This Years Astronomical Events

A listing of some of the main astronomical events along with links for more information.

 

Apparent Planet Size Range

 

Email me if you would like to be added to the Astronomy Events mailing list jty.Astro@ArtCentrics.com make sure to have Astronomy Mailing List in the title.

 

Note: The dates and times provided below are for Phoenix, Arizona.  You may need to make appropriate time adjustments based on where you live.

Download this table by selecting the icon below.

Last Updated: 2023.10.31

 

Date

Event

Images

Equipment

References

Comments

2023

12 - December

2023.12.12 (Tue)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

 

2023.12.14 (Thu)

Geminids (120)

 

Visual

1

Max @ 12pm ZHR=120 D=1

2023.12.27 (Wed)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

 

2024

01 - January

2024.01.03 (Wed)

Quadrantid Meteor Shower (120)

 

Visual

1

Quadrantid meteor shower with expected peak shower rate of 120 meteors/hour in the late hours of January 03 to the morning of January 04.  Where in the sky the appearance of falling stars from this shower cannot be predicted if you trace its trail back it should trace back to the constellation Bootes.

2024.01.06 (Sat)

Jupiter Double Transit

,

Telescope

 

Ganymede and Europa Double shadow transit from 19:19 to 19:57. Jupiter is well placed for this event.

2024.01.08 (Mon)

Mercury AM sighting

Visual

1

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, on this morning, it will appear 15° above the eastern horizon just before sunrise.

2024.01.11 (Thu)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.01.25 (Thu)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Wolf Moon : Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

2024.01.27 (Sat)

Mercury-Mars Appulse

,

Visual

Binoculars

Telescope

1

At 7:17 AM Mercury and Mars will be within 15’ of each other in the eastern horizon about 10° above the horizon.

02 - February

2024.02.09 (Fri)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.02.22 (Thu)

Venus-Mars Appulse

,

Visual

 

At 6:50 AM Venus and Mars will be within 38’ of each other in the eastern horizon about 11° above the horizon.

2024.02.24 (Sat)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Snow Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

03 - March

2024.03.10 (Sun)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.03.13 (Wed)

Moon-Jupiter Appulse

,

Visual

1

At 8:00 PM Jupiter and the moon with be within 3°38’ of each other at an altitude of 31°

2024.03.20 (Wed)

Equinox

 

Visual

 

 

2024.03.21 (Thu)

Venus-Saturn Appulse

,

Visual

Binoculars

Telescope

1

At 6:30 AM Venus and Saturn will be within 33’ of each other in the eastern horizon about 10° above the horizon.

2024.03.25 (Mon)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Worm Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

2024.03.25 (Mon)

Mercury PM sighting

Visual

 

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, this evening, it will appear 13° above the western horizon just after sunset.

04 - April

2024.04.08 (Mon)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.04.08 (Mon)

Solar Eclipse

, ,

Visual

1

Check out the map to see if this will be a total or partial eclipse for your location.

Phoenix Times | First Contact = 10:10am | Max = 11:15am | Finish = 12:33pm |

2024.04.10 (Wed)

Mars-Saturn Appulse

,

Visual

1

At 5:25 AM Mars and Saturn will be within 30’ of each other in the eastern horizon about 10° above the horizon.

2024.04.23 (Tue)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Pink Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

05 - May

2024.05.05 (Sun)

Eta Aquarids (40)

 

Visual

1

Eta Aquarids meteor shower with expected peak shower rate of 40 meteors/hour in the late hours of May 5th to the morning of May 6th.  Where in the sky the appearance of falling stars from this shower cannot be predicted if you trace its trail back it should trace back to the constellation Aquarius.

2024.05.08 (Wed)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.05.13 (Mon)

Mercury AM sighting

Visual

1

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, on this morning, it will appear 10° above the eastern horizon just before sunrise.

2024.05.23 (Thu)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Flower Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

06 - June

2024.06.06 (Thu)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.06.22 (Sat)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Strawberry Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

2024.06.27 (Thu)

Moon-Saturn Occultation

,

Visual

1

The Moon will pass in front of Saturn at about 9:00 AM (25° above horizon) and will emerge from behind the moon at about 9:58 AM (15° above horizon).

07 - July

2024.07.05 (Fri)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.07.07 (Sun)

Mercury PM sighting

Visual

1

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, this evening, it will appear 12° above the western horizon directly below the moon after sunset.

2024.07.15 (Mon)

Mars-Uranus Appulse

,

Telescope

1

Mars and Uranus will be within 32’ of each other at 5:00 AM at an altitude of 41°.

2024.07.21 (Sun)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Buck Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

2024.07.29 (Mon)

Delta Aquarids (25)

 

Visual

1

Delta Aquarids meteor shower with expected peak shower rate of 25 meteors/hour in the late hours of July 28th to the morning of July 29th.  Where in the sky the appearance of falling stars from this shower cannot be predicted if you trace its trail back it should trace back to the constellation Aquarius.

