Jupiter at Opposition — February 11, 2027

What this countdown tracks

The clock counts down to Jupiter's 2027 opposition on Thursday, February 11, 2027 — the moment Earth passes between Jupiter and the Sun, putting Jupiter at its closest approach to Earth in this apparition and at peak brightness near magnitude –2.7.

About this celestial event

A planetary opposition occurs when Earth lies directly between an outer planet and the Sun. From Earth's perspective the planet is opposite the Sun in the sky, rises at sunset, is highest in the sky around local midnight, and sets at sunrise — visible all night. Opposition also marks the closest approach of the year between Earth and the planet, so the planet appears largest in a telescope and brightest to the naked eye.

Jupiter's opposition cycle is about 13 months — slightly longer than a year because Earth has to "catch up" with Jupiter's slower orbit. The 2027 opposition follows the January 10, 2026 opposition by 13 months, and Jupiter will be in the constellation Leo on February 11, 2027. At opposition Jupiter will be roughly 4.4 AU from Earth (about 660 million km), with an apparent diameter of around 45 arcseconds — large enough that even modest binoculars show its disk and at least the four Galilean moons.

The 2027 apparition is favourable for Northern Hemisphere observers because Jupiter will be at high declination — climbing well above the southern horizon for mid-northern observers, where the planet's atmospheric detail (the Great Red Spot, equatorial belts, polar hazes) is least distorted by atmospheric turbulence.

Best viewing

Jupiter is visible all night around opposition. From a mid-northern site Jupiter rises at sunset on February 11, climbs to about 60° altitude at local midnight, and sets at sunrise. The naked-eye view is dramatic — a bright, steady, non-twinkling "star" outshining everything else in the night sky except the Moon.

In binoculars Jupiter shows as a small disk with up to four small "stars" arrayed in a line — the Galilean moons Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto, first observed by Galileo in January 1610. In a telescope of 4-inch aperture or larger, the equatorial cloud bands, the Great Red Spot (when on the Earth-facing side) and the moons' shadow transits across Jupiter's disk are all visible.

The window of "near opposition" runs from about January 28 to February 25, 2027 — Jupiter is bright and well-placed for the entire month.

Past oppositions

• January 10, 2026 — Jupiter opposition in Gemini, near peak brightness at magnitude -2.7
• December 7, 2024 — Jupiter opposition in Taurus
• November 3, 2023 — Jupiter opposition in Aries, very close approach (3.98 AU)
• September 26, 2022 — closest opposition since 1963 at 3.95 AU
• August 19, 2021 — Jupiter opposition in Capricornus
• July 14, 2020 — Jupiter opposition near Saturn (Great Conjunction year)

How to observe

NASA, the Royal Astronomical Society, Sky & Telescope and EarthSky publish opposition observing guides. The Association of Lunar and Planetary Observers (ALPO) and the British Astronomical Association (BAA) coordinate observer reports. Free apps like Stellarium and SkySafari show the position of Jupiter and its moons in real time. No equipment is needed for the naked-eye view; binoculars or a small telescope are recommended for the moons and atmosphere.

Related countdowns

Jupiter's opposition is the headline planetary event of early 2027; pair with Saturn opposition 2027, the March equinox 2027, and Saturn opposition 2026. For deeper-sky context, see Total solar eclipse August 2 2027.

FAQ

When is Jupiter's 2027 opposition? Thursday, February 11, 2027. Where will Jupiter be in the sky? In the constellation Leo, rising at sunset, highest at local midnight, setting at sunrise. What can I see with binoculars? Jupiter as a small disk with up to four moons arranged along a line through the planet. What's the best telescope size? A 4-inch (100 mm) refractor or 6-inch (150 mm) reflector resolves the equatorial bands and the Great Red Spot.