Astronomy Events 2023

Astronomical Events 2023 Times are Central Time Zone ...OK To Copy 3rd Draft … see the website (astronomy.gpclements.com) at the bottom of the back side of this page for updates January 4 Today, the Earth is closest to the Sun for 2023. (Cold temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are due to the tilt of Earth's axis. The Sun is lower in the sky today than in July.) January 3,4 Quadrantids Meteor Shower Meteors appear to come from Constellation Bootes. View after midnight. The nearly Full Moon will hinder viewing of the meteors. January 6 Full Moon January 12 Mars ends its retrograde motion January 21 New Moon January 30 10:24 p.m. Mars 0.1 degrees north of Moon – Occultation for observers in southern USA and Central America February 5 Full Moon February 20 New Moon February 27 10:32 p.m. Mars 1.1 degrees south of Moon March 1 7 p.m. Venus is near Jupiter. Both are low in the western horizon shortly after sunset. March 7 Full Moon March 12 Beginning of Daylight Savings Time. Move clocks ahead one hour Saturday night. March 20 March Equinox ... 12 hours of night, 12 hours of daylight for all points on Earth. This is the start of Spring for the Northern Hemisphere. March 21 New Moon April 5 Full Moon April 9 Easter … Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the first Full Moon after March 21st. The latest date for Easter is April 25th (1943, 2038). April 11 Mercury is at a large angle (19 degrees) east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset. April 19 New Moon April 22,23 Lyrids Meteor Shower- about 20 meteors/hour if you view from a dark location. Meteors appear to come from the Lyra constellation. Observe after midnight. May 5 Full Moon May 6,7 Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower - about 20 meteors/hour if you have a dark sky. Meteors appear to come from Aquarius. Observe after midnight, but a bright Moon will hinder observing the meteors. May 19 New Moon June 3 Full Moon June 4 Venus is at its greatest Eastern Elongation (to the left of the Sun on the sky). Venus will be about 45 degrees away from the Sun. Mars is about 10 degrees to the East of Venus. Mars is dim. View after sunset. June 17 Saturn begins its retrograde motion June 17 New Moon June 21 June Solstice, Start of Summer for Northern Hemisphere. Start of Winter for S. Hemisphere. Greatest length of daylight hours for N. Hemisphere. July 3 Full Moon "Supermoon" The Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky as it will be at a point in its orbit slightly closer to the Earth than its average distance. July 6 The Earth is at its farthest point from the Sun today. (Warm temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere are due to the tilt of Earth's axis. The Sun is higher in the sky in July than in January.) July 17 New Moon August 1 Full Moon-"Supermoon." The Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky as it will be at a point in its orbit slightly closer to the Earth than its average distance. August 10 Mercury is 27 degrees east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset. August 12,13 Perseid Meteor Shower - Up to 50 meteors per hour if you have a dark sky. Meteors appear to come from Perseus constellation. Observe after midnight. August 16 New Moon August 27 Saturn Opposition … Saturn is closest to Earth, and brightest, for 2023. It is visible all night long. View it in the eastern sky at sunset and in the southern sky at midnight. August 30 Full Moon-"Supermoon." The Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky as it will be at a point in its orbit slightly closer to the Earth than its average distance. This is the second Full Moon for August 2023, a “Blue Moon.” September 4 Jupiter begins retrograde (westward) motion on the sky, as viewed from Earth September 14 New Moon September 22 Mercury is at a large angle (18 degrees) east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset. September 23 September Equinox, 12 hours of night, 12 hours of daylight, Start of Fall for Northern Hemisphere September 29 Full Moon -"Supermoon." The Moon will appear slightly larger and brighter in the sky as it will be at a point in its orbit slightly closer to the Earth than its average distance. October 14 New Moon October 14 Annular Solar Eclipse (Do not look at the Sun!) for Oregon (Eugene 9:16 a.m. PDT), NV, AZ, NM, and TX (San Antonio 11:54 a.m. CDT). – The Moon is too far from Earth to cover the whole disk of the Sun. Partial eclipse for most of USA. Eugene, OR 8:06 a.m. to 10:39 a.m. San Antonio 10:23 a.m. to 1:33 p.m. CDT Omaha 10:24 a.m. to 1:15 p.m. About 60% of Sun’s disk blocked by Moon at 11:46 a.m. (don’t look at the Sun) October 21,22 Orionid Meteor Shower - perhaps 20 meteors per hour if you have a dark sky. View after midnight. Meteors will appear to come from the Orion constellation. October 28 Full Moon November 3 Jupiter at Opposition (opposite side of Earth compared to Sun) … Jupiter is closest to Earth, and brightest, for 2023. It is visible all night long. View it in the eastern sky at sunset and in the southern sky at midnight. November 4 Saturn ends its retrograde motion November 5 End of Daylight Savings Time, Set clocks back one hour Saturday night. November 13 New Moon November 17,18 Leonid Meteor Shower - Up to 15 meteors per hour if your sky is dark. Meteors appear to come from Leo. View after midnight. November 26 6:02 p.m. Pleiades 1.1 degrees N of Moon November 27 Full Moon December 4 Mercury is 21 degrees east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset. December 12 New Moon December 13,14 Geminids Meteor Shower - up to 50 meteors/hour if you have a dark sky. Meteors seem to come from the Gemini constellation. View after midnight. December 22 December Solstice – This date has the shortest amount of daylight for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. Start of Winter for Northern Hemisphere December 26 Full Moon December 30 Jupiter ends its retrograde motion !!!Note---Start making plans for the April 8, 2024 Total Solar Eclipse that will be visible from Texas through Maine. Totality (sun blocked by Moon) lasts around 4.5 min. This list was assembled by Greg Clements. Sources: solarsystem.nasa.gov/eclipses/home/, seasky.org, timeanddate.com, nakedeyeplanets.com, in-the-sky.org, www.astropixels.com/almanac/almanac21/almanac2023cst.html, universetoday.com, www.telescopeguide.org/astronomy-guide-2021-2022/ Astronomy videos on YouTube, indexed at astronomy.gpclements.com Free, no registration Physics videos on YouTube, indexed at physics.gpclements.com Free, no registration The physics videos (about 340) are for an introductory physics class. The astronomy videos (about 200) include videos for the general public and educational videos. This sky calendar can be freely accessed and printed at astronomy.gpclements.com .