Are you looking for the best astronomical events of 2024? Whether you are an astrophotographer or love stargazing, there are plenty of things to see in the night sky in 2024! From dazzling comets and occultations to meteor showers and lunar and solar eclipses. In this guide, written by an experienced astrophotographer, you will discover the dates, and times of the most exciting astronomical events of the year.
Contents:
Alignments, conjunctions and other visual events
28 January: Conjunction of Mercury and Mars
As the planet Mercury makes its way back towards the Sun it will make a close approach to Mars, which will be visually recognisable from around the 25th onwards. On the 28th the pair will appear to be separated by less than a degree. They will both be above the eastern horizon from around 4:00 AM AEST. Mercury will be the brightest of the pair.
11 April: Saturn and Mars
On the morning of the 11th of April Saturn will make a close approach to Mars. The pair will appear to be separated by less than 1 degree. Look towards the eastern horizon from about 4:00 AM AEST.
29 June - 1 July: Moon aligns with Saturn, Mars and Jupiter
From the 29th of June to the 1st of July, the Moon will appear to align with three planets: Saturn, Mars and Jupiter from our viewpoint on Earth. This is best viewed before the Sun rises each morning, look towards the east-northeastern horizon.
14 and 15 August: Conjunction of Mars and Jupiter
On the morning of the 14th of August and 15th of August, the pair will appear to be separated by less than 1 degree from our viewpoint on Earth. Look towards the east-northeast horizon from around 2:30 AM AEST.
19 August: Blue Moon
A Blue Moon is a term that refers to an extra full moon that occurs in a certain period of time. A Blue Moon happens about once every 2.7 years. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun. It will be fully illuminated. This occurs at 18:27 UTC on the 19th of August.
Some events are based on my location in southeast Queensland, and may not be observable depending on your location, or maybe observable to you, but at a different time or date.
Lunar and Solar Eclipses
24–25 March: Penumbral Lunar Eclipse
A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the faint, outer part of Earth’s shadow, known as the penumbra. The eclipse will begin at 04:53:16 UTC. The eclipse covers most of Europe and north/east Asia, as well as much of Australia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific, Atlantic, Arctic, and Antarctica. Note due to differences in time zones, the eclipse may not be observable from your location.
Note: a penumbral lunar eclipse is hard to observe with the naked eye. The moon may appear a bit dimmer.
8 April: Total Solar Eclipse
A total solar eclipse occurs when the Moon completely covers the Sun’s disk. This event happens when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, completely blocking the face of the Sun. The path of totality, where the Moon covers the Sun completely, causing a total eclipse, will cross over parts of Mexico (from Sinaloa to Coahuila), the USA (from Texas to Maine), and Canada (from Ontario to Newfoundland). A partial eclipse will be visible across nearly all of North America, and a small area of western Europe. It will start at 15:42:15 UTC.
During the eclipse, you may be able to see some planets such as Venus and Jupiter, and possibly the comet 12P/Pons-Brooks which is expected to be around magnitude 4 as it reaches perihelion.
Find out more about the total solar eclipse.
Remember, it’s important to never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection, even during an eclipse, as it can cause serious eye damage.
17–18 September: Partial Lunar Eclipse
A lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon moves into the Earth’s shadow, causing the Moon to be darkened. This can only happen during a full moon phase when the Moon’s orbital plane is closest to the plane of the Earth’s orbit.
The eclipse will cover some parts of Europe, most of Asia, Africa, North America, South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, the Indian Ocean, the Arctic, and Antarctica. Note due to differences in time zones, the eclipse may not be observable from your location. The eclipse will start at 00:41:07 UTC.
Find out more about the partial lunar eclipse.
2 October: Annular Solar Eclipse
An annular solar eclipse, often referred to as a “ring of fire” eclipse, occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, but the Moon is too far from Earth to completely cover the Sun’s disk. As a result, the Sun appears as a very bright ring, or annulus, surrounding the dark disk of the Moon. The eclipse starts at 15:42:59 UTC. It will cover a small part of southern North America, and most of South America, the Pacific, the Atlantic, and some parts of New Zealand and Antarctica. Find out more about the annular solar eclipse.
Remember, it’s important to never look directly at the Sun without proper eye protection, even during an eclipse, as it can cause serious eye damage.
