Throughout 2022 there will be several spectacular sky-watching opportunities including meteor showers, lunar eclipses and super moons.
Get out your calendar and mark down these celestial shows, so you don't miss the excitement in the sky!
Visible Eclipses
In these total eclipses we will see the Moon completely pass through the Earth’s dark shadow, or umbra, which will turn the moon a rusty or blood red color.
Key dates to look out for include:
May 15th – Total Lunar Eclipse
November 8 – Total Lunar Eclipse
Meteor Shower Peaks
Meteors "shower" across the sky, as Earth is regularly passing through a field of particles at that position in its orbit.
These meteors are caused by streams of cosmic debris called meteoroids entering Earth's atmosphere at extremely high speeds on parallel trajectories.
A number of meteor showers are expected to take place in 2022, though not all will be visible from earth.
They are best observed at night time under a dark sky.
Key dates to look out for include:
January 3, 4 – Quadrantids Meteor Shower April 22, 23 – Lyrids Meteor Shower
May 6, 7 – Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
July 28, 29 – Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower
August 12, 13 – Perseids Meteor Shower
October 7 – Draconids Meteor Shower
October 21, 22 – Orionids Meteor Shower
November 4, 5 – Taurids Meteor Shower
November 17, 18 – Leonids Meteor Shower
December 13, 14 – Geminids Meteor Shower
December 21, 22 – Ursids Meteor Shower
Equinoxes
Equinoxes occur twice each year at the point when the sun crosses the celestial equator, and day and night are of approximately equal length (about September 22 and March 20).
Key dates to look out for include:
March 20 — Vernal Equinox
September 23 — Autumnal Equinox
Full Moon & New Moon Calendar
Full moons are glorious sight and many believe in lunar effects during this time. New moons are great for star & planet gazing, as well as night photography!
Key dates to look out for include:
Supermoons
Supermoons occur when the moon's orbit is closest to Earth at the same time the moon is full. As a result, the full moon appears slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon.
Key dates to look out for include:
June 14th
July 13th
August 12th
Visible Mercury
Visible Mercury is when the planet becomes brightest and easiest to spot in the night sky due to its proximity to Earth.
This often a time that you can see the planet without the help of a telescope.
Mercury is best seen just after sunset in the western sky.
Key dates for visible Mercury include:
January 7th
February 16th
June 6th
December 31st
