Top Astronomical Events in 2021
Events listed are specifically for North America
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Calendar of special events - 2021
Special current events are listed on the home page May 26 - Supermoon eclipse. Earth’s dark shadow will sweep across the larger than normal full Moon. Total eclipse visible from the western USA and Pacific region. Partial eclipse visible in the eastern USA. Greatest eclipse time: 7:18 a.m. EDT. June 10 - Partial solar eclipse. The Moon will appear to take a bite out of the sun as it rises. Visible from the northeastern USA. Greatest eclipse: 6:41 a.m EDT. Jul - Dec - Brilliant Venus visible. The brightest point of light in the evening sky is the planet Venus. Look west after sunset. August 2 - Saturn at opposition (opposite the Sun). Yellow/gold Saturn will be rising in the east as the Sun sets in the west and will be visible all night long. August 19 - Jupiter at opposition. Jupiter will be the brightest point of light rising in the east as the Sun sets in the west and will be visible all night long. Look to the lower left of Saturn. November 19 - Partial lunar eclipse. An almost totally eclipsed Moon is visible this morning. Greatest eclipse: 4:02 a.m EST. |
Meteor Showers
Meteor showers are one of the most rewarding sights to view in the night sky with the naked eye. To observe a meteor shower, choose a spot with an unobstructed view of the entire sky and look straight up, you should be able to see meteors in any direction with your peripheral vision. The best time to observe a meteor shower is normally in the morning as the morning side of the earth is on the leading edge of the earth's orbit. More meteors are seen in the morning sky than the evening for the same reason that more bug splatters are on the front windshield of a car than are on the rear. You will also have a much better chance of seeing more meteors if the shower falls on a night when the moon is absent, this makes the meteors easier to see without the competing glare of the moon. You will probably not be able to see the ZHR (Zenith hourly Rate) amount of meteors shown on the chart below, but on average you can expect to see about half that amount. The ZHR is the approximate amount of meteors that can be seen per hour at the peak if the moon is absent, and the point where the meteors appear to be coming from is at the zenith, or directly overhead.
* Slightly more meteors can seen in the morning than in the evening
**ZHR: Zenith Hourly Rate (meteors per hour under ideal conditions with the source of meteors directly overhead and a dark, moonless sky) |
2021 Astronomical events rack cards
The astronomical events cards are passed out at all "The Heavens Declare" presentations. If you wish to have an updated card and there are no presentations near you, you can either download a copy to your computer from this web page. Alternatively, you can request one to be mailed to you free of charge by using the form at the bottom of this page.
Feel free to download a copy to your computer.
Instructions:
right click on the image, in the pop up menu left click "save image as" or "save picture as". This will open a window that allows you to save the picture to the location you choose on your computer
Instructions:
right click on the image, in the pop up menu left click "save image as" or "save picture as". This will open a window that allows you to save the picture to the location you choose on your computer
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