You can see Mars at different times depending on the month, your location, and how picky you are about “good” viewing. Here’s the quick, practical scoop for 2026 and in general.

Super short answer

  • In 2026 , Mars is reappearing into the morning sky after being too close to the Sun to see.
  • It becomes a decent, easy naked‑eye target in the dawn sky from around spring 2026 onward , then slowly brightens through the rest of the year.
  • Mars will be at its best and brightest around February 2027 (that’s the next opposition), but the “build‑up” starts late 2026.

When can you see Mars in 2026?

For casual skywatching (no telescope needed):

  • Early 2026 (Jan–Feb):
    Mars is very close to the Sun in the sky (conjunction), so it’s essentially lost in the glare and not safe to try to observe near the Sun.
  • Late Feb–spring 2026:
    Mars pulls far enough away from the Sun to appear in the pre‑dawn eastern sky , first very low, then gradually higher each week.
  • Mid–late 2026:
    Mars is a reddish “star” in the morning sky for many months; it’s visible before sunrise and slowly brightens as Earth and Mars move toward their 2027 close approach.

Think of 2026 as the “training montage” year: Mars is there almost every clear morning, getting slowly more prominent.

More detailed timeline (observer‑friendly)

From a backyard observer’s standpoint in 2026:

  1. Too close to the Sun (early 2026)
    • Around early in the year, Mars is near the Sun in the sky and basically invisible.
  1. First reappearance in dawn sky
    • By late February to around April (exact month depends slightly on your hemisphere), Mars starts to show up in the eastern pre‑sunrise sky , faint but there.
  1. Comfortable morning target
    • Through mid‑2026 , Mars is a steady presence in the morning twilight : low but visible, especially from darker sites.
  1. Good telescopic season begins late 2026
    • By October 2026 , Mars’ apparent disk grows larger than about 6 arcseconds; this is when telescopic details start to become more rewarding.
 * From **October 2026 into mid‑2027** is considered a prime stretch for observers prepping for opposition.

General rule of thumb (any year)

Even beyond 2026, these rules help you figure out when you can see Mars in a given year:

  • Mars is usually visible either in the evening or morning sky for much of any year, except when:
    • It’s near conjunction with the Sun (lost in glare).
  • The best views happen around opposition , roughly every 26 months , when:
    • Mars rises at sunset, is up all night, and appears larger and brighter.
  • Between oppositions, Mars:
    • Fades and shrinks,
    • Moves from evening sky → conjunction (invisible) → morning sky → brightens again.

If you use a planetarium app and set it to “tonight,” you’ll almost always find Mars somewhere along the zodiac, unless it’s in that short “too close to the Sun” period.

Quick observing tips

Once Mars is up at a reasonable hour in 2026, here’s how to make the most of it:

  • Look for a steady, reddish point that doesn’t twinkle as much as stars.
  • Best time: a couple of hours before sunrise (2026) when it’s higher above the horizon and the air is steadier.
  • Equipment:
    • Naked eye: spot the red color.
    • Small telescope: start to see a tiny disk, polar cap in good conditions, and dark markings once it gets closer (late 2026 into 2027).

A nice way to think of it: in 2026, Mars is like an actor stepping back onto the stage at dawn, quietly at first, then building toward the bright main performance in early 2027.

TL;DR:
You’ll be able to see Mars in 2026 mostly in the pre‑dawn eastern sky , especially from spring onward, but its truly impressive brightness and size come in early 2027 , around opposition.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.