Astronomy Calendar for 2021: When to see full moons, planets, eclipses, and meteor showers

There will be full moons, meteor showers, eclipses, and planets visible in the morning and evening sky around the world in 2021.

The quadruple meteor shower began on January 3 on the 1st of 12 meteor showers Through 2021.

The biggest obstacle to being able to see meteor showers that can only be seen from certain hemispheres – regardless of your location – is the brightness of the moon. The higher the full moon, the more difficult it is to see meteors streaming across the sky.

There is little waiting for the next meteor shower, the popular Lyrids in April. It will peak on April 22 and will look best in the northern hemisphere – but the moon will be 68% full, according to American Meteor Society.

Eta Aquariids follow soon after, and peak on May 5 when the moon is 38% full. This shower is best seen in the southern tropics, but it will still produce an average shower for those north of the equator.

Delta Aquariids are best seen from the southern tropics and will peak between July 28-29 when the moon is 74% full.

Interestingly, another meteor shower peaks on the same night – Alpha Capricornids. Although this shower is much weaker, it has been known to produce some bright fireballs during climax. And it will be visible to those on either side of the equator.

The Perseid meteor shower, the most popular of the year, will peak between August 11 and 12 in the Northern Hemisphere when the moon is only 13% full.

Here’s the schedule for meteor showers for the rest of the year EarthSky meteor shower forecast.

October 8th: Draconids
October 21: Orionids
November 4-5: Southern Taurids
November 11-12: North Torres
November 17th: Leonids
December 13-14: Gemini
December 22: Ursids

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Full moon

In a normal year, 2021 will also be 12 full moons. (Last year there were 13 full moons, two of them in October.)

Here are all the full moons that happened this year and their names, according to Old Farmer’s Calendar:

Jan 28 – Wolf Moon
February 27 – Snow Moon
March 28 – Moon Worm
April 26 – Pink Moon
May 26 – Moonflower
June 24 – Strawberry Moon
July 23 – Pak Moon
August 22 – sturgeon moon
September 20 – Harvest Moon
October 20 – Hunter’s Moon
November 19 – Beaver Moon
December 18 – Cold Moon

Solar eclipse and lunar eclipse

This year, there will be two solar and two lunar eclipses – three of them will be visible to some in North America, according to Old Farmer’s Calendar.

A total lunar eclipse will occur on May 26, and are best visible in western North America and Hawaii from 4:46 AM to 9:51 AM ET.

An annular solar eclipse will occur on June 10, and can be seen in North and Northeast North America from 4:12 AM to 9:11 AM ET. The moon will not block the sun completely, so be sure to wear eclipse glasses to safely witness the event.

November 19 will see a partial lunar eclipse and skywatchers will see in North America and Hawaii between 1am ET and 7:06 AM ET.

The year ends with a total solar eclipse on the fourth of December. It won’t be seen in North America, but those in the Falkland Islands, the southern tip of Africa, Antarctica and southeast Australia will be able to spot it.

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Visible planets

Skywatchers will have multiple opportunities to spot planets in our sky during designated mornings and evenings throughout 2021, according to Planetary Farm Calendar Guide.

Most of it can be seen with the naked eye, with the exception of distant Neptune, but binoculars or a telescope will provide the best view.

Mercury will appear as a bright star in the morning sky from February 28 to March 20, from June 27 to July 16, and from October 18 to November 1. It will shine in the night sky from January 15th to January 31st, and May 3rd to May 24th. , From August 31 to September 21 and from November 29 to December 31.

Venus, our closest neighbor in the solar system, will appear in the eastern sky in the morning from January 1 to 23, and in the western sky at dusk on the evenings of May 24 to December 31. It is the second brightest object in our sky after the moon.

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Mars shows its reddish appearance in the morning sky between November 24 and December 31 and will be visible in the evening sky between January 1 and August 22.

Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, is the third brightest object in our sky. It will be shown in the morning sky between February 17 and August 19. Look for it on evenings from January 1 to January 9 and August 20 to December 31 – but it will be in its prime from August 8 to September 2.

Saturn’s rings can only be seen through a telescope, but the planet itself can still be seen with the naked eye in the mornings from February 10 to August 1 and on evenings from January 1 to January 6 and from August 2 to December 31. The brightest between 1 to 4 August.

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Binoculars or a telescope will help you spot the green glow of Uranus in the mornings from May 16 to November 3 and in the evenings of January 1 to April 12 and from November 4 to December 31 – but at its height between August 28 and December 31.

And our farthest neighbors in the solar system, Neptune will be visible through the telescope in the mornings from March 27 to September 13 and in the evenings of January 1 to February 23 and from September 14 to December 31. November 19 and 8.