As we go further into the new year, and further around the sun, you can be sure to see an array of stunning astronomical events. We’ve put together a celestial calendar for you, to make sure you don’t miss this year’s best views of the night sky.
March
The 20th of March brings the first of two equinoxes – times when the day and night are the same length, as the sun passes over the equator. Also known as the vernal equinox, this day will mark the beginning of spring for the northern hemisphere. There’s also great cultural significance surrounding the spring equinox. It has been celebrated around the world for thousands of years with various festivals and traditions in keeping with the theme of new beginnings.
April
Across the 22nd and the 23rd of April comes the peak of the Lyrid meteor shower. Look in the early hours of the 23rd for the best view of this event. Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher is the source of the meteor shower, it orbits the sun once every 415 years, and the resulting meteor shower is the oldest one still visible today – first recorded in 687 BCE.
May
May brings another meteor shower – Eta Aquariid will peak on the 6th, with a rate of up to 50 meteors per hour. The source of this shower is the famous Halley’s Comet, which is visible from earth every 75-76 years.
June – July
Throughout June and July is the peak season for noctilucent clouds. These clouds seem to have a silver or blue glow from within them, and are seen in the late evening or early morning hours when the sun is below the horizon but is close enough to illuminate the night clouds. Formed in the mesosphere by ice crystallising on suspended dust particles, these clouds can be seen in the west in the evening, and in the northeast in the morning.
July – August
The Perseid meteor shower occurs from the 17th July – 24th August, peaking on the 12th and 13th of August. Meteors will appear to radiate from the constellation Perseus, and at its peak, you could see up to 100 meteors per hour, and some fireballs too if you’re lucky!
September
On the 8th, Saturn moves into opposition – this means that it’s positioned directly opposite the sun in the night sky, which fully illuminates the planet’s face. With Saturn seeming at its brightest, this is the perfect opportunity to view it or even to try and photograph it.
October
One of this year’s supermoons occurs on the 17th of October. A supermoon is seen in the sky when a full moon is also at perigee (on the closest approach to earth of its elliptical orbit). It will appear 14% bigger and 30% brighter than a full moon at apogee (on the further side of its orbit).
November
Throughout the whole month of November, you’ll be able to see the Pleiades star cluster. Sitting in the constellation of Taurus the Bull, this open star cluster is visible with the naked eye! Compared to the history of the universe it’s very young, only around 100 million years old. This means that dinosaurs walked the earth before the birth of the cluster occurred. Whilst you don’t need any equipment to see it, by looking through binoculars or a telescope, you could see a stunning array of individual stars with a blue nebulosity – another great photography opportunity.
December
Ending our year full of astronomical events is the Geminid meteor shower. Its peak is around the 14th and 15th of December, and with a possible rate of around 150 meteors per hour, it’s one of the best meteor showers of the year. Since meteors are slower than most other showers, they seem to last longer, leading to a beautiful display across the night sky.