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Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💙 January 8, morning: Moon meets Venus

What: The waning crescent moon meets Venus, with the brightest planet in our sky

When: Monday January 8, approx. 2 hours before sunrise to sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: Get a clear view of the southeast horizon. The waning crescent moon and Venus (the brightest “star” in that direction) will rise together about two hours before the sun. They will remain easily visible until just before sunrise, after which they will become more challenging, but still visible.

💙 January 18, evening: Moon meets Jupiter

What: The waxing gibbous moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets

When: Thursday January 18, approx. 1 hour after sunset to after midnight

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: The waxing gibbous moon (with Jupiter near it) will become visible toward the southeast once the sky has darkened a bit after sunset. They will rise higher in the sky until about 7pm and keep making their way west until they set after midnight. They will be closest to each other in the early part of the evening, when it will be possible to view them both together with binoculars.

💙 Nights of January 24-25 and 25-26, all night: Full Wolf Moon

January’s full moon is at its fullest at 12:55pm Eastern Time on January 25. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be almost equally full on the evenings of January 24 and 25. It gives us two chances to see a full moon this month! For the rest of the world, it’ll be fullest on the evening of the 25th.

Named after the wolves that are often heard howling at this time of year in the northern hemisphere, the Full Wolf Moon will rise towards the northeast over an hour before sunset on January 24 and around the time of sunset on the 25th.

❤️️ January 26-28, morning: Mercury meets Mars

What: The tiny planet Mercury meets with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Friday to Sunday January 26-28, approx. 1 hour before sunrise to approx. 30 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: This is a challenging observation and you will likely need a telescope to see it. That’s because the planets are quite close to the sun at this time and will be competing with the light of the sunrise. Start looking near the southeast horizon about an hour before sunrise. The very bright “star” that’s already up is Venus. Below and to the left of Venus, you should see Mercury rising. Once it’s a little ways above the horizon, point your telescope at it and you should see Mars beside it, looking like an even less bright star. This may be possible to see with binoculars depending on your location, but the planetary encounter is very close on the 27th and could be a great sight with higher magnification using a telescope.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💙 February 7, morning: Moon meets Venus

What: The waning crescent moon meets Venus, with the brightest planet in our sky

When: Wednesday February 7, approx. 45 minutes before sunrise to sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: Get a clear view of the southeast horizon. Venus (the brightest “star” in that direction) will rise first about one hour before the sun, followed by the waning crescent moon below and to its right about 30 minutes later. They will remain easily visible until just before sunrise, after which they will become more challenging, but still visible.

💙 February 10, evening: Moon meets Saturn

What: The waxing crescent moon meets with Saturn, the ringed planet

When: Saturday February 10, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 1 hour after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: Once the sunset light has faded, find the moon close to the horizon between west and southwest, with Saturn near it, looking like a bright star. They will set less than half an hour later, giving you a short window to see them together.

💙 February 14, evening: Moon meets Jupiter

What: The waxing crescent moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets

When: Wednesday February 14, approx. 30 minutes after sunset to approx. midnight

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: The thick waxing crescent moon (with Jupiter near it) will become visible high in the sky toward the southwest once the sky has darkened a bit after sunset. They will set around midnight between the west and northwest. They will get closer to each other in the later part of the night, when it will become easier to view them both together with binoculars.

💙 February 16, evening: Moon meets Pleiades

What: The first quarter moon meets with the bright Pleiades star cluster

When: Friday February 16, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to approx. 2AM

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: The moon will be visible in the early evening before sunset high in the sky toward the south. Once the sky has gotten darker around 1.5 hours after sunset, you should see a compact group of stars beside the moon, which is the Pleiades. They will be closer to each other early in the night, at which time you can use binoculars to view them together. They will get further apart in the later part of the night. The light of the bright moon may make it challenging to see the star cluster, but binoculars would make it easier.

💛 February 20-24, morning: Venus meets Mars

What: The bright planet Venus meets with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Tuesday to Saturday February 20 to 24, approx. 1 hour before sunrise to approx. 30 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: You should see Venus, looking like an extremely bright star, rise between east and southeast about 1 hour before the sun. Mars is not very bright these days, so it will be harder to see but will be very close to Venus. If you have binoculars, they will help you find Mars in the same field of view as Venus. This is a very close encounter, meaning that if you have a telescope, you can use it with a fair bit of magnification for a good close-up. This is a somewhat challenging observation because Mars will become easier to see as they get higher in the sky, but the dawn light will also be coming in at the same time, which will make it harder to see.

💙 Nights of February 23-24 and 24-25, all night: Full Snow Moon

February’s full moon is at its fullest at 7:31am Eastern Time on February 24. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of February 23 and 24. It gives us two chances to see a full moon this month! For anyone on other continents, the moon will be at its fullest on the evening of February 24.

Named after the northern hemisphere’s cold season, the Full Snow Moon will rise between the east and northeast about 45 minutes before sunset on February 23 and about 30 minutes after sunset on the 24th.

💙 February 28, morning: Moon meets Spica

What: The waning gibbous moon meets with Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo

When: Wednesday February 28, after midnight to about an hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: The waning gibbous moon will rise between east and southeast around 10pm on February 27, followed by Spica below it. They will get closer to each other in the later part of the night, when it will become easier to view them both together with binoculars or even a telescope, until the light of dawn makes Spica disappear. They will be very close to each other just before morning twilight.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💛 March 3, morning: Moon occults Antares

What: The third quarter moon occults (hides) Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius

Where: Northern South America and southeastern North America

When: Sunday March 3, between midnight and sunrise (time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: This occultation will only be visible from certain locations in the Americas. To see if it’s visible from your location, use an astronomy app like SkySafari. Set your location, navigate to the night of March 2-3, centre on the moon and go forward or backward in time until Antares disappears behind the moon. If it happens when the moon is above the horizon but at least 1.5 hours before sunrise, you should be able to see the occultation. If if disappears behind the moon when they are below the horizon or during daylight hours, or if it passes beside the moon, you will not see an occultation but there will be a very close conjunction.

