Cool space stuff you don’t want to miss in 2026, including a Canadian who’s heading to the moon
CBC
Happy new year!
As we roll into 2026, we can look back on all the great things that happened in space in the last 12 months, from getting our third-known interstellar visitor — 3I/ATLAS — to seeing beautiful displays of the northern lights, to the opening of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory that could change our views on the universe in ways we have yet to understand.
And now, we look ahead to some of the very cool things skywatchers might want to keep an eye on in the coming year.
First, let’s start with meteor showers, since they are the most accessible for everyone.
The year starts with the Quadrantids, a shower that runs from Dec. 28 to Jan. 12. The peak occurs on the night of Jan. 2, running into the wee hours of Jan 3.
This shower can produce upwards of 120 meteors per hour under ideal conditions — but it’s also kind of a tricky one compared to other meteor showers, because the peak only lasts a few hours.
“You know, it's one of those showers where, if you get it at the right time and the conditions are right, you actually see the ramp up in activity, because it's such a fast-rising and fast shower,” said Peter Brown, Canada research chair in meteor astronomy and a professor at Western University in London, Ont.
But this year’s spectacle will be even trickier to catch.
“The sad part of the Quadrantids this year is it's right on a full moon,” Brown said, with the bright sky making it tougher to spot meteors.
He also noted that the typically cloudy winter weather could make it even more difficult.
Now, if you have patience, and are willing to wait eight months for the chance to see an amazing meteor shower, buckle up. Because there could be quite a show.
The 2026 Perseid meteor shower runs from July 17 to Aug. 24, but the peak night falls on Aug. 12-13, with roughly 150 meteors per hour under ideal conditions.
But there’s something else that makes this shower one of the most anticipated of the year.
“For the Perseids, it's all about the moon, and we [have a] good moon for next year. Actually, it's literally a new moon,” Brown said.
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