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2025
Astronomical Calendar
This supplement to Moon Guy Next Door’s wall calendar dives deeper into the best astronomical events of the year and how to observe them.
Scroll down for all the juicy details, or order your calendar on The Moon Guy Shop
January
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙 January 3, PM: Moon meets Venus
What: The waxing crescent moon meet Venus, the brightest planet
When: Friday January 3, approx. 20 minutes to 4 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: Find a low southwest horizon. Start looking above that horizon shortly after sunset. Venus and the crescent moon should appear some time after sunset and they will set about four hours after the sun. You can use binoculars to help you find them.
💙 January 4, PM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waxing crescent moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Saturday January 4, approx. 1 hour after sunset to 5 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: Wait until darkness, at least an hour after sunset. Find the moon toward the south-southwest. Beside it, you’ll see what looks like a bright star, which is actually Saturn. The much brighter “star” further west is Venus. You can use binoculars to see them up close, but they’ll get further apart as the night progresses.
💛 January 9, PM: Moon occults Pleiades
What: The waxing gibbous moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster
When: Thursday January 9, evening (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 in early afternoon in the northeast, but the Pleiades cluster will no be visible until about an hour and a half after sunset, when it’s dark. The moon will pass in front of the star cluster sometime in the evening, depending on your location. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari. Centre on the moon, go to January 9 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 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 January 9 to 10 to see the two celestial objects together.
💙 January 10, PM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The waxing gibbous moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Friday January 10, starting approx. 1.5 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: The waxing gibbous moon will rise toward the northeast in mid-afternoon, but you’ll need to wait until darkness to see Jupiter close to it. They will rise higher in the sky for a few hours and keep making their way west until they set in the northwest before sunrise. They will get further from each other as the night progresses.
💙/💛 January 13, PM: Full moon occults Mars
Where: Most of North America and west Africa
What: The full moon passes in front of Mars, the red planet
When: Monday January 13, evening (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 most of North America (except northwest Canada and Alaska) and western Africa.
Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your location, find a place away from light pollution. The moon and Mars 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 Monday January 13 in the evening, and move forward and backward in time by minutes to see when Mars 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 below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the bright dusk light.
If the occultation is not visible from your location, it will be a close conjunction of the moon and Mars. Look at the full moon anytime in the evening of January 13 (for the Americas) to see the two celestial jewels together. A telescope can reveal some colour and detail on Mars while the moon is in the same field of view.
💙 Night of January 13-14, all night: Full Wolf Moon
January’s full moon is at its fullest at 5:28pm Eastern Time on January 13. This means that for most of North and South America, it will be at its fullest on the evening of January 13. For the rest of the world, it’ll be almost equally full on the evenings of January 13 and 14.
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 shortly before sunset on January 13.
💙 January 15-20, PM: Venus meets Saturn
What: Venus, the brightest planet, meets with Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Wednesday to Monday, January 15 to 20, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 4 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Skymaster 9x63)
How: Once the sunset light has faded, find Venus close toward the southwest, with Saturn near it, both looking like bright star. Venus is the brighter of the two. They will set about 4 hours after the sun, but will look brighter early in the evening when they’re higher in the sky.
💙 January 31, PM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waxing crescent moon meets with Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Friday January 31, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 2 hours 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 southwest horizon, with Saturn near it, looking like a bright star. Don’t be fooled by the much brighter Venus, higher above the moon and Saturn. They will set together about 2 hours after the sun, but will look brighter early in the evening when they’re higher in the sky.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
February
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙/❤️️ February 1, PM: Moon meets Venus and Neptune
Moon, Venus and Neptune through 8x binoculars
What: The waxing crescent moon meets with Venus, the brightest planet, and Neptune, the furthest planet
When: Saturday February 1, approx. 30 minutes after sunset to approx. 3 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: Once the sunset light has faded a bit, find the moon above the southwest horizon, and you should see Venus to its right, looking like a very bright star. To see Neptune, you’ll need a pair of binoculars and you’ll need to wait until the sky has darkened completely, at least 1.5 hours after sunset. There will be several stars brighter and of similar brightness to Neptune in the field of view, so you can use the above simulation to help you find Neptune. Note that even with binoculars, it will be challenging to see Neptune, depending on the light and atmospheric conditions, as well as your experience level. They will set together about 4 hours after the sun, but will look brighter early in the evening when they’re higher in the sky.
