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From Meteor Showers And Solar Eclipses To Supermoons And Visible Planets.
Watch out for these spectacular stargazing events in 2024 coming to a Gozo sky near you.
Gozo Island, Malta’s little sister is a small island filled with natural spaces, fields, and coastal rock formations. With very little man-made light, especially near the sea, stargazing in Gozo is almost unavoidable. The night sky is full of cosmic wonders and if stargazing is your thing, plan your trip to Gozo around these astronomical events in 2024.
Stargazing in Gozo begins with the Quadrantids Meteor Shower in January and ends with the spectacular Geminid meteor shower late in December. In between, look out for partial solar eclipses, supermoons, and planets. Here is our roundup of some of the most spectacular celestial moments worth circling on your calendar for 2024.
stargazing events in 2024: January to april 2024
January 3, 4 – Quadrantids Meteor Shower.
The first of the stargazing events in 2023 is the Quadrantids Meteor Shower. The shower runs every year from January 1-5. The best viewing will be from Dwejra or a similar open space in Gozo after midnight.
March 20 – March Equinox
The March equinox occurs when the sun shines directly on the equator. 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 24 – Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation.
The planet Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 18.7 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 evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
March 25 – Penumbral Lunar Eclipse.
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s partial shadow or penumbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will darken slightly but not completely. The eclipse will only be visible throughout all of North America, Mexico, Central America, and South America.
April 8 – Total Solar Eclipse.
A total solar eclipse occurs when the moon completely blocks the Sun, revealing the Sun’s beautiful outer atmosphere known as the corona. This is a rare, once-in-a-lifetime event for viewers but only in the United States. The next one will not take place until 2045.
April 20 – Hybrid Solar Eclipse.
A hybrid solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is almost too close to the Earth to completely block the Sun. This type of eclipse will appear as a total eclipse to some parts of the world and will appear annular to others. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
April 22, 23 – Lyrids Meteor Shower.
The Lyrids is an average shower that runs from April 16-25 every year. These meteors can sometimes produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The thin crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent stargazing event in Gozo.
stargazing events in 2023: May to august 2023
May 6, 7 – Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower.
The Eta Aquarids are produced by Comet Haley’s dust particles and can produce up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. In the Northern Hemisphere, the rate can reach about 30 meteors per hour. The shower runs annually from April 19 to May 28. The nearly full moon will be a problem this year, blocking out all but the brightest meteors, but if you are patient, you should be able to catch a few good ones.
May 9 – See Mercury!
The planet Mercury reaches greatest western 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 morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
June 4 – See Venus!
The planet Venus reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 45.4 degrees from the Sun. Look for the bright planet after sunset.
June 20 – June Solstice.
The June solstice is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
July 22 – Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation.
The planet Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 26.9 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. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
July 28, 29 – Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower.
The Delta Aquarids is a shower that can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by comets Marsden and Kracht. The shower runs annually from July 12 to August 23. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Aquarius but can appear anywhere in the sky.
August 1 – Full Moon, Supermoon.
The second Supermoon of 2023 is one of the most spectacular stargazing events in Gozo. It will be located opposite the Earth from the Sun and will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. The Moon will be near its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
August 12, 13 – Perseids Meteor Shower.
As we mentioned, stargazing in Gozo is almost unavoidable. And seeing the odd meteor shower is too. 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. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24.
August 27 – See Saturn!
Stargazing in Gozo would not be complete without seeing 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.
August 31 – Full Moon, Supermoon.
The third Supermoon and another one of the awesome stargazing events of 2023 is the biggest of the year. Located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun, the face of the moon will be fully illuminated. The Moon will be near its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.
stargazing events in 2023: september to december 2023
September 5 – Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation.
The planet Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 18.1 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. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.
September 8 – Saturn at Opposition.
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.
September 18 – Partial Lunar Eclipse.
A partial lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s partial shadow or penumbra, and only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow or umbra. During this type of eclipse, a part of the Moon will darken as it moves through the Earth’s shadow. The eclipse will be visible throughout most of North America, Mexico, Central America, South America, the Atlantic Ocean, and most of Europe and Africa. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information)
September 20 – Neptune at Opposition.
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 23 – September Equinox.
September 22 – September Equinox
The September equinox is one of the most well-known stargazing events in Gozo and occurs at 06:43 UTC. There are lots of rituals and smaller events to join if you are here at this time of year. 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.
October 2nd – Annular Solar Eclipse.
Stargazing events in 2024 would not be complete without an annular solar eclipse which occurs when the Moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the Sun. This results in a ring of light around the darkened Moon. The Sun’s corona is not visible during an annular eclipse. The eclipse path will begin in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of southern Canada and move across the southwestern United States and Central America, Columbia, and Brazil. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout much of North and South America. (NASA Map and Eclipse Information) (NASA Interactive Google Map)
October 7 – Draconids Meteor Shower.
The Draconids is a minor meteor shower producing only about 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was first discovered in 1900. 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 7th. The second quarter moon will ensure dark skies in the early evening for what could be a good show. If you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. 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 28th- Partial Solar Eclipse
October 21, 22 – Orionids Meteor Shower.
The Orionids is an average shower producing up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times. The shower runs annually from October 2 to November 7. The shower peaks this year on the night of October 21 and the morning of October 22. The waning gibbous moon will block out most of the fainter meteors this year. But if you are patient, you should still be able to catch a few good ones. The best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Orion but can appear anywhere in the sky.
November 4, 5 – 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. The first is produced by dust grains left behind by Asteroid 2004 TG10. The second stream is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower runs annually from September 7 to December 10. It peaks this year on the night of November 4. The first quarter moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. The 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 16 – Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation.
The planet Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 22.5 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. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
November 17 – Uranus at Opposition.
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. December 13, 14 – Geminids Meteor Shower.
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. The last of these occurred in 2001. The Leonids are produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and the morning of the 18th. Unfortunately, the nearly full moon will block all but the brightest meteors this year. If you are patient, you may still be able to catch a few good ones. The best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo but can appear anywhere in the sky.
December 7 – Jupiter at Opposition.
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.
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 is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The nearly full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year. But if you are patient, you may 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 Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
December 21 – December Solstice.
The December solstice occurs at 09:17 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 21, 22 – Ursids Meteor Shower.
The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17-25. It peaks this year on the night of the 21st and the morning of the 22nd. The waning gibbous moon will block out many of the fainter meteors this year. If you are patient, you should still be able to catch some of the brighter ones. The 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.
Ref: http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2024.html
Author: GITH
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