When is Mars closest to Earth next?
Around 20 February 2027, at 0.678 AU (101.4 million km). Mars comes close about every 26 months; the closest pass in the next ten years is around 12 September 2035 (0.381 AU (57.0 million km)).
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When is each planet closest to Earth? (2026–2036)
Mars is next closest around 20 February 2027 (0.678 AU (101.4 million km)). The tables below list every planet’s upcoming closest approaches, computed from NASA JPL Horizons orbits; dates are accurate to about a day.
Mars
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 20 February 2027 | 0.678 AU (101.4 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 29 March 2029 | 0.647 AU (96.8 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 12 May 2031 | 0.553 AU (82.7 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 5 July 2033 | 0.422 AU (63.2 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 12 September 2035 | 0.381 AU (57.0 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
Jupiter
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 10 February 2027 | 4.361 AU (652.4 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 13 March 2028 | 4.440 AU (664.2 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 13 April 2029 | 4.449 AU (665.5 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 14 May 2030 | 4.384 AU (655.9 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 16 June 2031 | 4.263 AU (637.8 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 20 July 2032 | 4.119 AU (616.2 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 25 August 2033 | 4.000 AU (598.4 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 1 October 2034 | 3.952 AU (591.2 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 7 November 2035 | 3.993 AU (597.4 million km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
Saturn
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 4 October 2026 | 8.434 AU (1.26 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 18 October 2027 | 8.326 AU (1.25 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 30 October 2028 | 8.227 AU (1.23 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 13 November 2029 | 8.143 AU (1.22 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 27 November 2030 | 8.080 AU (1.21 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 11 December 2031 | 8.041 AU (1.20 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 24 December 2032 | 8.029 AU (1.20 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 8 January 2034 | 8.045 AU (1.20 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 22 January 2035 | 8.088 AU (1.21 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 5 February 2036 | 8.155 AU (1.22 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
Uranus
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 25 November 2026 | 18.44 AU (2.76 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 30 November 2027 | 18.38 AU (2.75 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 3 December 2028 | 18.31 AU (2.74 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 8 December 2029 | 18.24 AU (2.73 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 13 December 2030 | 18.17 AU (2.72 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
Neptune
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 27 September 2027 | 28.87 AU (4.32 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 29 September 2028 | 28.86 AU (4.32 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 1 October 2029 | 28.85 AU (4.32 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 4 October 2030 | 28.85 AU (4.32 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
| 6 October 2031 | 28.84 AU (4.31 billion km) | Near opposition — up all night, at its brightest |
Venus
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 25 October 2026 | 0.273 AU (40.8 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
| 1 June 2028 | 0.288 AU (43.1 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
| 5 January 2030 | 0.266 AU (39.7 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
| 11 August 2031 | 0.289 AU (43.2 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
Mercury
| Date (UTC) | Distance from Earth | Observing |
|---|---|---|
| 3 November 2026 | 0.673 AU (100.6 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
| 21 February 2027 | 0.638 AU (95.4 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
| 21 June 2027 | 0.555 AU (83.0 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
| 18 October 2027 | 0.665 AU (99.4 million km) | Between Earth and Sun — not visible |
Computed by GalaxySim 3D from NASA JPL Horizons states with Keplerian orbits; free to reuse with a link (CC BY 4.0).
Frequently asked questions
What is an opposition?
An outer planet is at opposition when Earth passes between it and the Sun. The planet rises at sunset, is up all night and is near its closest and brightest — the best time to observe it. Closest approach falls within a few days of opposition.
When is the best time to see Jupiter and Saturn?
Near their closest approaches: Jupiter next around 10 February 2027 and Saturn around 4 October 2026, when each is visible all night.
Why can’t I see Venus or Mercury at their closest?
Their closest approaches happen at inferior conjunction, when they pass between Earth and the Sun and are lost in the Sun’s glare. They are best seen a few weeks before or after, low in the evening or morning twilight.