💛 Night of February 5-6: Moon occults Pleiades
What: The waxing gibbous moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster
When: Night of Wednesday to Thursday February 5 to 6, (exact time depends on location)
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory to see if the occultation is visible from your location.
Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your area, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise in late morning in the northeast, but the Pleiades cluster will not be visible until about an hour and a half after sunset, when it’s dark. The moon will pass in front of the star cluster sometime during the night, depending on your location. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory. Centre on the moon, go to February 5 in the evening, and move forward in time by hours and 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 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 February 5 to 6 to see the two celestial objects together.
💙 February 6, PM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The waxing gibbous moon meets with Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Thursday February 6, starting approx. 1.5 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: The waxing gibbous moon will rise toward the northeast in mid-day, but you’ll need to wait until darkness to see Jupiter close to it. They will be highest in the sky a couple of hours after sunset and make their way west until they set in the northwest a few hours before sunrise.
💙 Night of February 16-17: Moon meets Spica
What: The waning gibbous moon passes very close to Spica, the brightest star in Virgo
When: Night of Sunday to Monday, February 16 to 17, approx. midnight to 1.5 hours before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: The moon will rise around 11pm toward the east, with Spica by its side. Spica will become much easier to see later in the night, when the two celestial objects are higher in the sky. The time of their closest encounter will depend on your location, but they will pass close enough to each other to see both of them with binoculars or even a small telescope.
💛 February 24, PM: Saturn meets Mercury
What: Mercury meets with Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Monday, February 24, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 1 hour after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Once the sunset light has faded, look very close to the western horizon to find Mercury and Saturn. Mercury will be on the right and the brighter of the two planets. This observation is somewhat challenging because they will be very low in the sky by the time the sky is dark enough to see them. Binoculars would really help to locate them, and a small telescope would be even better. As a reference point, they’ll be directly below the very bright Venus (first “star” to appear in the west), but much closer to the horizon.
💛 February 28, PM: Moon meets Mercury
What: The very thin waxing crescent moon meets with Mercury
When: Friday February 28, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 1 hour after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: Once the sunset light has faded a bit, look for the very thin crescent moon above the western horizon, directly below the very bright Venus, but very close to the horizon. You will need a near perfectly clear horizon (without any obstructions or clouds) and binoculars would really help in the search. Mercury will be right above the thin crescent moon, in the same binocular field of view.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
March
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙 March 1, PM: Moon meets Venus
What: The thin crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet
When: Saturday, March 1, approx. 30 minutes after sunset to 2 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: After sunset, look to the western horizon to see the waxing crescent moon close to Venus. The moon will be below and left of Venus, and both will shine brightly as they sit low in the sky together.
💙 March 5, PM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The first quarter moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Wednesday, March 5, starting approx. 30 minutes after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look high in the sky toward the southwest after sunset to see the bright first quarter moon with Jupiter to its left. The two celestial objects will be positioned near each other in the sky. Both will be visible to the naked eye, and they will make their way west until they set toward the northwest after midnight.
💛 March 7, PM: Mercury's best evening visibility
What: Mercury, the planet nearest the sun, is at its best evening visibility of the year
When: Friday March 7, approx. 45 minutes after sunset to approx. 1.5 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
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 7, its apparent distance from the sun, along with the springtime angle of the ecliptic will make it easier to see. March 7 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 toward the west. Start looking near that horizon about 45 minutes after sunset. Venus will be visible much earlier because it’s a lot brighter and a bit higher in the sky. Mercury will appear after Venus, 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.
💙 March 8, PM: Moon meets Mars
What: The waxing gibbous moon meets Mars, the red planet
When: Saturday, March 8, starting approx. 30 minutes after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: The waxing gibbous moon can be seen toward the east in the afternoon, but you’ll need to wait for darkness to see Mars beside it. After sunset, the two will be high in the sky, Mars looking like a red-hued bright star. They will be closest to each other in the early part of the night, when you can use binoculars to see them together up close.
