The last meteor shower of the year will span from the 17th through the 25th, though it will peak overnight on the 22nd with about 10 sightings per hour. Because the shower’s peak coincides with the new moon, it should be a great time to view the meteors and close up a fantastic year of skywatching. These meteors will appear to originate from the Ursa Minor constellation.
Eclipse totality will be hard to see unless you happen to be traveling to the Arctic (Svalbard or Faroe Islands.) However much of northern Europe and Eurasia will experience 90% coverage of the sun.
The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, South America, eastern Asia, and Australia.
The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North and South America, Europe, Africa, and western Asia.
The Quadrantids meteor shower can yield as many as 40 meteors per hour, radiating from the constellation Bootes. Visibility will be reduced on account of a bright second quarter Moon, but you may be able to spot a few during the night… Begin the new year by looking up!
Jupiter is sure to delight all who view it, from professional observatories to amateurs with handheld binoculars. Make sure to check out its four Galilean moons and see if you can make out colorful cloud bands or the Great Red Spot. If you’ve ever considered dabbling in planetary imaging, tonight (adjacent to a dark new moon) would be the perfect night to start!
Part of the Moon will appear darker as the full Moon passes through the faint outer edge (penumbra) of the Earth’s shadow.
Smack dab on the new moon, this promises to be nice dark viewing. These shooting stars are composed of the remnants of Comet Halley. Meteors—up to 30 per hour in the Northern Hemisphere and 60 per hour in the Southern—will appear to radiate from Aquarius.
Part of the Moon will appear darker as the full Moon passes through the faint outer edge (penumbra) of the Earth’s shadow.
Folks in North America, it’s time to make reservations for next year’s total solar eclipse on August 21, 2017!
THIS IS IT. A total eclipse of the sun that runs smack through the middle of the USA. Plan a car trip, bus ride, or plane trip to the narrow strip of Earth stretching from Salem, OR through to Nashville, TN where the sun will *completely disappear* for two minutes. (Not many large cities are in the path of the totality, so make your reservations early if you want to observe it from the comfort of civilization.)
If you’ve already got plans, the next total eclipse passing through the USA is on April 8, 2024…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_eclipse_of_August_21,_2017