In January, Krasnoyarsk residents will see the Wolf Moon, the Quadrantids stream and the rapprochement of Venus with Mercury
January 3 9:21
Astronomers from Reshetnev University presented a calendar of celestial events for January 2026. Residents of the region can expect the first full moon of the year, the peak of the meteor shower and a rare approach of the planets in the evening sky.
The first and brightest event of the month will happen today, January 3. At 17:02 Krasnoyarsk time there will be a full moon, which is called the Wolf Moon. The head of the observatory, Sergei Veselkov, explains that this name comes from the folklore of Europe and North America.
On the same night, from January 3 to 4, the Quadrantids meteor shower will reach its peak. Up to 80-100 meteors per hour are expected, but the bright light of the full Moon will greatly interfere with observations – only the brightest flashes will be visible.
For observations through a telescope, the key event will be the opposition of Jupiter on January 10. The planet will be in the best position, rising above the Krasnoyarsk horizon by more than 56 degrees. And on January 29, just after sunset, in the southwest you can see a close approach of Venus and Mercury in the evening sky.
Additionally, the weak Gamma-Ursa Minorid meteor shower is expected to peak on January 18th. Conditions for observing it will be almost ideal due to the new moon. Also on January 28, around 4 a.m., the Moon will cover the Pleiades star cluster, which will be visible very low above the horizon in the northwest. For all observations, astronomers recommend choosing places outside the city with minimal urban illumination and an open horizon.
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