💛 March 10-12, PM: Venus meets Mercury
What: Venus, the brightest planet, meets Mercury
When: Monday to Wednesday, March 10-12, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look toward the western horizon after sunset to see Venus and Mercury, two bright planets, close together in the sky. Venus will be the brighter of the two and will become visible well before Mercury, but Mercury will be next to it, on the left of Venus, making for a beautiful pairing. Both planets will be low on the horizon, so a clear, unobstructed view is essential to catch this event.
💙 Night of March 13-14: Total lunar eclipse
Where: North and South America
What: The moon will pass fully inside the umbra (inner shadow) of the Earth, making it turn a deep red or orange colour
When: Night of Thursday to Friday March 13 to 14, time depends on location
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: During a total lunar eclipse, the moon passes fully inside the umbra of the Earth. This means that if you were standing on the moon at that time, the sun would disappear completely behind the Earth. The only sunlight that reaches the moon during the eclipse has been filtered and refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere, giving it a deep red or orange colour. For about an hour leading up to the total eclipse, the umbra will slowly take over the moon, in what is known as the partial phases of the eclipse. During the partial phases, the rest of the moon remains illuminated much more brightly, which can make it challenging to see the red colour until closer to the total eclipse.
Phases of the total lunar eclipse, provided in Eastern Daylight Time for the night of March 13 to 14:
11:57pm EDT - Penumbral eclipse begins
1:09am EDT - Partial eclipse begins
2:26am EDT - Total eclipse begins
3:31am EDT - Total eclipse ends
4:47am EDT - Partial eclipse ends
6:00am EDT - Penumbral eclipse ends
The penumbral phases are very subtle and difficult to observe, but they can be a good test of your observing skills, and are interesting to photograph and compare with the full moon before the start of the eclipse.
This eclipse is best seen from North and South America, but parts of it can be observed from the other coasts of the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. You can find out more about the specifics and timing on the Time and Date website.
💛 March 29: Partial solar eclipse
Where: Northeastern North America
What: The moon will pass partly in front of the sun, creating an partial solar eclipse for a certain parts of the world
When: Saturday March 29, 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 certain regions of northeastern North America will be able to view a partial solar eclipse, depending on exact location. Europe and northwestern Africa will also see a small partial solar eclipse. See this Time and Date page for more info on this eclipse.
A partial solar eclipse happens when the moon passes almost directly in front of the sun as seen from parts of the Earth, but not exactly. This will make it look like the moon is taking a bite out of the sun.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
April
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙 April 1, PM: Moon occults Pleiades
What: The waxing crescent moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster
When: Tuesday April 1, evening (exact time depends on location)
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory to see if the occultation is visible from your location.
Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your area, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will become visible shortly after sunset toward the west, but the Pleiades cluster will not be visible until about an hour and a half after sunset, when it’s dark. The moon will pass in front of the star cluster sometime during the evening, depending on your location. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory. Centre on the moon, go to April 1 in the evening, and move forward in time by hours and 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 below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the light of dusk.
You should be able to see the Pleiades with the naked eye, but 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 evening of April 1 to see the two celestial objects together.
💙 April 2, PM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The waxing crescent moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Wednesday, April 2, starting approx. 30 minutes after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look high in the sky toward the west after sunset to see the thick waxing crescent moon with Jupiter to its left. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will make their way west until they set toward the northwest after midnight.
💙 April 5, PM: Moon meets Mars
What: The waxing gibbous moon meets Mars, the red planet
When: Saturday, April 5, starting approx. 30 minutes after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: The waxing gibbous moon can be seen toward the east in the afternoon, but you’ll need to wait for darkness to see Mars beside it. After sunset, the two will be high in the sky, Mars looking like a red-hued bright star. They will be closest to each other in the early part of the night, when you can use binoculars to see them together up close.
💛 April 25, AM: Moon meets Venus and Saturn
What: The thin waning crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet, and Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Friday, April 25, approx. 1 hour to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Find a clear view of the eastern horizon and start looking about an hour before sunrise. Venus will be first to rise, looking like an extremely bright star, followed by the crescent moon below and left of Venus, and Saturn below and right of Venus. Venus and the moon should be easy to see, but Saturn will be more of a challenge as the light of dawn starts to appear.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
May
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙 May 3, PM: Moon meets Mars
What: The first quarter moon meets Mars, the red planet
When: Saturday, May 3, starting approx. 45 minutes after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: The first quarter moon can be seen toward the east in the afternoon, but you’ll need to wait for darkness to see Mars beside it. After sunset, the two will be high in the sky, Mars looking like a red-hued bright star. They will be visible to the naked eye, but you can use binoculars to see them together up close, anytime until they set after midnight. A bonus if you use binoculars, you might notice the Beehive star cluster right beside Mars!
