As New Year’s Eve revelers welcome the start of 2026, the brightest star in the night skies is due south nea midnight, known as Sirius, or the Dog Star, the brightest star in Canis Major, the Great Dog. It won’t be hard to find, one-third of the way above the southern horizon, with Orion to its upper right.
Thursday:
The New Year opens under the glow of moonlight from a nearly Full Moon, emerging from the twilight this evening just to the right of El Nath, the star that marks the tip of one of the horns of Taurus, the Bull, whose red eye gleams as the red star Aldebaran, well to the right of the Moon.
Friday:
The eastern skies in early January never lack for bright stars, every year hosting Orion in the east, and the Twins of Gemini to the left in the northeast. Adding to these celestial beacons are the nearly-Full Moon, to the stars of Gemini and Orion, while Jupiter rises early in the evening, to the Twins lower right.