A Bright 'Christmas Star' Will Light Up the Sky This Month—Here's When to See It

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A Bright 'Christmas Star' Will Light Up the Sky This Month—Here's When to See It
You can't miss this brilliant object.
Michele Laufik
Mon, December 15, 2025 at 1:12 PM EST
2 min read



icebergpicture / Getty Images


Key Points

*The "Christmas Star" visible this month is actually Jupiter, which currently looks exceptionally bright in the night sky.

*Jupiter is heading toward opposition on January 10, 2026, a positioning that makes the planet appear larger and brighter.

*The planet is easy to spot with the naked eye—look to the eastern sky about 90 minutes after sunset, with binoculars offering an even clearer view.


If you've looked up at the night sky this month, you've probably spotted a single bright point of light that outshines everything around it.

And while it's sometimes referred to as the "Star of Bethlehem" (the celestial light in Christian tradition that guided the wise men to Jesus' birthplace) or the "Christmas Star," it's actually the planet Jupiter, which is reaching its most impressive peak of the year right now.

Throughout December, Jupiter is moving toward opposition—the moment when Earth flies between a planet and the sun, bringing the planet opposite the sun in our sky. According to EarthSky.org, this phenomenon happens on January 10, 2026.

Jupiter reaches opposition about every 13 months, a phenomenon that makes the planet seem larger and brighter than normal, NASA reports. It shines at a very bright magnitude of -2.4 at the beginning of December and gets even brighter as it approaches opposition, reaching -2.5 by the end of 2025. In astronomy, a lower magnitude corresponds to a brighter object, while negative magnitudes are the brightest, according to Star Walk.

Because of its brightness, you can spot the planet with the naked eye (even through light pollution), while a pair of binoculars will help you get a better view of the planet. Look to the eastern sky about 90 minutes after sunset to see Jupiter any time this month.

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