The sky puts on a good show each and every day. Here are some of the noteworthy astronomical events to look forward to in the new year:
- Conjunction of Venus and Mars. Feb. 22 — “Conjunction” is a fancy word for the close grouping of two or more astronomical objects in the sky. On this day, Venus and Mars will be within a half degree of each other in the western sky just after sunset
- Dawn at Ceres. Early March — NASA’s Dawn spacecraft was launched more than seven years ago and has already completed a spectacular exploration of the asteroid Vesta. It is next scheduled to visit the largest asteroid, Ceres, in early March. Ceres is so large (590 miles in diameter) that it is considered a “dwarf planet” along with Pluto. Dawn will spend several months studying Ceres and sending back close-up images. Learn more at http://1.usa.gov/1veWjSZ
- Total solar eclipse. March 20 — A total eclipse of the sun is a stunning event not to be missed. Unfortunately, the path of totality for this eclipse begins in the central Atlantic Ocean and moves north across Greenland and into northern Siberia
- Total lunar eclipse. April 4 — This eclipse of the moon is visible through most of North America, South America, eastern Asia, and Australia.
- New Horizons at Pluto. July 14 — NASA’s New Horizons spacecraft was launched on Jan. 19, 2006. This will be the first spacecraft to visit Pluto, which is now classified as a “dwarf planet.” Pluto has a diameter of about 1,430 miles — two-thirds that of the moon (diameter of 2,159 miles). I have been looking forward to this flyby of Pluto for years. I believe the images will be so awesome we will want to promote it back to being a regular planet! Learn more at www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/newhorizons/main/#.VGZALfnF-s4
- Peak of Perseids meteor shower. Night of Aug. 12 and Aug. 13 — The thin crescent moon will not significantly interfere with viewing of the Perseids.
- Partial solar eclipse. Sept. 13 — This partial eclipse will only be visible in southern Africa, Madagascar, and Antarctica.
- Total lunar eclipse. Sept. 28 — This eclipse is visible throughout most of North and South America, Europe, Africa, and western Asia.
- Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. Oct. 26 — In the early-morning eastern sky just before sunrise, Venus and Jupiter will be within 1 degree of each other.
- Conjunction of Venus, Mars and Jupiter. Oct. 28 — These three planets will form a 1-degree triangle in the eastern morning sky before sunrise.
- Leonids meteor shower peak. Night of Nov. 17 morning of Nov. 18 — The first-quarter moon sets shortly after midnight, leaving the morning sky free of the moon, which means nice dark skies.
- Conjunction of the moon and Venus. Dec. 7 — The crescent moon will be within 2 degrees of Venus in the eastern early-morning sky before sunrise.
- Geminids meteor shower peak. Dec. 13-Dec. 14 — The crescent moon sets early in the evening of the 13th, leaving darks skies for the meteor shower.
