In mid-November 2026, Mars and Jupiter will engage in a striking close conjunction in the pre-dawn sky. This celestial meeting is further enhanced by their proximity to Regulus, the brightest star in the constellation Leo, creating a high-contrast celestial triangle for observers.
Capturing this event in city skies is challenging because Mars's orange glare often washes out the faint cluster members. Use a tripod and a lens with a focal length of 100mm to 200mm. Take several short exposures (1 to 2 seconds) at a high ISO (1600-3200) to capture the stars without overexposing Mars into a giant white blob.
Mars will appear as a steady, orange-red point of light at magnitude 1.0. It will be significantly outshone by Jupiter, which radiates a brilliant creamy-white light. Nearby, Regulus provides a third point of reference with a distinct blue-white sparkle. Unlike the stars, Mars and Jupiter will not twinkle as intensely, appearing as solid discs through binoculars.
The peak of this alignment occurs between November 14 and November 18, 2026. Look toward the East-Southeast horizon starting around 3:00 AM local time. The grouping will climb higher into the sky as dawn approaches, reaching an ideal viewing altitude about 90 minutes before sunrise.
To identify the correct objects, first locate Jupiter, which is the brightest 'star' in the eastern sky. Mars will be the smaller, reddish object positioned nearby. Use binoculars to better perceive the rust-colored hue of Mars, which can be difficult to see in light-polluted urban areas. Avoid looking directly at any streetlights for 15 minutes prior to observation to allow your eyes to adapt to the dark.
Observers often confuse Mars with Regulus or Jupiter. Remember the 'Color Rule': Jupiter is brilliant white, Regulus is icy blue, and Mars is the only one with a distinct ochre or reddish tint. If the object is the brightest thing in the area, it is Jupiter; if it is reddish and slightly dimmer, it is Mars.
This event is an optical alignment known as a conjunction. While Mars and Jupiter appear close together from our perspective on Earth, they remain hundreds of millions of miles apart in space. The proximity to Regulus is a coincidence of Earth's line of sight as Mars moves through its orbital path across the ecliptic plane.
Jupiter will be the most luminous object in the East-Southeast sky, whereas Mars will be noticeably dimmer with a characteristic reddish-orange glow.
The best viewing window is during the pre-dawn hours, specifically between 3:00 AM and 5:30 AM, before the sun begins to brighten the eastern horizon.
No special equipment is required as the conjunction is visible to the naked eye, though using binoculars will significantly help in identifying the red tint of Mars and the moons of Jupiter.
Mars will be positioned near the border of the constellations Cancer and Leo, moving steadily toward the bright star Regulus.
Updated: 2026-10-16