| Image |
Date |
Event |
Description |
| January |
 | 02 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
 | 04 | Quadrantids | The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, which was discovered in 2003. The shower |
 | 10 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
 | 17 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
 | 24 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| February |
| 01 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon
|
| 04 | New Moon | rises at sunrise |
| 09 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
 | 10 | Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation | The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.2 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in |
| 13 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 23 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| March |
| 02 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| 09 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 16 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
 | 20 | March Equinox | The March equinox occurs at 03:50 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Nort |
| 24 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 24 | Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation | The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 27.8 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low i |
| 24 | Venus at greatest Eastern Elongation | The planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 46.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the bright planet in |
| April |
| 01 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| 07 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 14 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 22 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 23 | Lyrids | The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which was discovered in 1861. The shower runs annually from A |
| 30 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| May |
| 07 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 07 | Eta Aquarids | The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors |
| 14 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 22 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 29 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| June |
| 04 | Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation | The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 23.6 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in |
| 05 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
 | 05 | Pernumbral | A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, Asia, Australia, the Indian Ocean, and Australia |
| 13 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 21 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
 | 21 | Annular | An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This results in a ring of light around the darkened Moon. The Sun's corona is not visible during an annular eclipse. The path of the eclipse will begin in central Africa and travel through Saudi Arabia, northern India, and southern China before ending in the Pacific Ocean. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout most of eastern Africa, the Middle East, and southern Asia |
| 22 | June Solstice | The June solstice occurs at 21:44 UTC. The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| 28 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| July |
| 05 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 05 | Penumbral | A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, the eastern Pacific Ocean, the western Atlantic Ocean, and extreme western Africa. |
| 12 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 14 | Jupiter at Opposition | The giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons. A medium-sized telescope should be able to show you some of the details in Jupiter's cloud bands. A good pair of binoculars should allow you to see Jupiter's four largest moons, appearing as bright dots on either side of the planet |
| 20 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 20 | Saturn at Opposition | The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons. |
| 22 | Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation | The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 20.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise. |
| 27 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| 29 | Delta Aquarids | The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. It peaks this year on the night of July 28 and morning of July 29. The second quarter moon will block many of the fainter meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few of the brighter ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| August |
| 03 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 11 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 13 | Perseids | The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The second quarter moon will block out some of the fainter meteors this year, but the Perseids are so bright and numerous that it should still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 13 | Venus at Greatest Western Elongation | The planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 45.8 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the bright planet in the eastern sky before sunrise. |
| 18 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 25 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| September |
| 02 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 02 | September Equinox | The September equinox occurs at 13:31 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere. |
| 10 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 11 | Neptune at Opposition | The blue giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Neptune. Due to its extreme distance from Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes. |
| 17 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 23 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| October |
| 01 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 01 | Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation | The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 25.8 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset. |
| 07 | Draconids | The Draconids is a minor meteor shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was first discovered in 1900. The Draconids is an unusual shower in that the best viewing is in the early evening instead of early morning like most other showers. The shower runs annually from October 6-10 and peaks this year on the the night of the 7th. The second quarter moon will ensure dark skies in the early evening for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Draco, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 09 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 13 | Mars at Opposition | The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Mars. A medium-sized telescope will allow you to see some of the dark details on the planet's orange surface |
| 16 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 22 | Orionids | The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from October 2 to November 7. It peaks this year on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22. The waxing crescent moon will set before midnight leaving dark skies for what should be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 23 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| 31 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 31 | Uranus at Opposition | The blue-green planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes. |
| November |
| 05 | Taurids | The Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is unusual in that it consists of two separate streams. The first is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The second stream is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 7 to December 10. It peaks this year on the the night of November 4. The first quarter moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 08 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 10 | Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation | The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 19.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise. |
| 15 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 18 | Leonids | The Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. The crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 21 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| 30 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
| 30 | Penumbral | A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra. During this type of eclipse the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, the Pacific Ocean, and northeastern Asia including Japan |
| December |
| 07 | Last Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at midnight |
| 14 | New Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunrise |
| 14 | Geminids | The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The morning of the 15th could also be nearly as active this year. The nearly new moon will ensure dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 14 | Total Solar Eclipse | A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the Sun, revealing the Sun's beautiful outer atmosphere known as the corona. The path of totality will only be visible in parts of southern Chile and southern Argentina. A partial eclipse will be visible in most parts of southern South America, the southeastern Pacific Ocean and the southern Atlantic Ocean. |
| 21 | First Quarter | Moon Phase - rises at noon |
| 21 | December Solstice | The December solstice occurs at 10:02 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere. |
 | 21 | Rare Conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn | A conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn will take place on December 21. This rare conjunction of these two planets is known as a great conjunction. The last great conjunction occurred in the year 2000. The two bright planets will appear only 7 arc minutes of each other in the night sky. They will be so close that they will appear to make a bright double planet. Look to the west just after sunset for this impressive and rare planetary pair. |
| 22 | Ursids | The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17-25. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. The first quarter moon should set just after midnight leaving dark skies for what could be a good show. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky. |
| 29 | Full Moon | Moon Phase - rises at sunset |
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