Note the times of disappearance and reappearance, since those are the most interesting to watch. You can see it with the naked eye or use binoculars or a telescope to view this event.

💙 March 13, evening: Moon meets Jupiter

What: The waxing crescent moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets

When: Wednesday March 13, approx. 30 minutes after sunset to approx. midnight

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: The waxing crescent moon (with Jupiter near it) will become visible high in the sky between the west and southwest once the sky has darkened a bit after sunset. They will set around midnight between the west and northwest. They will be closer to each other in the earlier part of the night, when it will be easier to view them both together with binoculars.

💙 March 14, evening: Moon meets Pleiades

What: The thick waxing crescent moon meets with the bright Pleiades star cluster

When: Thursday March 14, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to approx. 1AM

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: The moon will be visible in the early evening before sunset high in the sky toward the southwest. Once the sky has gotten darker around 1.5 hours after sunset, you should see a compact group of stars beside the moon, which is the Pleiades. They will get closer to each other later in the night, at which time you can use binoculars or even a telescope to view them together. The light of the bright moon may make it challenging to see the star cluster, but binoculars would make it easier.

💛 March 24, evening: Mercury's best evening visibility

What: Mercury, the planet nearest the sun, is at its best evening visibility of the year

When: Sunday March 24, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 1.5 hours after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: Mercury is notoriously difficult to see because it always stays close to the sun, moving back and forth between the evening sky and the morning sky. On March 24, its apparent distance from the sun, along with the springtime angle of the ecliptic will make it easier to see. March 24 will be the best, but it should be fairly good for 2-3 days before and after as well. Get a clear view of the horizon from west to northwest. Start looking near that horizon about 45 minutes after sunset. Jupiter will be visible much earlier because it’s a lot brighter and higher in the sky. Mercury will appear after Jupiter, looking like a fairly bright star in the glow of sunset near the horizon. It will set about 1.5 hours after the sun. This will be visible to the naked eye but binoculars would make it easier to find.

💙 Night of March 24-25: Full Sap Moon

The full moon of March is at its fullest at 3:01am Eastern Time on March 25. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be the fullest on the evening of March 24. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be about equally full on the evenings of March 24 and 25.

Named after the sap that runs down maple trees in northeastern North America to make delicious maple syrup, the Full Sap Moon will rise towards the east shortly before sunset on March 24. This moon is also called the Worm Moon, because the thawing ground reveals worms that birds are happy to eat!

💛 Night of March 24-25: Penumbral lunar eclipse

Where: North and South America, western Europe and Africa, eastern Asia and Oceania

What: The moon will pass inside the penumbra (outer shadow) of the Earth, causing the moon to dim slightly

When: Night of March 24-25, time depends on location

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Unlike total or partial lunar eclipses, a penumbral lunar eclipse is a bit difficult to observe. The Earth’s shadow is in two parts - the umbra is the part of the shadow where no direct sunlight reaches, while the penumbra is the outer part of the shadow, where some direct sunlight reaches but some is blocked by the Earth. During a total lunar eclipse, the moon goes entirely within the umbra and no direct sunlight reaches it. During a partial lunar eclipse, the moon goes partly within the umbra, so it looks like a bite is taken out of the moon. During a penumbral lunar eclipse, the moon only goes into the Earth’s penumbra, meaning it doesn’t get significantly darker or appear to have a bite taken out. One edge of the moon will just look slightly dimmer than it would during a regular full moon.

The dimming is so subtle that it may be hard to notice with the naked eye, but it may be a little easier with binoculars or a telescope. I find the best way to observe a penumbral eclipse is photographically. Try taking a photo before the penumbral eclipse starts and another photo around the maximum of the eclipse to compare. Note that during this particular penumbral eclipse, the moon will pass almost entirely inside the Earth’s penumbra and will get fairly close to the umbra. This means there may be some more noticeable darkening of one side of the moon than the average penumbral eclipse! You can find out more about the specifics and timing on the Time and Date website.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💛 April 6, morning: Moon meets Saturn and Mars

What: The waning crescent moon meets with Saturn and Mars

When: Saturday April 6, approx. 1 hour before sunrise to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: The waning crescent moon (with Saturn and Mars) will rise in the east about an hour before the sun. Saturn and Mars will look like similarly bright stars above the moon - Saturn to the left and Mars to the right. The window of time to see the planets will be fairly short because as they get higher in the sky, the sky will also get brighter, making them harder to see. This observation will be more challenging for people further north because of the angle at which the moon and planets rise.

💛 April 8: Total solar eclipse

Where: North America

What: The moon will pass in front of the sun, creating an total solar eclipse for a narrow path on the surface of the Earth

When: Monday April 8, times vary depending on location

Equipment needed: Solar eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, or solar telescope (View recommendations here) Never look directly at the sun without certified solar viewing filters, even during the partial phase of an eclipse. You can look directly only during the total phase, only if you are in the path of totality.

How: Observers in North America will be able to view a total or partial solar eclipse, depending on exact location. The total eclipse path will cut through Mexico, then through the United States from Texas to Maine, and through Canada from southern Ontario to Newfoundland. Most of the rest of North America, as well as Hawai’i and other Pacific Islands, will get to see a partial solar eclipse. See this Time and Date page for more info on this eclipse.

A total solar eclipse happens when the moon passes directly in front of the sun at a time when it is closer to the Earth than average, and therefore big enough to cover the entire disc of the sun. If you’re in the path of totality, during the total phase of the eclipse, it will briefly become dark as if it was after sunset. It will look like there’s a 360 degree sunset all around you, and you will see the brightest stars and planets overhead. This is the only time when it is safe to look toward the sun without protective solar filters. During the partial phase of the eclipse (even when the sun is 99% eclipsed) it can be tempting to look directly because the reduced amount of light reaching your eyes makes it seem safe. But it is NOT safe, because the light that IS reaching you is still just as bright as in full daylight. People have ended up with crescents burned onto their retinas from staring at a partial eclipse.

