Stargazers across the Chinese mainland woke up to an interstellar New Year's gift on January 1, 2026 as the China Space Station streaked across dawn skies like a diamond-encrusted firefly. Social media exploded with 📸 posts showing the orbital lab glowing brighter than Venus during its 6:32 AM flyover – a cosmic high-five to Earthlings celebrating the new year.
"Never thought I'd see our space home while drinking morning tea!" tweeted Shanghai resident @CosmicLily, capturing the national mood. The station's visibility comes as China expands its Tiangong orbital outpost, which recently welcomed its fourth crew of yuhangyuans (astronauts) in December 2025.
This celestial show coincides with China's accelerated space program – 2026 marks the final phase of Tiangong's construction before it becomes fully operational. Space agency officials confirm more public visibility events will occur throughout winter as the station's orbit aligns with sunset/dawn periods across Asia.
