Moon to Conceal Jupiter in Daylight Occultation on September 8, 2026

On September 8, 2026, skywatchers across North America will have the opportunity to observe a rare astronomical event: a daytime occultation where the moon passes in front of Jupiter. This follows an earlier predawn appearance of the two celestial bodies, offering two distinct chances to view the alignment.

Observers are advised to begin their search around 5 a.m. local time, looking toward the east-northeast. A slender waning crescent moon, less than 10% illuminated, will appear just above the horizon. Approximately five degrees below it—roughly the width of a clenched fist at arm’s length—brilliant Jupiter will be visible. Although the planet rises before 4 a.m., it does not reach a comfortable viewing altitude until just before dawn. The pair resides in the constellation Cancer, which astronomy educator Dr. Ken Franklin of the Hayden Planetarium has described as the empty space between Leo’s Sickle and the Gemini Twins.

The main event occurs during the afternoon hours. For viewers in the Eastern Time Zone, Jupiter will disappear behind the moon’s sunlit limb between 2:55 and 3:30 p.m., reemerging from the dark edge roughly 50 minutes later. Central Time Zone observers will see the event between 1:45 and 2:20 p.m., while Mountain Time Zone viewers should look between 12:30 and 1:00 p.m.

However, visibility is not universal. A large portion of the western United States, specifically areas west and south of a line extending from Bellingham, Washington, to Rockport, Texas, will not be able to see the occultation. Those in eligible areas must locate the pair in daylight, a task made easier by tracking them from their pre-dawn positions. The challenge increases as daylight strengthens, requiring observers to scan an area about 30 degrees from the sun, mostly to its right.

Locating the objects requires patience and preferably optical aids. The crescent moon may be difficult to distinguish against the blue sky due to its low surface brightness. In a telescope, Jupiter will appear tiny—about one-sixtieth the diameter of the moon—and faint. The reappearance of Jupiter from behind the moon’s dark edge is expected to be a striking sight as the planet emerges from the bright sky.

For those unable to locate the daytime event, another opportunity arises on October 6. Approximately eight hours earlier than this month’s event, the moon and Jupiter will interact again in a dark or twilight sky, offering a spectacle easily visible to the naked eye, binoculars, or telescopes.