Seeing a total solar eclipse is honestly one of the most amazing experiences of a lifetime. If you can at all travel to the path of totality, don’t miss your chance! And being somewhere that only gets 99% eclipse is truly not worth it. The difference between 99% and 100% eclipse is the difference between an interesting phenomenon and the unforgettable experience of a lifetime.

Anyone who is not perfectly aligned with the narrow path of totality will get a partial solar eclipse, which looks like the moon is taking a bite out of the sun.

💛 April 10-11, morning: Saturn meets Mars

What: Saturn, the ringed planet, meets with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Wednesday to Thursday April 10 to 11, approx. 1 hour before sunrise to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: You should see Saturn and Mars, looking like similarly bright stars, rise in the east about 1 hour before the sun. If you have binoculars, they will help you find Mars and Saturn in the same field of view near the horizon. This is a very close encounter, meaning that if you have a telescope, you can use it with a fair bit of magnification for a good close-up. This is a somewhat challenging observation because the planets will become easier to see as they get higher in the sky, but the dawn light will also be coming in at the same time, which will make them harder to see.

They will be fairly close to each other for a few days before and after, but their closest encounter will be on April 10 and 11.

💙/❤️️ April 10, evening: Moon meets Jupiter and Uranus

What: The waxing crescent moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets, and the distant planet Uranus

When: Wednesday April 10, approx. 30 minutes after sunset to approx. 2.5 hours after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: The waxing crescent moon (with Jupiter below it, looking like the brightest star around) will become visible toward the west once the sky has darkened a bit after sunset.

To see Uranus, you’ll need binoculars. Once the sky is completely dark, look at Jupiter and the moon with low-powered binoculars, and you should see Uranus between the two. Note that there will be a number of stars brighter than Uranus in the same field of view, so you can use the above simulation to locate the distant planet among the stars.

❤️️ April 18-22, evening: Jupiter meets Uranus

What: Jupiter, the king of the planets meet with the distant planet Uranus

When: Thursday to Monday April 18 to 22, approx. 1 hour after sunset to approx. 1 hour and 15 minutes after sunset

Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: This encounter will be fairly challenging to see because Uranus is not very bright, and the light of sunset will be competing with these planets. Jupiter will be visible close to the west to northwest horizon shortly after sunset because it’s very bright. Once the sky has gotten darker, use binoculars or a telescope to look at Jupiter. Once it’s dark enough, you should be able to see Uranus within the same field of view, very close to Jupiter. Try observing them over a few nights to see how they move relative to each other.

💙 April 22, evening: Moon meets Spica

What: The full moon meets with Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo

When: Monday April 22, approx. 1 hour after sunset until late in the night

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: The full moon will rise between east and southeast shortly before sunset on April 22. Once the sky has gotten darker, about 1 hour after sunset, you should begin to see Spica right under the moon. They will get very close to each other during the night and you should be able to see them together with the naked eye, binoculars, or even a telescope.

💙 Nights of April 22-23 and 23-24, all night: Full Pink Moon

April’s full moon is at its fullest at 7:50pm Eastern Time on April 23. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of April 22 and 23. It gives us two chances to see a full moon this month! For anyone on other continents, the moon will be at its fullest on the evening of April 23.

Named after the moss pink, a flower that grows in the northern hemisphere at this time of year, the Full Pink Moon will rise towards the east about an hour before sunset on April 22 and around the time of sunset on April 23.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💙 May 4, morning: Moon meets Saturn and Mars

What: The waning crescent moon meets with Saturn and Mars

When: Saturday May 4, approx. 1 hour before sunrise to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The waning crescent moon (with Saturn and Mars) will rise in the east about an hour before the sun. Saturn and Mars will look like similarly bright stars on either side of the moon - Saturn to the right and Mars to the left. The window of time to see the planets will be fairly short because as they get higher in the sky, the sky will also get brighter, making them harder to see. This observation will be more challenging for people further north because of the angle at which the moon and planets rise.

💛 May 23, evening: Full moon occults Antares

What: The full moon occults (hides) Antares, the brightest star in Scorpius

Where: Northeastern South America and southeastern North America

When: Thursday May 23, evening (time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: This occultation will only be visible from certain locations in the Americas. To see if it’s visible from your location, use an astronomy app like SkySafari. Set your location, navigate to the night of May 23-24, centre on the moon and go forward or backward in time until Antares disappears behind the moon. If it happens when the moon is above the horizon but at least 1.5 hours before sunrise, you should be able to see the occultation. If if disappears behind the moon when they are below the horizon or during daylight hours, or if it passes beside the moon, you will not see an occultation but there will be a very close conjunction.

Note the times of disappearance and reappearance, since those are the most interesting to watch. You can see it with the naked eye or use binoculars or a telescope to view this event.

💙 Nights of May 22-23 and 23-24, all night: Full Flower Moon

The full moon of May is at its fullest at 9:54am Eastern Time on May 23. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of May 22 and 23. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be fullest on the evening of May 23.

Named after the flowers that grow in the northern hemisphere at this time of year, the Full Flower Moon will rise toward the southeast shortly before sunset on May 22 and about an hour after sunset on May 23.

💙 May 31, morning: Moon meets Saturn

What: The waning crescent moon meets with Saturn, the ringed Planet

When: Friday May 31, approx. 2.5 hours before sunrise to approx. 1 hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: Find a low eastern horizon and start looking around 2.5 hours before sunrise. The thick waning crescent moon will rise with Saturn above it. They will rise higher in the sky over the next couple of hours and will be close enough to each other to be observed with binoculars or a low-powered telescope (depending on your location and time of observation). The moon will continue to be visible after dawn but Saturn will fade out of view once the light of the sky is too bright.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💙 Nights of June 20-21 and 21-22, all night: Full Strawberry Moon

The full moon of June is at its fullest at 9:09pm Eastern Time on June 21. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of June 20 and 21. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be fullest on the evening of June 21.