Comets
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks
Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks, also known as the Devil’s Comet, is a Halley-type periodic comet that was first discovered by Jean-Louis Pons on July 12, 1812, and then independently rediscovered by William Robert Brooks in 1883. It has an orbital period of about 71.3 years. During its closest approach to the Sun or perihelion, the comet comes within about 0.78 astronomical units (AU) of the Sun. Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks is also known for being the probable parent body causing the κ-Draconids meteor shower. It may be visible to the naked eye during perihelion on the 21st of April at around mag 4.2. It could be seen with binoculars on and around the 2nd of June when the comet is closest to Earth. It will be visible in the northern hemisphere before perihelion and the southern hemisphere after perihelion.
This comet may be observable during the total solar eclipse on the 8th of April, 2024. Since the comet’s brightness can be unpredictable, there this is not guaranteed, and viewers may need to use binoculars or telescopes to see it.
C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS)
Undoubtedly the most anticipated comet of the year. Comet C/2023 A3, also known as Tsuchinshan-ATLAS, is a comet from the Oort cloud that was discovered by the Purple Mountain Observatory on January 9, 2023, and independently found by ATLAS South Africa on February 22, 2023. C/2023 A3 reaches perihelion on the 27th of September and will be around mag 0.2. During September and October, the comet may become visible to the naked eye as it reaches its closest approach to Earth on the 12th of October at a distance of approximately 70.7 million kilometres. This is roughly 0.47 astronomical units (AU), where 1 AU is the average distance from the Earth to the Sun. It is predicted to be about mag -0.9. It will be visible in the southern hemisphere before perihelion and the northern hemisphere after perihelion.
C/2021 S3 (PanSTARRS)
Comet C/2021 S3 (PANSTARRS) is a nearly isotropic comet that was discovered on September 13, 2020, by the Pan-STARRS survey. It has a highly eccentric orbit with a perihelion distance of 1.32 AU. It is expected to reach its peak brightness of about mag 10.4 on the 14th of February 2024, when it will be closest to the Sun. It will also make its nearest approach to Earth on the 14th of March, at a distance of about 1.30 AU, it is expected to reach mag 7 at this time. During February and March, the comet might be visible with binoculars, to people in the southern hemisphere.
62P/Tsuchinshan
Comet 62P/Tsuchinshan is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 6.18 years. It will make its closest approach to Earth on the 29th and 30th of January at an estimated mag 9.5. The comet will pass at a distance of about 0.5935 AU. It is only visible to observers in the northern hemisphere. It is not visible to the naked eye.
144P/Kushida
Comet 144P/Kushida was discovered by Yoshio Kushida at the Yatsugatake South Base Observatory in Japan in January 1994, is a periodic comet with an orbital period of 7.6 years. It is expected to reach perihelion, its closest point to the Sun, on January 25. At this time, it might become observable with small telescopes and is expected to peak at mag 9.032. The comet made its closest approach to Earth on December 12, 2023. It can be observed from both hemispheres.
13P/Olbers
Comet 13P/Olbers is a periodic comet with an orbital period of about 70 years. It was discovered by Heinrich Wilhelm Olbers on the 6th of March, 1815, and was last seen in 1956. The comet is expected to return to the inner solar system in 2024, when it will reach its perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on the 30th of June, at a distance of 1.18 AU. The comet will also make its closest approach to Earth on the 9th of July at a distance of 1.94 AU. It will be visible in both hemispheres, but more favourably in the southern sky before perihelion and in the northern sky after perihelion. The comet may reach a peak brightness of about mag 8, making it a possible binocular or small telescope object.
Major Meteor Showers
Quadrantids (3-4 January)
The first meteor shower of the year is the Quadrantids, which will peak on the night of the 3rd of January and the morning of the 4th of January. The Quadrantids is an above-average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. It is thought to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH, which was discovered in 2003. The best time to view the Quadrantids is after midnight, when the radiant, or the point in the sky where the meteors appear to originate, is high in the sky. The radiant is located in the constellation of Bootes. However, you may need to contend with the bright light of the waning gibbous moon, which will block out some of the fainter meteors.