💛 May 4-5, PM: Mars meets Beehive cluster
What: Mars, the red planet, meets with the Beehive star cluster
When: Sunday to Monday May 4 to 5, approx. 2 hours after sunset to approx. 1am
Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm) or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
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 or a telescope to see the Beehive cluster. On either of those nights, find Mars once the sky is dark. It will be the reddish and fairly bright star toward the west a couple of hours after sunset, to the right of the moon. Point your binoculars or telescope at Mars and you should be able to see a small but lovely star cluster in the same field of view. They will be close enough to each other for a few days before and after to see with binoculars.
💙 May 22, AM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waning crescent moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Thursday, May 22, approx. 2 hours to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendation: Cometron 7x50)
How: Find a clear view of the eastern horizon and start looking about two hours before sunrise. The moon will be first to rise, followed by Saturn below and left of the moon. The moon will remain visible at least until sunrise, but Saturn will disappear as the light of dawn comes in.
💙 May 23, AM: Moon meets Venus
What: The waning crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet
When: Friday May 23, approx. 1.5 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Find a clear view of the eastern horizon and start looking about an hour and a half before sunrise. The crescent moon will be first to rise, followed by Venus, looking like an extremely bright star below and left of the moon. The two celestial objects should be easy to see with the naked eye. They’re the two brightest objects in the night sky, after all!
💛 May 27, PM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The thin waxing crescent moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Wednesday, May 28, approx. 30 minutes to 1 hour after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look low in the sky toward the west after sunset to see the thin waxing crescent moon with Jupiter below it. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will set about an hour after the sun.
💙 May 31, PM: Moon meets Mars
What: The thick waxing crescent moon meets Mars, the red planet
When: Saturday, May 31, starting approx. 45 minutes after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: The thick crescent moon can be seen toward the west around the time of sunset, but you’ll need to wait for darkness to see Mars beside it. After sunset, Mars will look like a red-hued bright star left of the moon. They will be visible to the naked eye, but you can use binoculars to see them together up close, especially later in the evening before they set around midnight.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
June
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💛 June 8, PM: Jupiter meets Mercury
What: Jupiter, the king of the planets, meets Mercury
When: Sunday June 8, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: Look toward the western horizon after sunset to see Jupiter and Mercury, two bright planets, close together in the sky. Jupiter will be the brighter of the two and will become visible before Mercury, but Mercury will be next to it, above and right of Jupiter, making for a beautiful pairing. Both planets will be low on the horizon, so a clear, unobstructed view is essential to catch this event.
💙 June 19, AM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The third quarter moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Thursday, June 19, approx. 3 hours to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Find a clear view of the eastern horizon and start looking about three hours before sunrise. The moon will be first to rise and become visible, followed by Saturn below and right of the moon. The moon will remain visible until after sunrise, but Saturn will disappear as the light of dawn comes in.
💙 June 22, AM: Moon meets Venus
What: The waning crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet
When: Sunday June 22, approx. 2 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Find a clear view of the eastern horizon and start looking about two hours before sunrise. The crescent moon will be first to rise, followed by Venus, looking like an extremely bright star below and right of the moon. The two celestial objects should be easy to see with the naked eye. They’re the two brightest objects in the night sky, after all!
💛 June 26, PM: Moon meets Mercury
What: The thin waxing crescent moon meets Mercury
When: Thursday June 26, approx. 45 minutes to 1 hour after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: Look toward the west to northwest horizon after sunset to see the thin crescent moon and Mercury close together in the sky. Mercury will look like a bright star to the left of the moon. Both celestial bodies will be low on the horizon, so a clear, unobstructed view is essential to catch this event.