Named after the strawberries that are ripe in the northern hemisphere at this time of year, the Full Strawberry Moon will rise toward the southeast shortly before sunset on June 20 and almost an hour after sunset on June 21.

💙 June 27, morning: Moon meets Saturn

What: The waning gibbous moon meets with Saturn, the ringed Planet

When: Thursday June 27, approx. 1am to approx. 1 hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: Find a low east to southeast horizon and start looking around 1am. The waning gibbous moon will rise with Saturn to its left. They will rise higher in the sky over the next few hours and will get closer to each other - enough to be observed together with binoculars. The moon will continue to be visible after dawn but Saturn will fade out of view once the light of the sky is too bright.

❤️️ June 28, morning: Moon meets Neptune

What: The third quarter moon meets with the distant planet Neptune

When: Friday June 28, approx. 2am to approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Telescope required (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ)

How: This is a challenging observation and may only be possible from certain locations. Neptune is so far that it requires a telescope. It’s possible to see it with binoculars for experienced amateur astronomers, but challenging. Since it mostly requires a telescope, and telescopes have a narrow field of view, it needs to be right around the time of its nearest approach with the moon. I recommend using an astronomy app like SkySafari to figure out the exact timing.

The moon will be easy to find any time after about 2am. Point your telescope at it and, if the timing is right, Neptune should be in the same field of view. Use your lowest powered eyepiece and use the simulation above to help you find Neptune. Note that it is for a specific time and location, and the placements of the celestial objects will be different if you’re viewing from other places or times. Again, it’s helpful to use an app like SkySafari to see their exact configuration relative to each other and the stars from your location and time.

The moon will continue to be visible after dawn but Neptune will fade out of view as soon as the light of dawn starts to arrive.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💙 July 3, morning: Moon meets Jupiter, Pleiades, and Hyades

What: The thin waning crescent moon meets with Jupiter and two bright star clusters; the Pleiades and Hyades

When: Wednesday July 3, approx. 2 hours before sunrise to approx. 1 hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The moon will rise in the northeast about two hours before the sun, with Jupiter to its right, looking like a very bright star. Once they’ve risen a little higher above the horizon, you should be able to see the bright and compact Pleiades star cluster above and right of them, as well as the more dispersed Hyades cluster, below and right of Jupiter.

💛 July 7, evening: Moon meets Mercury

What: The thin waxing crescent moon meets with the planet Mercury

When: Sunday July 7, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. one hour after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)

How: The thin waxing crescent moon will become visible in the approximately 30 minutes following sunset, between the west and northwest horizons. As the sky darkens, Mercury will begin to appear below and right of the moon. They will set shortly after that, so there’s a brief window of time to see them together.

💛 July 13, evening: Moon occults Spica

What: The first quarter moon occults (hides) Spica, the brightest star in Virgo

Where: Mexico, most United States, and some of Canada

When: Saturday July 13, between sunset and midnight (time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: This occultation will only be visible from certain locations in North America. To see if it’s visible from your location, use an astronomy app like SkySafari. Set your location, navigate to the evening of July 13, centre on the moon and go forward or backward in time until Spica disappears behind the moon. If it happens when the moon is above the horizon but at least 1.5 hours after sunset, you should be able to see the occultation. If if disappears behind the moon when they are below the horizon or during daylight hours, or if it passes beside the moon, you will not see an occultation but there will be a very close conjunction.

Note the times of disappearance and reappearance, since those are the most interesting to watch. You can see it with the naked eye or use binoculars or a telescope to view this event.

❤️️ July 14-16, morning: Mars meets Uranus

What: Mars, the red planet, meets with the distant blue-green planet Uranus

When: Sunday to Tuesday, July 14-16, approx. 2AM to approx. 2 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63) or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Look toward the east starting around 3am. You should see Mars, looking like a fairly bright star, well above the horizon. Point your binoculars or telescope at it and you should see Uranus in the same field of view. Uranus will look like a much less bright star, so you can use the above simulation to see their relative positions on any date, with similarly bright stars in the vicinity. After 3am, Jupiter will be lower in the sky, in the same general direction, looking a lot brighter that Mars.

💙 Night of July 20-21, all night: Full Buck Moon

The full moon of July is at its fullest at 6:18am Eastern Time on July 21. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be fullest on the evening of July 20. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be about equally full on the evenings of July 20 and 21.

Named after the male deer that grow new antlers in the northern hemisphere at this time of year, the Full Buck Moon will rise towards the southeast about 30 minutes after sunset on July 20. This is one of the lowest full moons of the year for observers in the northern hemisphere because it lies close to where the sun is during the winter solstice.

💙 July 30, morning: Moon meets Jupiter, Mars, Pleiades, and Hyades

What: The waning crescent moon meets with Jupiter, Mars, and two bright star clusters; the Pleiades and Hyades

When: Tuesday July 30, approx. 4 hours before sunrise to approx. 1 hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The moon will rise in the northeast about five hours before the sun. Jupiter will rise below it, looking like a very bright star, about an hour later. Once they’ve risen a little higher above the horizon, you should be able to see the bright and compact Pleiades star cluster above and right of them, as well as the more dispersed Hyades cluster, to the right of Jupiter, along with Mars between the moon and the Hyades.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💙 August 1-20: Perseid meteor shower peaks Aug 13

Arguably the best meteor shower of the year, the Perseids certainly put on a show of shooting stars annually. On its orbit around the sun, the Earth slams into debris left by comet Swift-Tuttle once a year and those little bits of comet are what we observe as shooting stars!

