Space and astronomy has always been the most fascinating topic among all of us. Though we don't have much knowledge of it, we are very curious about the topic and will be always ready to explore and know more and more. We all enjoy the view of stars in the night sky and we don't want to miss the amazing events happening such as meteor showers. For that sake, here is a astronomy calendar of 2018 with all the details of the events in their chronological dates.
January 1
Mercury will be at its Greatest Western Elongation
Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 22.7 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Take a look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
January 2
Full Moon & Supermoon
This phase occurs at 02:24 UTC. This is also the first of two supermoons in 2018. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and shall look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
January 3 & 4
Quadrantids meteor shower
The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It peaks this year on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. Unfortunately, the nearly full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, you should still be able to catch some of the brightest ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Bootes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
January 17
New Moon
This phase occurs at 02:17 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
January 31
Full Moon, Super Moon and Blue Moon
This phase occurs at 13:27 UTC. Since this is the second full moon in the same month, it is sometimes also referred to as a blue moon. This is also the last of two supermoons in 2018. The Moon will be at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
January 31
Total Lunar Eclipse
During this eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of western North America, eastern Asia, Australia, and the Pacific Ocean.
February 15
New Moon
This phase occurs at 21:05 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
February 15
Partial Solar Eclipse
This partial eclipse will only be visible in parts of Chile, Argentina, and Antarctica.
March 2
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 00:51 UTC.
March 15
Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation
The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 18.4 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Take a look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
March 17
New Moon
This phase occurs at 13:12 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
March 20
March Equinox
The March equinox occurs at 16:15 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
March 31
Full Moon, Blue Moon
This phase occurs at 12:37 UTC. Since this is the second full moon in the same month, it is sometimes referred to as a blue moon. This year is particularly unique in that January and March both contain two full moons while February has no full moon.
April 16
New Moon
This phase occurs at 01:58 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
April 22, 23
Lyrids Meteor Shower
The Lyrids is an average shower, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It peaks this year on the night of the night of the 22nd and morning of the 23rd. These meteors can sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving dark skies for the what could be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Lyra, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
April 29
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 27 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Take a look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
April 30
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 00:58 UTC.
May 6 & 7
Eta Aquarids meteor shower
The Eta Aquarids is an above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. Most of the activity is seen in the Southern Hemisphere. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. It peaks this year on the night of May 6 and the morning of the May 7. The waning gibbous moon will block most of the fainter meteors this year, but you should be able to catch quite a few good ones if you are patient. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
May 9
Jupiter will be at its closest approach to Earth
The giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Jupiter and its moons. A medium-sized telescope should be able to show you some of the details in Jupiter's cloud bands. A good pair of binoculars should allow you to see Jupiter's four largest moons, appearing as bright dots on either side of the planet.
May 15
New Moon
This phase occurs at 11:48 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
May 29
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 14:19 UTC.
June 13
New Moon
This phase occurs at 19:44 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
June 21
June Solstice and the longest day of the year
The June solstice occurs at 10:07 UTC. The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
June 27
Saturn will be at its closest approach to Earth
The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons.
June 28
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 04:53 UTC.
July 12
Mercury at its Greatest Eastern Elongation
The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 26.4 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Take a look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
July 13
New Moon
This phase occurs at 02:48 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
July 13
Partial Solar Eclipse visible from southern Australia and Antarctica
A partial solar eclipse can only be safely observed with a special solar filter or by looking at the Sun's reflection. This partial eclipse will only be visible in extreme southern Australia and Antarctica.
July 27
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 20:22 UTC.
July 27
Total Lunar Eclipse visible in most parts of the world
During this eclipse, the Moon will gradually get darker and then take on a rusty or blood red color. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of Europe, Africa, western and central Asia, the Indian Ocean, and Western Australia.
July 27
Mars will be at its closest approach to Earth
The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Mars. A medium-sized telescope will allow you to see some of the dark details on the planet's orange surface.
July 28 & 29
Delta Aquarids meteor shower
The Delta Aquarids is an average shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It peaks this year on the night of July 28 and morning of July 29. The nearly full moon will be a problem this year, blocking out all but the brightest meteors. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
August 11
New Moon
This phase occurs at 09:58 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
August 11
Partial Solar Eclipse visible in most parts of the world
A partial solar eclipse can only be safely observed with a special solar filter or by looking at the Sun's reflection. The partial eclipse will be visible in parts of northeast Canada, Greenland, extreme northern Europe, and northern and eastern Asia. It will be best seen in northern Russia with 68% coverage.
August 12 & 13
Perseids meteor shower
The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. It peaks this year on the night of August 12 and the morning of August 13. The thin crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
August 17
Venus at the greatest eastern elongation
The planet Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation of 45.9 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Venus since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Take a look for the bright planet in the western sky after sunset.
August 26
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 11:57 UTC.
August 26
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 18.3 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Take a look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
September 7
Neptune will be at its closest approach to Earth
The blue giant planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Neptune. Due to its extreme distance from Earth, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
September 9
New Moon
This phase occurs at 18:01 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
September 23
September Equinox
The September equinox occurs at 01:54 UTC. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world. This is also the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.
September 25
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 02:53 UTC. This moon is also known as the Harvest Moon. The Harvest Moon is the full moon that occurs closest to the September equinox each year.
October 8
Draconids meteor shower
The Draconids is a minor meteor shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. The Draconids is an unusual shower in that the best viewing is in the early evening instead of early morning like most other showers. The shower runs annually from October 6-10 and peaks this year on the the night of the 8th. This will be an excellent year to observe the Draconids because there will be no moonlight to spoil the show. Best viewing will be in the early evening from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Draco, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
October 9
New Moon
This phase occurs at 03:47 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
October 21 & 22
Orionids meteor shower
The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It peaks this year on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22. The nearly full moon will block some of the fainter meteors this year, but the Orionids tend to be fairly bright so it could still be a good show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
October 23
Uranus will be at its closest approach to Earth
The blue-green planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue-green dot in all but the most powerful telescopes.
October 24
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 16:46 UTC.
November 5 & 6
Taurids meteor shower
The Taurids is a long-running minor meteor shower producing only about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is unusual in that it consists of two separate streams. It peaks this year on the the night of November 5. The thin crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for viewing. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
November 6
Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation
The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 23.3 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Take a look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
November 7
New Moon
This phase occurs at 16:02 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
November 17 & 18
Leonids meteor shower
The Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. The waxing gibbous moon will set shortly after midnight leaving fairly dark skies for what could be a good early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
November 23
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 05:40 UTC.
December 7
New Moon
This phase occurs at 07:20 UTC. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
December 13 & 14
Geminids meteor shower
The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The first quarter moon will set shortly after midnight leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
December 15
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 21.3 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Take a look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
December 21
December solstice and the longest night of the year
The December solstice occurs at 22:23 UTC. The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
December 22
Full Moon
This phase occurs at 17:49 UTC.
December 21 & 22
Ursids meteor shower
The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. This year the glare from the full moon will hide all but the brightest meteors. If you are extremely patient, you might still be able to catch a few good ones. Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location far away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
View the video illustration of the same content below:
So gyus are you excited for these events? I surely am. Comment your thoughts below in the comment section and happy new year!!
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