08 - August

2024.08.04 (Sun)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.08.05 (Mon)

Moon-Venus Appulse

,

Visual

Binoculars

1

The Moon and Venus within 1.5° of each other in the western horizon about 29° above the horizon at 6:00 PM.

2024.08.11 (Sun)

Perseids (150)

 

Visual

1

Perseids meteor shower with expected peak shower rate of 150 meteors/hour in the late hours of August 11th to the morning of August 12th.  Where in the sky the appearance of falling stars from this shower cannot be predicted if you trace its trail back it should trace back to the constellation Perseus.

2024.08.14 (Wed)

Mars-Jupiter Appulse

,

Visual

Binoculars

Telescope

1

At 5:00 AM Mars and Jupiter will be within 19’ of each other in the eastern horizon about 50° above the horizon.

2024.08.19 (Mon)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Sturgeon Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

2024.08.20 (Tue)

Moon-Saturn Appulse

,

Visual

Binoculars

1

The Moon and Saturn within 2° of each other in the western horizon about 22° above the horizon at 10:00 PM.

09 - September              Full Moon craziness this month!

2024.09.03 (Tue)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies

2024.09.06 (Fri)

Mercury AM sighting

Visual

1

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, on this morning, it will appear 14° above the eastern horizon just before sunrise.

2024.09.08 (Sun)

Saturn at Opposition

 

Telescope

1

Saturn lies opposite to the Sun in the sky and will be visible for most of the night.

2024.09.17 (Tue)

Full Moon (Supermoon)

 

Visual

 

Harvest Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.  This month’s full moon is also a Supermoon.  The technical name for a Supermoon is Perigee-syzygy.

2024.09.17 (Tue)

Moon/Saturn Occultation

, ,

Binoculars

Telescope

1

The Moon will pass in front of Saturn at about 4:14 AM (14° above horizon) and Saturn will emerge from behind the moon at about 5:06 AM (4° above horizon).

2024.09.17 (Tue)

Partial Lunar Eclipse

,

Visual

Telescope

1

Earth’s shadow will just graze the moon with a maximum coverage of 10%. Grazing will start at 7:14 PM with maximum at 7:47 PM and ending at 8:17 PM

2024.09.17 (Tue)

 

Moon/Neptune Occultation

, ,

Binoculars

Telescope

1

The Moon will pass in front of Neptune at about 11:52 PM (53° above horizon) and emerge from behind the moon at about 1:05 AM (54° above horizon).

2024.09.20 (Fri)

 

Neptune at Opposition

 

Telescope

1

Neptune lies opposite to the Sun in the sky and will be visible for most of the night.

2024.09.22 (Sun)

Equinox

 

 

 

 

10 - October

2024.10.02 (Wed)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.10.17 (Thu)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Hunters Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

11 - November

2024.11.01 (Fri)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.11.10 (Sun)

Moon-Saturn Appulse

,

Visual

Binoculars

1

The Moon and Saturn within 38’ of each other in the western horizon about 44° above the horizon at 7:00 PM.

2024.11.11 (Mon)

Moon/Neptune Occultation

, ,

Binoculars

Telescope

1

The Moon will pass in front of Neptune at about 6:20 PM (39° above horizon) and emerge from behind the moon at about 7:18 PM (48° above horizon).

2024.11.15 (Fri)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Beaver Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

2024.11.17 (Sun)

Uranus at Opposition

 

Telescope

 

Uranus lies opposite to the Sun in the sky and will be visible for most of the night.

2024.11.20 (Wed)

Mercury PM sighting

Visual

1

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, this evening, it will appear 9° above the western horizon just after sunset.

12 - December

2024.12.01 (Sun)

New Moon

 

 

 

Dark Skies!

2024.12.07 (Sat)

Jupiter at Opposition

 

Telescope

1

Jupiter lies opposite to the Sun in the sky and will be visible for most of the night.

2024.12.15 (Sun)

Full Moon

 

Visual

 

Cold Moon: Naming full moons is silly, but it makes the news a lot of times.

 

2024.12.18 (Wed)

Moon-Mars Appulse

 

Visual

Binoculars

1

The Moon and Mars within 47’ of each other in the eastern horizon about 70° above the horizon at 2:00 AM.

2024.12.21 (Sat)

Mercury AM sighting

Visual

1

Since Mercury is so close to the sun it is generally difficult to spot in the sky.  However, on this morning, it will appear 16° above the eastern horizon just before sunrise.

2024.12.23

Jupiter Double Transit

,

Telescope

 

Io and Ganymede Double shadow transit from 00:47 to 01:50. Jupiter is well placed for this event.

2024.12.30 (Mon)

New Moon

 

Visual

 

Dark Skies!

2024.12.30 (Mon)

Jupiter Double Transit

,

Telescope

 

Io and Ganymede Double shadow transit from 03:35 to 04:55 with altitude range of 24deg to 8 deg above the horizon

 

 

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