The meteor shower technically starts around July 17th, but I’ve always found that the beginning of August is when it starts to become obvious. They gradually increase in intensity until the peak around the night of August 13, after which point they decrease more quickly. If you really want a good show, it’s best to go as close to August 13th, but a day or two before or after should still give a great view.

Go as far away from city lights as you can and find a spot where you can lie down with lots of blankets and pillows, with a wide open view of the sky. Look up and wait. You can try to see them in the evening, but they tend to get better between midnight and dawn. They can be seen in any part of the sky, but will all appear to emanate from the constellation of Perseus.

2024 is an fairly good year for the Perseids because the first quarter moon is on August 12. This means the moon will set around midnight during the peak, so the bright light of the moon will not be in the way of the smaller meteors in the later part of the night, when the shower is at its best.

💛 August 5, evening: Moon meets Venus

What: The thin waxing crescent moon meets Venus, with the brightest planet in our sky

When: Monday August 5, approx. 30 minutes after sunset to 45 minutes after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63) or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Get a clear view of the west to northwest horizon. Venus and the thin crescent moon will become visible near that horizon some time after sunset. The exact time will depend on your latitude as well as atmospheric conditions. The further north you are, the more challenging this observation will be. They will set together not very long after the sun.

💙 August 13-16, morning: Jupiter meets Mars

What: Jupiter, the king of the planets, meets with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Tuesday to Friday August 13 to 16, approx. 2am to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: You should see Jupiter and Mars, looking like two bright stars (Jupiter much more so), rise in the east around 2am. If you have binoculars or even a small telescope, you can see the two planets in the same field of view.

They will be fairly close to each other for a few days before and after, but their closest encounter will be on August 14 and 15.

💙 Nights of August 18-19 and 19-20, all night: Full Sturgeon Moon

The full moon of August is at its fullest at 2:26pm Eastern Time on August 19. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of August 18 and 19. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be fullest on the evening of August 19.

Named after the sturgeons that are most easily caught at this time of year in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, the Full Sturgeon Moon will rise in the southeast around the time of sunset on August 18 and about half an hour after sunset on August 19.

💙 August 20, evening: Moon meets Saturn

What: The waning gibbous moon (just past full) meets with Saturn, the ringed Planet

When: Tuesday August 20, approx. 2 hours after sunset to approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendation: Starsense Explorer DX 102AZ)

How: Start looking between the east and southeast about 2 hours after sunset. The waning gibbous moon with Saturn to its left will be high enough for good visibility. In the earlier part of the night, they will be close enough to each other to be observed together with binoculars, and from certain locations, with a telescope. They will rise higher in the sky and cross toward the west over the next few hours. The moon will continue to be visible after dawn but Saturn will fade out of view once the light of the sky is too bright.

💙 Night of August 25-26: Moon meets Pleiades

What: The third quarter moon meets with the bright Pleiades star cluster

When: Night of Sunday August 25 to Monday August 26, approx. 3 hours after sunset to approx. 2 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: The moon will rise in the northeast about 3 hours after sunset, accompanied by a bright cluster of stars, the Pleiades. When they’re low in the sky, it may be challenging to see the Pleiades through the thick atmosphere, but they’ll become easier to spot later as they rise higher. They will be closer to each other in the early part of the night, at which time you can use binoculars or even a telescope to view them together. The light of the bright moon may make it challenging to see the star cluster, but binoculars would make it easier.

💙 August 27, morning: Moon meets Jupiter and Mars

What: The thick waning crescent moon meets with Jupiter and Mars

When: Tuesday August 27, approx. 1AM to approx. 1 hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The moon will rise in the northeast a little before midnight on August 26. Jupiter will rise below it, looking like a very bright star, about half an hour later, followed by Mars to the left of Jupiter. Their view will get clearer as they rise higher in the sky over the next few hours.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💛 September 1, morning: Moon meets Mercury

What: The thin waning crescent moon meets Mercury

When: Sunday September 1, approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise to approx. 30 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The thin waning crescent moon will rise between the east and northeast about 1.5 hours before the sun, with Mercury to its right, looking like a fairly bright star. Both celestial objects will be challenging to see in the pre-sunrise glow. They will disappear from view as the sky becomes too bright.

💛 September 4, evening: Moon meets Venus

What: The thin waxing crescent moon meet Venus, the brightest planet

When: Wednesday September 4, approx. 20 minutes to 30 minutes after sunset

Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: This will be a challenging observation because of the low position of the moon and Venus and the brightness of the sky after sunset. It will most likely require binoculars, but could be seen with the naked eye from some locations. You will need a very low western horizon. Start looking near that horizon with binoculars shortly after sunset. Venus and the thin moon should appear very low in the sky some time after sunset and they will set about half an hour after the sun.

💛 September 5, morning: Mercury’s best morning visibility

What: Mercury, the smallest and fastest-moving planet, is at its best morning visibility of the year

When: Thursday September 5, approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: Mercury is notoriously difficult to see because it always stays close to the sun, moving back and forth between the evening sky and the morning sky. On September 5, its apparent distance from the sun, along with the autumn angle of the ecliptic will make it easier to see. September 5 will be the best, but it should be fairly good for 2-3 days before and after as well. Get a clear view of the eastern horizon. Start looking for the rise of Mercury near that horizon about 1.5 hours before sunrise. The much brighter Jupiter will already be high in the southeast. When Mercury rises, it will look like a fairly bright star in the glow of sunrise near the horizon. It will rise higher as the morning progresses, but the sky will get brighter, eventually making Mercury impossible to see. This will be visible to the naked eye but binoculars would make it easier to find.

💛 September 17, morning: Moon occults Saturn

Where: The west coast of North America, Hawai’i and parts of Australia

What: The full moon passes in front of Saturn, the ringed planet

When: Tuesday September 17, (exact time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari to see if the occultation is visible from your location. This event is visible from the west coast of North America in the dawn sky, shortly after midnight in Hawai’i, and in the evening in Australia.

Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find the lowest possible horizon toward the west (for observers on the west coast of North America). The moon and Saturn will get closer and closer to each other during the night until Saturn hides behind the moon. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to September 17 in the morning, and move forward and backward in time by minutes to see when Saturn appears to move behind the moon and reappear. Note that the disappearance or reappearance will only be visible if the objects are above the horizon but the sun is still below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the bright dawn light.

If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Saturn. Look at the full moon anytime in the night of September 16-17 (or 17-18 for Australia) to see the two celestial jewels together. A telescope can reveal the rings of Saturn while the moon is in the same field of view.

💙 Night of September 17-18, all night: Full Harvest Moon

The full moon of September is at its fullest at 10:35pm Eastern Time on September 17. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be fullest on the evening of September 17. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be about equally full on the evenings of September 17 and 18.

Named after the northern hemisphere’s harvest season, the Full Harvest Moon will rise in the east around the time of sunset on September 17. This Harvest Moon is also a Supermoon, meaning it will appear about 8% bigger and 15% brighter than average in our sky, and a partial lunar eclipse (see next section).

💛 Night of September 17-18: Partial lunar eclipse

Where: North and South America, Africa, Europe

What: The moon will pass partly inside the umbra (inner shadow) of the Earth, making it look like a bite was taken out of the moon

When: Night of Tuesday to Wednesday September 17 to 18, time depends on location

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: During a partial lunar eclipse, the moon passes partly inside the umbra of the Earth. This means that for a small area on the moon, the sun would disappear completely behind the Earth. The only sunlight that reaches that part of the moon during the eclipse has been filtered and refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere, giving it a deep red or orange colour. The rest of the moon remains illuminated much more brightly, which can make it challenging to see the red colour during a partial eclipse when only a small portion (in this case 3.5%) is eclipsed. It will look like a bite has been taken out of the moon, though! You can find out more about the specifics and timing on the Time and Date website.

❤️️ September 18, morning: Full moon occults Neptune

Where: Most of North America and Hawai’i

What: The full moon passes in front of the distant planet Neptune

When: Night of Tuesday to Wednesday September 17 to 18, (exact time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari to see if the occultation is visible from your location. This event is visible from most of North America after midnight on September 18, and shortly in late evening on September 17 in Hawai’i.

Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find a location far from light pollution. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to September 18 in the morning, and move forward and backward in time by minutes to see when Neptune appears to move behind the moon and reappear. Before the disappearance of Neptune, point your telescope at the moon and try to find Neptune. The full moon is extremely bright compared to Neptune, so it could be a challenge to see.

Note that the disappearance or reappearance will only be visible if the objects are above the horizon but the sun is still below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, Neptune will not be visible because of the bright dawn light.

If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Neptune. Look at the full moon anytime in the night of September 17-18 to see the two celestial jewels together. A telescope will be necessary to view Neptune.

💛 Night of September 21-22: Moon occults Pleiades

What: The waning gibbous moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster

When: Night of Saturday to Sunday September 21 to 22, (exact time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari to see if the occultation is visible from your location.

Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise a couple of hours after sunset in the northeast will get closer and closer to the Pleiades cluster during the night until it passes right in front of it. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to September 21 in the evening, and move forward in time by minutes to see when the Pleiades appear to move behind the moon and reappear. Note that the disappearance or reappearance will only be visible if the objects are above the horizon but the sun is still below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the bright dawn light.

Note that the gibbous moon is a lot brighter than the Pleiades, and binoculars or a telescope would make the observation a lot easier.

If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Pleiades. Look at the moon anytime in the night of September 21-22 to see the two celestial objects together.

💙 September 25, morning: Moon meets Mars

What: The third quarter moon meet Mars, the red planet

When: Wednesday September 25, approx. midnight to 1 hour before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)

How: The moon will rise around midnight (evening of September 24) in the northeast, with Mars right below it, looking like a bright red star. The brighter Jupiter will be further to their right. The moon and Mars will remain close as they rise higher in the sky until Mars disappears in the dawn light. The moon will remain visible after sunrise.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💛 October 2: Annular solar eclipse

Where: South America

What: The moon will pass in front of the sun, creating an annular solar eclipse for a narrow path on the surface of the Earth

When: Wednesday October 2, times vary depending on location

Equipment needed: Solar eclipse glasses, solar binoculars, or solar telescope (View recommendations here) Never look directly at the sun without certified solar viewing filters, even during the partial or annular phase of an eclipse.

How: Observers in South America will be able to view an annular or partial solar eclipse, depending on exact location. The annular eclipse path will cut across the Pacific Ocean, Chile, and Argentina. A good portion of South America, as well as Hawai’i and Antarctica will see a partial solar eclipse. See this Time and Date page for more info on this eclipse.

An annular solar eclipse happens when the moon passes directly in front of the sun at a time when it is further from the Earth, and therefore not big enough to cover the entire disc of the sun. If you’re in the path of annularity, it will turn the sun into what is often called a “ring of fire” solar eclipse. Anyone who is not perfectly aligned with the narrow path of annularity will get a partial solar eclipse, which looks like the moon is taking a bite out of the sun.

💛 October 5, evening: Moon meets Venus

What: The thin waxing crescent moon meet Venus, the brightest planet

When: Saturday October 5, approx. 20 minutes to 30 minutes after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: This will be a challenging observation because of the low position of the moon and Venus and the brightness of the sky after sunset. You will need a very low western horizon. Start looking near that horizon shortly after sunset. Venus and the thin moon should appear very low in the sky some time after sunset and they will set about half an hour after the sun. You can use binoculars to help you find them.

💙 October 14, evening: Moon meets Saturn

What: The waxing gibbous moon meets with Saturn, the ringed Planet

When: Monday October 14, approx. 1 hour after sunset to approx. 3am

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The waxing gibbous moon can be visible toward the southeast before sunset, but you’ll have to wait until the sky is dark enough to see Saturn to its right. They will be closer to each other in the earlier part of the night, and will slowly drift apart as they cross the sky toward the west.

