The new year brings with it a new set of exciting astronomical events in the night sky, which will take place in the middle of the day in what will be a once-in-a-lifetime spectacle for many.
From planetary alignments to the “Super Harvest Lunar Eclipse,” here are the most important astronomy events on your 2024 calendar:
Less than a week after the spring equinox, which will occur on March 19 at 11:06 PM EDT, stargazers will be able to see the first eclipse of the year.
A penumbra lunar eclipse will occur before dawn on Monday, March 25, and will be visible across North America, South America, Western Europe, West Africa, Japan, New Zealand and parts of Australia.
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The Moon enters the Earth’s shadow during the lunar eclipse seen in Gauhati, India, on Wednesday, January 31, 2018. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath) |
Because the Moon only passes through Earth’s outer shadow, known as the penumbra, which is not as dark as its inner shadow, the umbra, this type of eclipse can be very dramatic and difficult to notice. But this will herald a jaw-dropping spectacle that will unfold in just two weeks.
Millions of people will travel from around the world to see the biggest astronomy event of 2024, and for North America it will likely be the best astronomy event of the decade.
For a few minutes on Monday, April 8, the moon will completely block the Sun, creating a dazzling total solar eclipse in North America for the first time since 2017. This eclipse will only be visible along a narrow path from Texas to Maine. Mexico and Atlantic Canada.
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A dramatic partial solar eclipse will be visible to people in the rest of North America, but solar filters or eclipse glasses will be required to view the event safely. Experts recommend purchasing Eclipse glasses months in advance, as sellers can increase their sales as the event approaches.
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In this August 21, 2017 file photo, the moon nearly eclipses the sun during a near-total solar eclipse seen from Salem, Oregon. (AP Photo/Don Ryan, file) |
After April, a total solar eclipse will not be visible from the contiguous United States until 2044.
After almost four months of no meteor showers, skywatchers will have the opportunity to watch two meteor showers in just a few weeks.
The Lyrids will first light up the night sky, reaching their peak between Tuesday night, April 22, and into the early morning hours of Wednesday, April 23. Usually the shower produces about 15 shooting stars per hour, but this year it will be a nearly full moon. It will outshine all but the brightest meteors.
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Two weeks later, the Eta Aquarid meteor shower will peak on the night of Sunday, May 5, and in the early morning hours of Monday, May 6. This is the best meteor shower of the year for the Southern Hemisphere, with rates reaching 50 meteors per hour, while people in the Northern Hemisphere can count 10 to 30 shooting stars per hour.
A stunning astronomical alignment will take center stage in the early summer sky, but it will require waking up before dawn to witness it.
The moon will line up with Jupiter, Mars and Saturn in the eastern sky before dawn on Saturday, June 29.
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A telescope is not required to see the alignment, but having one will reveal two more planets, both too faint to see with the naked eye. Uranus will shine faintly between Jupiter and Mars, while Neptune will appear between Saturn and the Moon.
As the best meteor shower of 2024 reaches its peak, a dazzling sight will appear in the skies towards mid-August.
According to the American Meteor Society, when the Perseid meteor reaches its peak between Monday night, August 12, and into the early hours of Tuesday, August 13, more than 50 meteors per hour will hurtle into the sky. In dark areas without light pollution, the number of visible meteors can peak at nearly 100 per hour.
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In this 30-second camera exposure, a meteor streaks across the sky during the annual Perseid meteor shower in Spruce Knob, West Virginia, on Wednesday, August 11, 2021. (Bill Ingalls/NASA via AP) |
Best viewing conditions are expected in the second half of the night after the moon sets and when the shower’s bright spot, located near the constellation Perseus, rises in the northeastern sky.
One week after the zenith of the Perseids, an unusual lunar event will occur with the rise of the Blue Moon.
A Blue Moon is usually the nickname given to the second full moon in a calendar month, but this year’s Blue Moon has a different definition. Most astronomical seasons feature three full moons, but when four full moons fall in a season, as will happen this summer, the third of the four is called a Blue Moon.
Contrary to its nickname, the moon will not appear blue in the sky. August’s full moon is also known as the Sturgeon Moon, Black Cherry Moon, and Mountain Shadows Moon.
As sweltering summer nights give way to cooler autumn evenings, one of the largest planets in the solar system will be the main attraction in the sky.
On Sunday, September 8, Saturn will reach opposition, the point in its orbit where it appears in the opposite part of the sky from the Sun and approximately the point at which it is closest to Earth. As a result, the planet will appear brighter than at other times of the year.
You don’t need a telescope to spot Saturn, but having one can reveal the planet’s famous rings, which are the inspiration behind its nickname: the jewel of the solar system.
The combination of three popular lunar events will create an exciting night of stargazing from Tuesday night, September 17, through the early hours of Wednesday, September 18.
The partial lunar eclipse will coincide with the first supermoon of the year, causing part of the moon to temporarily darken as it passes through the Earth’s shadow. This event will be more dramatic than the penumbra lunar eclipse in March, but will be very different from a blood-red total lunar eclipse.
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A lunar eclipse is visible in Los Angeles on Sunday, January 20, 2019. (AP Photo/Ringo HW Chiu) |
September’s full moon will also be the famous Harvest Moon, leading to the long-lasting nickname “Super Harvest Lunar Eclipse.”
Three months after the Saturn opposition, it will be Jupiter’s time to shine in the sky as the brightness of the largest planet in the solar system reaches its peak.
Jupiter will be visible all night long throughout December, but the first weekend of the month will be the best time to view the planet when it reaches opposition.
Similar to the Saturn opposition, a telescope is not required to see Jupiter; for Jupiter will outshine all the stars in the sky; But observing the planet through a telescope will reveal its largest moons, colorful clouds, and even its famous red spot (a thunderstorm). has been wreaking havoc on the planet for centuries.
December sees the longest nights of the year, and in the middle of the month stargazers often gather to enjoy one of the best annual meteor showers, the Geminids. However, the 2024 version of the winter meteor shower will likely fade rather than sizzle.
The Geminid meteor shower will peak between Friday night, December 13th and Saturday morning, December 14th. Under ideal conditions, viewers can count more than 100 shooting stars per hour, but this year it will peak on nearly the same night as the full moon. Bright moonlight will make many of the meteors associated with the Geminids difficult to see.
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The Geminid meteor shower is seen atop Mount Niubei in Ya’an, Sichuan Province, China, on December 14, 2023. (Photo: Costfoto/NurPhoto via Getty Images) |
Some shooting stars can still be seen in dark areas of the sky where the moon is out of sight. A much better light show is expected in 2025, as moonlight will not block the Geminids.
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