💙 June 29, PM: Moon meets Mars
What: The thick waxing crescent moon meets Mars, the red planet
When: Sunday, June 29, approx. 45 minutes to 2.5 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm) or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: The thick crescent moon can be seen toward the west around the time of sunset, but you’ll need to wait for darkness to see Mars very close to it. After sunset, Mars will look like a red-hued bright star immediately above the moon. They will be visible to the naked eye, but you can use binoculars or a telescope to see them together up close.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
July
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💛 July 3-5, AM: Venus meets Uranus
View through 8x binoculars
What: Venus, the brightest planet, meets Uranus, the second furthest planet
When: Thursday to Saturday July 3 to 5, approx. 2 hours to 1.5 hours before sunrise
Equipment needed: Binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: Look between the east and northeast horizons starting about 2 hours before sunrise. With the naked eye, you will see Venus, looking like an extremely bright star, rising. Once it’s a little higher in the sky, point your binoculars at it and you should see Uranus in the same field of view. Note that there will be stars in the field of view that are of similar brightness to Uranus, so you can use the above simulation to help you identify the distant planet. Both planets will be low on the horizon, so a clear, unobstructed view is essential to catch this event. Once the light of dawn starts to appear, Uranus will quickly fade out of sight, but Venus will remain bright until close to sunrise.
❤️️ July 7, AM: Saturn meets Neptune
View through telescope on July 7
What: Saturn, the ringed planet, meets Neptune, the furthest planet
When: June 27 to July 17 (closest Monday July 7), approx. 1am to 1.5 hours before sunrise
Equipment needed: Telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Distant planets like Saturn and Neptune move slowly, so this encounter will last a number of weeks. They will be within one degree of each other from June 27 to July 17 and will reach their nearest approach around July 7. Saturn is visible to the naked eye, but Neptune is much too dim, and will require a telescope. Expert stargazers can see Neptune with binoculars, but it takes practice.
Look toward the eastern horizon starting about 1am (or a bit earlier in mid-July). With the naked eye, you will see Saturn, looking like an fairly bright star, rising. Once it’s a little higher in the sky, point your telescope at it and you should see Neptune in the same field of view. Note that there will be stars in the field of view that are of similar brightness to and brighter than Neptune, so you can use the above simulation to help you identify the distant planet. The best time to see them is about 2 hours before sunrise, when the planets are higher in the sky, toward the southeast but the light of dawn hasn’t started yet. Once the light of dawn starts to appear, Neptune will quickly fade out of sight, but Saturn will remain visible until closer to sunrise.
💙 July 10-13, AM: Venus meets Hyades cluster
What: Venus, the brightest planet, meets with the Hyades star cluster
When: Thursday to Sunday July 10 to 13, approx. 2 hours to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: Look between the east and northeast horizons starting about 2 hours before sunrise, where you’ll see Venus, looking like an extremely bright start, rising. Once they’re a little higher in the sky, you should be able to see a scattered grouping of stars that includes the bright Aldebaran, below Venus.
💙 July 16, AM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waning gibbous moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Wednesday, July 16, approx. 12am to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: The moon will be first to rise around midnight in the night of July 15-16, followed by Saturn below the moon. The view will be better later in the night when the celestial bodies are higher in the sky. The moon will remain visible until after sunrise, but Saturn will disappear as the light of dawn comes in.
💛 July 20, AM: Moon occults Pleiades
What: The waning crescent moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster
When: Sunday July 20, morning (exact time depends on location)
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory to see if the occultation is visible from your location.
Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your area, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise around 1am toward the northeast, with the Pleiades cluster on its left. As the night progresses and the two objects make their way west, the moon will inch closer and closer to the Pleiades. The moon will pass in front of the star cluster sometime during the morning, depending on your location. For most of North America, this may happen after sunrise. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory. Centre on the moon, go to July 20 in the early morning, and move forward in time by hours and 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 below the horizon. If the sun is not far below the horizon, it may be possible to see but difficult because of the light of dawn.
You should be able to see the Pleiades with the naked eye, but 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 morning of July 29 to see the two celestial objects together.
💙 July 21, AM: Moon meets Venus
What: The waning crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet
When: Monday July 21, approx. 3 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Find a clear view of the northeast horizon and start looking about three hours before sunrise. The crescent moon will be first to rise, followed by Venus, looking like an extremely bright star below the moon. The two celestial objects should be easy to see with the naked eye. They’re the two brightest objects in the night sky, after all!