💙 October 15-27: Orionid meteor shower peaks Oct 21

What: The Earth will pass through debris left by comet Halley, creating the Orionid meteor shower

When: October 15-27, all night (approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to 1.5 hours before sunrise)

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The meteor shower technically starts around October 2nd, but I find that mid-October is when it starts to become obvious. They gradually increase in intensity until the peak around the night of October 21, after which point they decrease over the next few days. If you really want a good show, it’s best to go as close to October 21, but a day or two before or after should still give a great view.

Go as far away from city lights as you can and find a spot where you can lie down with lots of blankets and pillows, with a wide open view of the sky. Look up and wait. You can try to see them in the evening, but they tend to get better between midnight and dawn. They can be seen in any part of the sky, but will all appear to emanate from the constellation of Orion.

In 2024, it’s best to observe the Orionids on or slightly after the peak on October 21 because the full moon occurs on October 17, and the light of the moon can really hinder your view of all but the biggest shooting stars. On the 21st, the moon will be in waning gibbous phase and rise about 3 hours after sunset. The moon will rise later on the 22nd and 23rd, giving you more time without the light of the moon.

💙 Night of October 20-21: Moon meets Jupiter

What: The waning gibbous moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets

When: Night of Sunday October 20 to Monday October 21, approx. 3 hours after sunset to dawn (approx. one hour before sunrise)

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The waning gibbous moon (with Jupiter below it) will rise toward the northeast about 3 hours after sunset. They will rise higher in the sky until about 5am and keep making their way west until Jupiter fades out of view from the light of dawn. The moon will remain visible into the morning.

💙 October 23-24, morning: Moon meets Mars

What: The waning gibbous moon meets with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Wednesday and Thursday October 23 and 24, approx. midnight to approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The moon and Mars will rise together around midnight toward the northeast. The moon will be above Mars in the night of October 22 to 23, and to the left of Mars in the night of October 23 to 24. They will rise higher in the sky until Mars disappears in the light of dawn.

💙 Nights of October 16-17 and 17-18, all night: Full Hunter’s Moon

The full moon of October is at its fullest at 7:27am Eastern Time on October 17. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of October 16 and 17. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be fullest on the evening of October 17.

Named after the northern hemisphere’s hunting season, the Full Hunter’s Moon will rise in the east around the time of sunset on October 16 and shortly after sunset on October 17. This Hunter’s Moon is also a Supermoon, meaning it will appear about 8% bigger and 15% brighter than average in our sky.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💛 November 4, evening: Moon meets Venus

What: The waxing crescent moon meet Venus, the brightest planet

When: Monday November 4, approx. 20 minutes to 1 hour after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)

How: This will be a challenging observation because of the low position of the moon and Venus and the brightness of the sky after sunset. You will need a very low western horizon. Start looking near that horizon shortly after sunset. Venus and the crescent moon should appear very low in the sky some time after sunset and they will set about an hour after the sun. You can use binoculars to help you find them.

💙 November 10, evening: Moon meets Saturn

What: The waxing gibbous moon has a close encounter with Saturn, the ringed planet

When: Sunday November 10, approx. 1 hour after sunset to approx. midnight

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Wait until darkness, at least an hour after sunset. Find the moon toward the southeast. Above it, you’ll see what looks like a bright star, which is actually Saturn. The moon will be quite bright, but you should be able to see Saturn with the naked eye. You can use binoculars to see them up close, or a telescope to fully reveal the rings of Saturn in the same field of view as the moon.

💙 Nights of November 14-15 and 15-16, all night: Full Beaver Moon

The full moon of November is at its fullest at 4:29pm Eastern Time on November 15. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be almost equally full on the evenings of November 14 and 15. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be fullest on the evening of November 15.

Named because beavers begin to take shelter at this time of year in the northern hemisphere, the Full Beaver Moon will rise in the northeast almost an hour before sunset on November 14 and shortly before sunset on November 15.

💛 Night of November 15-16: Full moon occults Pleiades

What: The full moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster

When: Night of Friday to Saturday November 15 to 16, (exact time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari to see if the occultation is visible from your location.

Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise around the time of sunset in the northeast, but the Pleiades cluster will no be visible until about an hour and a half later, when it’s dark. The moon will get closer and closer to the Pleiades cluster during the night until it passes right in front of it. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to November 15 in the evening, and move forward in time by minutes to see when the Pleiades appear to move behind the moon and reappear. Note that the disappearance or reappearance will only be visible if the objects are above the horizon but the sun is still below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the bright dawn light.

Note that the full moon is a lot brighter than the Pleiades, and binoculars or a telescope would make the observation a lot easier.

If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Pleiades. Look at the moon anytime in the night of November 15 to 16 to see the two celestial objects together.

💙 Night of November 16-17: Moon meets Jupiter

What: The waning gibbous moon (just past full) meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets

When: Night of Saturday to Sunday November 16 to 17, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to dawn (approx. one hour before sunrise)

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The waning gibbous moon will rise toward the northeast shortly after sunset, followed by Jupiter below it. They will rise higher in the sky until about 1am and keep making their way west until Jupiter fades out of view from the light of dawn. The moon will remain visible into the morning. They will get closer to each other as the night progresses.

💙 Night of November 20-21: Moon meets Mars

What: The waning gibbous moon meets with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Night of Wednesday to Thursday November 20 to 21, approx. 10pm to approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)

How: The moon and Mars will rise together around 10pm toward the northeast. Mars will be to the right of the moon. They will rise higher in the sky and drift apart until Mars disappears in the light of dawn.

