Space Time
Jupiter Opposition 2027
On February 11, 2027, Jupiter reaches opposition at magnitude -2.6. It rises at sunset and is up all night. Even steadied binoculars show the four Galilean moons as a tiny line of stars.
What's special about this one
At opposition Jupiter is the brightest thing in the midnight sky short of Venus. It is also the best time of year to watch its four Galilean moons shuffle, transit, and cast shadows on the cloud tops. Binoculars show the moons; a small telescope adds the belts and the Great Red Spot.
Brightness across the apparition
Visual magnitude (lower = brighter), computed daily. The gold dot marks the peak.
Apparent size
Equatorial disc diameter in arcseconds. Telescope views are best in the weeks around the peak.
Month by month
| Month | Magnitude | Disc | Distance | Constellation |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 2026 | -1.9 | 34.1″ | 5.78 AU | Leo |
| Nov 2026 | -2.0 | 35.9″ | 5.49 AU | Leo |
| Dec 2026 | -2.2 | 39.2″ | 5.03 AU | Leo |
| Jan 2027 | -2.4 | 42.8″ | 4.60 AU | Leo |
| Feb 2027 | -2.5 | 45.1″ | 4.37 AU | Leo |
| Mar 2027 | -2.5 | 44.6″ | 4.42 AU | Leo |
| Apr 2027 | -2.3 | 41.8″ | 4.72 AU | Cnc |
| May 2027 | -2.1 | 38.2″ | 5.16 AU | Cnc |
| Jun 2027 | -1.9 | 34.9″ | 5.64 AU | Leo |
Watch it happen
Space Time is a free in-browser planetarium. Jump to opposition night and watch Jupiter at its real position and brightness, or generate the full ephemeris table yourself and export it as CSV. Open the simulation.