💛 July 23, AM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The thin waning crescent moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Wednesday, July 23, approx. 1.5 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting about one and a half hours before sunrise to see the thin waning crescent moon rising, with Jupiter to its right. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. Both celestial bodies will be low on the horizon, so a clear, unobstructed view is essential to catch this event.
💛 July 28, PM: Moon meets Mars
What: The waxing crescent moon meets Mars, the red planet
When: Monday, July 28, approx. 45 minutes to 1.5 hours after sunset
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: The crescent moon can be seen toward the west shortly after sunset, but you’ll need to wait for darkness to see Mars close to it. Once the sky is dark, Mars will look like a red-hued star to the right of the moon. They should be visible to the naked eye, but you can use binoculars or a telescope to see them together up close. Mars has large variations in brightness, and it is currently around it’s lowest brightness, so it could be a bit challenging to find in the post-sunset glow.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
August
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.
2025 is not an ideal year for the Perseids because the full moon is on August 9. This means the moon will be fairly bright still during the peak of the shower, but it’s still worth going to try and catch some shooting stars! This year, if you can’t go right on August 13 for the peak, it’s best to go a day or two after than a day or to before, since the moon will be less bright then.
💙 August 10-14, AM: Venus meets Jupiter Aug 12
What: Venus, the brightest planet, meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Sunday to Thursday, August 10 to 14, approx. 3 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting about three hours before sunrise to see Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, rising together. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. On their closest approach on August 12, they’ll be close enough to see both together in a telescope, but any morning between August 10 and 14, they will look lovely with the naked eye or binoculars.
💙 Night of August 11-12: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waning gibbous moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Night of Monday to Tuesday, August 11 to 12, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: The moon will be first to rise about one and a half hours after sunset, followed by Saturn below and to the left of the moon. The view will be better later in the night when the celestial bodies are higher in the sky. They will get closer to each other later in the night. The moon will remain visible until after sunrise, but Saturn will disappear as the light of dawn comes in.
💛 August 19, AM: Mercury's best morning visibility
What: Mercury, the smallest and fastest-moving planet, is at its best morning visibility of the year
When: Tuesday August 19, approx. 1.5 hours to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
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 August 19, its apparent distance from the sun, along with the late summer angle of the ecliptic will make it easier to see. August 19 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 east to northeast horizon. Start looking for the rise of Mercury near that horizon about 1.5 hours before sunrise. The much brighter Venus and Jupiter, along with the crescent moon, will already be high in the east. 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.
💙 August 19-20, AM: Moon meets Jupiter and Venus
What: The waning crescent moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets, and Venus, the brightest planets
When: Tuesday and Wednesday, August 19 and 20, approx. 2.5 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting about two and a half hours before sunrise. On August 19, the moon will be the first to rise, about four hours before the sun, followed by Jupiter about and hour later, and Venus another half hour later. On August 20, Jupiter will be the first to rise, followed by the moon and Venus. The three celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in.
💛 August 21, AM: Moon meets Mercury
What: The waning crescent moon meets Mercury
When: Thursday, August 21, approx. 1.5 hours to approx. 45 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: The moon will be first to rise about two hours before sunrise, followed by Mercury below it. They will become easier to see for a short while as they rise higher in the sky, until the light of dawn starts to take over, at which point both celestial bodies will disappear.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
September
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙 Night of September 7-8: Total lunar eclipse
Where: Asia, Africa, Europe, and Australia
What: The moon will pass fully inside the umbra (inner shadow) of the Earth, making it turn a deep red or orange colour
When: Night of Sunday to Monday September 7 to 8, time depends on location
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: During a total lunar eclipse, the moon passes fully inside the umbra of the Earth. This means that if you were standing on the moon at that time, the sun would disappear completely behind the Earth. The only sunlight that reaches the moon during the eclipse has been filtered and refracted through the Earth’s atmosphere, giving it a deep red or orange colour. For about an hour leading up to the total eclipse, the umbra will slowly take over the moon, in what is known as the partial phases of the eclipse. During the partial phases, the rest of the moon remains illuminated much more brightly, which can make it challenging to see the red colour until closer to the total eclipse.