💛 November 22-December 14, all night: Mars meets Beehive Cluster

What: Mars, the red planet, meets with the Beehive star cluster

When: Friday November 22 to Saturday December 14, approx. 5 hours after sunset to approx. 2 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: This is a fairly subtle encounter between a relatively bright planet and a small but beautiful star cluster. Unless you are in a very dark area, you will likely need binoculars to see the Beehive cluster. On any of those nights, find Mars once the sky is dark. It will be the reddish and fairly bright star toward the east a few hours after sunset, below the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Point your binoculars at Mars and you should be able to see a small but lovely star cluster in the same field of view.

💛 November 27, morning: Moon occults Spica

What: The waning crescent moon passes in front of Spica, the brightest star in the Virgo constellation

When: Wednesday November 27, early morning (exact time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari to see if the occultation is visible from your location.

Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise about 3.5 hours before the sun, between the east and southeast directions, with Spica close to it. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to November 27 in the morning, and move backward in time by minutes to see when the Spica appears to move behind the moon and reappear. Note that the disappearance or reappearance will only be visible if the objects are above the horizon but the sun is still below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the bright dawn light.

If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Spica.

Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!

Full astronomical details coming soon. Keep scrolling for an overview of the night sky magic that’s in store for 2024!

Is it easy to see?

💙 = Easy

💛 = Medium

❤️️ = Challenging

💛 November 22-December 14, all night: Mars meets Beehive Cluster

What: Mars, the red planet, meets with the Beehive star cluster

When: Friday November 22 to Saturday December 14, approx. 5 hours after sunset to approx. 2 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)

How: This is a fairly subtle encounter between a relatively bright planet and a small but beautiful star cluster. Unless you are in a very dark area, you will likely need binoculars to see the Beehive cluster. On any of those nights, find Mars once the sky is dark. It will be the reddish and fairly bright star toward the east a few hours after sunset, below the twin stars Castor and Pollux. Point your binoculars at Mars and you should be able to see a small but lovely star cluster in the same field of view.

💙 December 4, evening: Moon meets Venus

What: The waxing crescent moon meet Venus, the brightest planet

When: Wednesday December 4, approx. 20 minutes to 2 hours after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)

How: Find a low western horizon. Start looking near that horizon shortly after sunset. Venus and the crescent moon should appear low in the sky some time after sunset and they will set about two hours after the sun. You can use binoculars to help you find them.

💛 December 8, evening: Moon occults Saturn

Where: Pacific Ocean and Japan

What: The first quarter moon passes in front of Saturn, the ringed planet

When: Sunday December 8, (exact time depends on location)

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari to see if the occultation is visible from your location. This event is visible from the northern Pacific Ocean and Japan.

Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find a place away from light pollution. The moon and Saturn will get closer and closer to each other during the evening until Saturn hides behind the moon. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to December 8 in the evening, and move forward and backward in time by minutes to see when Saturn appears to move behind the moon and reappear. Note that the disappearance or reappearance will only be visible if the objects are above the horizon but the sun is still below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the bright dawn light.

If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Saturn. Look at the moon anytime in the evening of December 7 (for the Americas) or December 8 (for the eastern hemisphere) to see the two celestial jewels together. A telescope can reveal the rings of Saturn while the moon is in the same field of view.

💙 December 7-17: Geminid meteor shower peaks Dec 14

Possibly the most active meteor shower of the year, the Geminids are sure to light up the sky every year. The main reason the Perseids are more popular is because they tend to be easier to see, thanks to the warmer weather in August. Unlike most meteor showers’ sources, which are icy comets, the body responsible for the Geminid meteor shower is a rocky comet called 3200 Phaethon. On its orbit around the sun, the Earth slams into debris left by 3200 Phaethon once a year and those little bits of comet are what we observe as shooting stars!

The meteor shower technically starts around December 7th and lasts until the 17th, but this shower is best observed as close to the peak as possible, on the night of December 13 to 14. They can be seen early in the evening all the way until dawn, but the best time to watch them is around 2am, when the constellation of Gemini is straight overhead.

Go as far away from city lights as you can and find a spot where you can lie down with lots of blankets and pillows, with a wide open view of the sky. Look up and wait. They can be seen in any part of the sky, but will all appear to emanate from the constellation of Gemini. This can be a cold time of year and when you’re not moving much, it feels even colder, so I recommend wearing lots of extra warm clothes and packing your favourite hot drink.

The moon will be full close to the peak of this year’s meteor shower, so it may be challenging to see a lot of the fainter shooting stars, but it’s still worth going out to try to see some of the brighter ones.

💙 December 14, evening: Moon meets Jupiter

What: The full moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets

When: Saturday December 14, starting approx. 1.5 hours after sunset

Equipment needed: Naked eye

How: The full moon will rise toward the northeast about an hour before sunset. Jupiter will be to the right of the moon but won’t become visible until a bit later, when the sky is darker. They will rise higher in the sky until about 1am and keep making their way west until Jupiter fades out of view from the light of dawn. The moon will remain visible into the morning. They will get further from each other as the night progresses, so this encounter is best enjoyed in the early evening.

💙 Nights of December 14-15 and 15-16, all night: Full Cold Moon

The full moon of December is at its fullest at 4:02am Eastern Time on December 15. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be about equally full on the evenings of December 14 and 15. For anyone on other continents, the moon will be fullest on the evening of December 15.

Named for the northern hemisphere’s cold weather, the Full Cold Moon will rise in the northeast about 1 hour before sunset on December 14 and around the time of sunset on December 15. Being the closest full moon to the winter solstice, this is the highest full moon of the year for the northern hemisphere.

💙 Night of December 17-18: Moon meets Mars

What: The waning gibbous moon has a close encounter with Mars, the Red Planet

When: Night of Tuesday to Wednesday December 17 to 18, approx. 3 hours after sunset to approx. 1.5 hours before sunrise

Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)

How: The moon and Mars will rise together about 3 hours after sunset toward the northeast. Mars will be close to the moon and they will get very close to each other at a certain time, depending on the location. They will rise higher in the sky and make their way west until Mars disappears in the light of dawn.

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