LUNAR CYCLE

moon phases

Celestial Events:

September 23 - The Autumnal Equinox in the northern hemisphere occurs at 09:51 UT. There will be equal amounts of day and night. This is also the first day of fall.

October 21, 22 - Orionids Meteor Shower. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower will peak this year on the 21st, but some meteors can be seen from

October 15 - 29. The evening gibbous moon may interfere with viewing faint meteors, but the brightest ones should still be visible from a dark location. Best viewing will be to the east after midnight.

September 26 - Full Moon

October 11 - New Moon

October 15 - Conjunction of Venus and Saturn. The planets Venus and Saturn will appear only 3 degrees apart in the early morning sky.

October 26 - Full Moon

November 9 - New Moon

November 17, 18 - Leonid Meteor Shower. The Leonids is one of the better meteor showers to observe, producing an average of 40 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower itself has a cyclic peak year every 33 years where hundreds of meteors can be seen each hour. The last of these occurred in 2001. The shower peaks this year on November 18, but you can see some meteors from November 13 - 20. The first quarter moon will set around midnight, so viewing in the early morning hours should be excellent this year. Even the faintest meteors should be visible from a dark location. Look for the shower radiating from the constellation Leo after midnight.

November 24 - Full Moon

December 9 - New Moon

December 13, 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower. Considered by many to be the best meteor shower in the heavens, the Geminids are known for producing up to 60 multicolored meteors per hour at their peak. The peak night this year is December 14, although some meteors should be visible from December 6 - 19. The evening crescent moon will set early this year, allowing for an excellent viewing experience. Even the faintest meteors should be visible from a dark location. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation of Gemini. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight.

December 22 - The Winter Solstice in the northern hemisphere occurs at 06:08 UT. The Sun is at its lowest point in the sky and it will be the shortest day of the year. This is also the first day of winter.   

December 24 - Mars at Opposition. The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. This is the best time to view and photograph the planet Mars.

December 24 - Full Moon