The penumbral phases are very subtle and difficult to observe, but they can be a good test of your observing skills, and are interesting to photograph and compare with the full moon before the start of the eclipse.
Note: this eclipse will not be visible from North and South America.
You can find out more about the specifics and timing on the Time and Date website.
💙 September 8, AM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The full moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Monday, September 8, during the pre-dawn hours
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: The moon will rise toward the east around the time of sunset on September 7, with Saturn to its left, but they will mostly start getting close to each other in the early morning hours of September 8. The moon will remain visible until sunrise, but Saturn will disappear as the light of dawn comes in.
💙 September 16, AM: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The thick waning crescent moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Tuesday, September 16, approx. 1am to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50)
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting around 1am to see the thick waning crescent moon rising, with Jupiter to its right. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. Later in the morning, they will get closer together, making it possible to observe them both with binoculars.
💙 September 19, AM: Moon meets Venus and Regulus
What: The waning crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet, and Regulus, the brightest star in Leo
When: Friday, September 19, approx. 2 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting about two hours before sunrise. The moon will be the first to rise, followed shortly by Venus just below it, and Regulus just below Venus. Regulus is by far the least bright of the objects. The three celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. They will be close enough to each other to watch them with binoculars or a small telescope.
💛 September 21: Partial solar eclipse
Where: New Zealand and Antarctica
What: The moon will pass partly in front of the sun, creating an partial solar eclipse for a certain parts of the world
When: Sunday September 21, 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 New Zealand and certain regions of Antarctica will be able to view a partial solar eclipse, depending on exact location. See this Time and Date page for more info on this eclipse.
A partial solar eclipse happens when the moon passes almost directly in front of the sun as seen from parts of the Earth, but not exactly. This will make it look like the moon is taking a bite out of the sun.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
October
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💙 October 5, PM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The full moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Sunday, October 5, all night
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: The moon will rise toward the east around the time of sunset on October 5, and Saturn will appear below it once the light of dusk has left. They will cross the sky together all night long and can be seen with the naked eye or binoculars. They will set together about an hour before sunrise.
💛 Night of October 9-10: Moon occults Pleiades
What: The waning gibbous moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster
When: Night of Thursday to Friday, October 9 to 10, (exact time depends on location)
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory to see if the occultation is visible from your location.
Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your area, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise in early evening in the northeast, but the Pleiades cluster will not be visible until they are higher in the sky. The moon will pass in front of the star cluster sometime during the night, depending on your location. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory. Centre on the moon, go to October 9 in the evening, and move forward in time by hours and 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 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 or dusk 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 October 9 to 10 to see the two celestial objects together.
💙 Night of October 13-14: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The third quarter moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Night of Monday to Tuesday, October 13 to 14, approx. 11:30pm to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting around 11:30pm to see the third quarter moon rising, with Jupiter to its right. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. They will be closer to each other in the earlier part of the night, and slowly drift apart during the early morning.
💙 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.
2025 is an ideal year for the Orionids because they peak during the new moon. This will allow us to see all of the faintest meteors, especially when far from city lights.
💙 October 19, AM: Moon meets Venus
What: The thin waning crescent moon meets Venus, the brightest planet
When: Sunday, October 19, approx. 1.5 hours to 30 minutes before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: Look low in the sky toward the east starting about one and a half hours before sunrise. The moon will be the first to rise, followed shortly by Venus to its left. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. They will be close enough to each other to watch them with binoculars.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
November
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
❤️️ All month: Saturn's rings nearly disappear
What: The ringed planet, Saturn, will appear to lose its rings
When: All of November, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to midnight
Equipment needed: Telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Just like Earth, Saturn is inclined relative to the sun, which is how we're able to see its rings most of the time (from "above" or from "below"). But twice over Saturn's 29-year orbit around the sun, its rings end up perfectly edge-on from our perspective. And since they're razor thin relative to the size of the planet, they become practically invisible for a short time. They were exactly edge-on on March 23 of this year, but Saturn was too close to the sun to be observable. They are almost perfectly edge-on again for the entire month of November, which gives us a much better chance of observing this "disappearance of the rings".
