A rare great conjunction of Jupiter and Saturn will take place at 18:11 UTC on December 21, with the two planets passing just 6.1 arcminutes (about one-fifth the apparent width of the moon) of each other, as seen from Earth. Coincidentally, the December solstice is…
The 2020 Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak around December 14 and is likely to put the best light show at around 01:00 UTC, when its radiant point is highest in the sky. Another celestial event is set to occur on the same day as a total eclipse will be…
A total solar eclipse will take place at 16:13 UTC on December 14, 2020, and be visible from the South Pacific, Chile, Argentina, and the South Atlantic. Observers from southern South America, the Pacific, and those currently in Antarctica will experience a partial…
A penumbral lunar eclipse will take place on November 30, 2020, and be visible from Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and the Americas. This lunar eclipse is followed two weeks later by a total solar eclipse on December 14, 2020. The instant of greatest eclipse…
The Perseid meteor shower — one of the best and brightest of the year — is set to peak in the late hours of Tuesday into Thursday, August 11 into 13. This is one of the most anticipated showers of the year, particularly in the Northern Hemisphere. This year,…
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) has survived its close encounter with the Sun and is currently observable from the northern hemisphere with the naked eye. To receive this celestial gift, get up before dawn, look to the NNE and see it before the Sun takes over, or wait a…
Comet C/2020 F3 (NEOWISE) is set to make its closest approach to Earth on July 23, 2020, when it will pass at a distance of 0.69 AU. Some experienced observers under clear skies have already reported spotting the comet with the naked eye. The comet was discovered on…
An annular solar eclipse will take place on Sunday, June 21, 2020. This is one of the most breathtaking celestial events when the Moon partially obscures the Sun, allowing a "ring of fire" on its edges. The eclipse will start several hours after the…
Astronomers monitoring Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) spotted a powerful outburst from the comet on May 5. Such outbursts usually indicate a fragmentation, but scientists are hopeful that this could just be a volatile comet. The comet is approaching Earth and the Sun– its…
Approaching Comet C/2020 F8 (SWAN) has become bright enough that it is already visible to the naked eye. As of 14:30 UTC on April 30, 2020, the comet is 115 million km (71 million miles) away from Earth, with a magnitude of 6.0. The comet appears like a bright fuzz…
