Celestial Calendar

2013:

January

02-3: Quadrantids Meteor Shower – Look near the constellation Bootes starting after midnight. Peak Viewing Jan 3/4
01-11: New Moon
01-27: Full Moon

February

March

03-10: Newly discovered comet Pan-STARRS will make its closest approach to the Sun on March 10
03-11: New Moon
03-17: The Moon will pass about one and a half degrees of the giant planet Jupiter in the evening sky.
03-20: Spring Equinox
03-27: Full Moon

April (Global Astronomy Month!)

04-10: New Moon
04-12: Yuri’s Night! (Celebrate the first human in space!)
04-15: The Moon will pass about two degrees of the giant planet Jupiter in the evening sky.
04-21/22 : Lyrids Meteor Shower (Look near the Constellation Lyra after midnight local time)
04-25: Full Moon and Partial Lunar Eclipse
04-28: Saturn will be at its closest approach to Earth and will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons.

May

05-4/5: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower (Look to the east, near Aquarius after midnight local time)
05-10: New Moon and Annular Solar Eclipse. The Solar Eclipse will be visible in western Australia and move east across the central Pacific Ocean.
05-25: Full Moon and Penumbral Lunar Eclipse. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, western Europe, and western Africa
05-28: Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. Jupiter and Venus will be within 1 degree of each other in the evening sky.

June

July

07-8: New Moon
07-22: Full Moon
07-27/28: Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower – Look to the east after midnight local time, near the constellation Aquarius.

August

08-6: New Moon
08-11/12: Perseids Meteor Shower (best viewing after midnight local time)
08-21: Full Moon
08-27: Neptune at Opposition. The blue planet will be at its closest approach to Earth. This is the best time to view Neptune

September

October

10-5: New Moon
10-7/8: Draconid Meteor Shower (Look to the north-east after midnight local time)
10-18: Full Moon
10-21/22: Orionid Meteor Shower (Look to the east after midnight local time)

November

11-3: New Moon
11-16/17: Leonid Meteor Shower (Look at the constellation Leo, after midnight local time)
11-17: Full Moon
11-28: Comet ISON Closest Approach to the Sun. Newly discovered comet ISON will make its closest approach to the Sun on November 28. If the comet survives its encounter with the Sun, it could be one of the brightest comets in recent memory, possibly even rivaling our Moon.

December