You will definitely need a telescope to witness this, and the most interesting thing would be to observe Saturn earlier in the year, when the rings are still visible but getting thinner, so you have something to compare to.
💙 November 1, PM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waxing gibbous moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Saturday, November 1, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to 2am
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: The moon will rise toward the east before sunset on November 1, but you’ll have to wait until darkness to see Saturn to the left of the moon. They will cross the sky together and get closer to each other later in the night. They can be seen with the naked eye or binoculars and will set together around 2am.
💙 Night of November 9-10: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The waning gibbous moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Night of Sunday to Monday, November 9 to 10, approx. 5 hours after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting about 5 hours after sunset to see the waning gibbous moon rising, followed by Jupiter below it. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. They will get closer to each other in the later part of the night.
💙 November 28-29, PM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The waxing gibbous moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Friday and Saturday, November 28 and 29, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to 11pm
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: The moon will rise toward the east in mid-afternoon on November 28 and 29, but you’ll have to wait until darkness to see Saturn. Saturn will be left of the moon on the 28th and right of the moon on the 29th. They will cross the sky together until they set before midnight.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!
December
Is it easy to see?
💙 = Easy
💛 = Medium
❤️️ = Challenging
💛 Night of December 3-4: Moon occults Pleiades
What: The waxing gibbous moon passes in front of the bright Pleiades star cluster
When: Night of Wednesday to Thursday, December 3 to 4, (exact time depends on location)
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Check an astronomy app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory to see if the occultation is visible from your location.
Once you’ve determined that it’ll be visible from your area, find a location away from light pollution. The moon will rise in late afternoon in the northeast, but the Pleiades cluster will not be visible until they are higher in the sky and the sky is dark. The moon will pass in front of the star cluster sometime during the night, depending on your location. To find the exact timing of the occultation, use an app like SkySafari or Mobile Observatory. Centre on the moon, go to December 3 in the evening, and move forward in time by hours and 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 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 or dusk 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 December 3 to 4 to see the two celestial objects together.
💙 December 6-7, all night: Moon meets Jupiter
What: The waning gibbous moon meets Jupiter, the king of the planets
When: Saturday and Sunday, December 6 and 7, approx. 3 hours after sunset to 1 hour before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye
How: Look low in the sky toward the northeast starting about three hours after sunset to see the waning gibbous moon rising with Jupiter. On the 6th, the moon will be above Jupiter, and on the 7th, it will be to the left of Jupiter. The two celestial objects will be visible to the naked eye, and they will disappear as the light of dawn fades in. They will be closest to each other in the early morning hours of December 7.
💙 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.
2025 is a very good year for this shower since the peak happens during the waning crescent moon, which rises after 2am. As a bonus, the moon will be right beside Spica on the 14th when it rises in early morning.
💙 Night of December 9-10: Moon meets Regulus
What: The waning gibbous moon meets Regulus, the brightest star in Leo
When: Night of Tuesday to Wednesday, December 9 to 10, approx. 10pm to 1.5 hours before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye, binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm), or telescope (recommendations: Starsense Explorer LT 80AZ or Starsense Explorer LT 114AZ)
How: Look low in the sky toward the east to northeast around 10pm. The moon will rise with Regulus right beside it. From certain locations in Canada, there will actually be an occultation of Regulus, where it will pass directly behind the moon. Other locations will have a close conjunction of the two objects that is beautiful especially through a telescope.
💙 December 14, AM: Moon meets Spica
What: The waning crescent moon meets Spica, the brightest star in Virgo
When: Sunday, December 14, approx. 4 hours to 1.5 hours before sunrise
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: Look low in the sky toward the east to northeast. The moon will rise with Spica to its left about five hours before sunrise, but they will become more easily visible a little later when they’re higher in the sky.
💙 December 26, PM: Moon meets Saturn
What: The first quarter moon meets Saturn, the ringed planet
When: Friday, December 26, approx. 1.5 hours after sunset to 11pm
Equipment needed: Naked eye or binoculars (recommendations: Cometron 7x50 or Ultima 10x50mm)
How: The moon will rise toward the east in early afternoon, but you’ll have to wait until darkness to see Saturn, below the moon. They will cross the sky together until they set before midnight.
Need some moon magic in your home? Check The Moon Guy Shop!