Central New York Astronomy Guide 2026: Moons, Meteors and Eclipse

If you’re the type who already side-eyes the sky every time the moon looks “extra bright” over Utica, good news: 2026 is stacked when it comes to celestial drama.

We’re talking super-bright full moons, meteor showers worth staying up for (or setting an alarm for), and eclipses you’ll be able to catch right here in Central New York... weather permitting, of course, because… CNY.

Full Moons & Supermoons (aka when the moon feels aggressively close)

The year kicked off strong with the Wolf Moon. It was also the first supermoon of 2026.

Normally we get 12 full moons a year, but 2026 is doing the most with 13 full moons, including two in May. That second May moon? A Blue Moon.

The brightest supermoons after January will hit again in November and December, with December’s moon being the closest to Earth all year. Translation: if it’s clear, it’ll glow over Central New York like a giant nightlight.

Here’s the full moon lineup for 2026:

Feb 1 – Snow Moon
Mar 3 – Worm Moon
Apr 1 – Pink Moon
May 1 – Flower Moon
May 31 – Blue Moon
Jun 29 – Strawberry Moon
Jul 29 – Buck Moon
Aug 28 – Sturgeon Moon
Sep 26 – Harvest Moon
Oct 26 – Hunter’s Moon
Nov 24 – Beaver Moon
Dec 23 – Cold Moon

Meteor Showers Worth Bundling Up For

After the early-January Quadrantids, the next big sky moment doesn’t hit until spring.

But once meteor season gets going, it really gets going.

Best bets for Central New York sky-watchers:

Lyrids – April 21–22
Perseids – August 12–13 (the fan favorite)
Geminids – December 13–14 (usually the strongest)

The Perseids are expected to peak with little to no moon interference, which is rare and excellent news if you’re watching from a backyard, a driveway, or somewhere far from streetlights.

Eclipses You Can Actually See From Here

You won’t have to travel far for eclipse action in 2026.

March 3 brings a total lunar eclipse visible across New York. This is the kind where the moon turns that eerie red “blood moon” color.
August 27–28 features a partial lunar eclipse, also visible from Central New York.

There’s also a total solar eclipse on August 12, but full visibility won’t happen here. Parts of North America will see a partial version, though.

Yes, eclipse glasses are still a must.

Planet Parades

February kicks off with a rare planet parade, where up to six planets line up in the night sky. Jupiter will be easy to spot, Venus and Mercury will glow near sunset, and if you’ve got binoculars or a telescope, you’ll be able to catch Uranus and Neptune too.

Other standout moments include the crescent moon hanging between Venus and Jupiter after sunset on May 19th, Venus and Jupiter appearing side by side in June, Jupiter disappearing on October 6th courtesy of the moon and Venus, Jupiter and Mars will team up for a bright pre-dawn show on December 4th.

Full Moons, Meteor Showers and Eclipses Coming to Central New York in 2026

If you know New York weather, you know you won’t catch everything, but 2026 gives CNY sky-watchers plenty of chances to look up, pull out a blanket, and catch something pretty cool.

Pro tip: keep binoculars by the window, follow local forecast alerts, and when the sky clears unexpectedly… drop everything and go look.