Lyrids (20-23 April)
The next meteor shower to look forward to is the Lyrids, which will peak on the night of the 21st of April and the morning of the 22nd of April. The Lyrids is a medium shower, with about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is one of the oldest known meteor showers, with records dating back to 687 BC. It is produced by dust particles from Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, which orbits the Sun every 415 years. The best time to view the Lyrids is before dawn when the radiant is high in the sky. The radiant is located in the constellation of Lyra, near the bright star Vega, but they can appear anywhere in the sky. The good news is that the moon will be a thin crescent, which means that the sky will be dark enough to see the meteors clearly.
Eta Aquarids (2-7 May)
The Eta Aquarids is a meteor shower that will peak on the night of the 4th of May and the morning of the 5th of May. The Eta Aquarids is a strong shower, with up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles from Halley's Comet, which is the most famous comet in history and visits the Earth every 76 years. The best time to view the Eta Aquarids is before dawn when the radiant is high in the sky. The radiant is located in the constellation of Aquarius, near the star Eta Aquarii, but the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky. The bad news is that the moon will be almost full, which means that the sky will be very bright and many of the meteors will be washed out. To increase your chances of seeing the Eta Aquarids, find a dark location away from city lights. You may see some fast and bright meteors that can leave long trails behind them.
Delta Aquarids (14 July - 19 August)
The Delta Aquarids is a long-lasting meteor shower that will peak on the night of the 28th of July 28 and the morning of the 29th of July. The Delta Aquarids is a moderate shower, with about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles from two comets: 96P/Machholz and 169P/NEAT. The best time to view the Delta Aquarids is after midnight when the radiant is high in the sky. The good news is that the moon will be a thin crescent, which means that the sky will be dark enough to see the meteors. You may even see some meteors from the Perseids, which is another meteor shower that overlaps with the Delta Aquarids.
Perseids (29 July - 17 August)
The Perseids is one of the most popular and spectacular meteor showers of the year, which will peak on the night of the 12th of August and the morning of the 13th of August. The Perseids is a very strong shower, with up to 100 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles from Comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 133 years. The best time to view the Perseids is after midnight when the radiant is high in the sky. The radiant is located in the constellation of Perseus, near the famous Double Cluster. The bad news is that the moon will be almost full, which means that the sky will be very bright and many of the meteors will be washed out. Be patient and keep your eyes on the sky, and you may see some of the brightest and most colourful meteors of the year, which can leave long and persistent trails behind them.
Orionids (2-7 October)
The Orionids is a meteor shower that will peak on the night of the 21st of October and the morning of the 22nd of October. The Orionids is a strong shower, with up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust particles from Halley's Comet, which is the same comet that produces the Eta Aquarids. The best time to view the Orionids is before dawn when the radiant is high in the sky. The radiant is located in the constellation of Orion, near the bright star Betelgeuse. The moon will be a thin crescent, which means that the sky will be dark enough.
Leonids (15-20 November)
The Leonids is a meteor shower that will peak on the night of the 17th of November and the morning of the 18th of November. The Leonids is a variable shower, which means that it can produce different rates of meteors in different years. In most years, it produces about 15 meteors per hour at its peak, but in some years, it can produce hundreds or even thousands of meteors per hour in a phenomenon known as a meteor storm. The last meteor storm occurred in 2002, and the next one is not expected until 2034. The Leonids are produced by dust particles from Comet 55P/Tempel-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun every 33 years. The best time to view the Leonids is after midnight when the radiant is high in the sky. The radiant is located in the constellation of Leo, near the bright star Regulus. Unfortunately, the moon will be almost full, which means that the sky will be very bright and many of the meteors will be washed out.
Geminids (4-17 December)
The Geminid meteor shower is one of the most spectacular and reliable meteor showers of the year. It occurs every December when the Earth passes through the debris left behind by an asteroid called 3200 Phaethon. The Geminids can produce up to 150 meteors per hour at their peak, which is expected to be on the night of the 13th of December and the morning of the 14th of December. However, the viewing conditions may not be ideal, as the moon will be almost full and will wash out some of the fainter meteors.
Lunar occultations
An occultation is an event that occurs when one object is hidden from the observer by another object that passes between them. For example, when the Moon passes in front of a star or a planet, it is called a lunar occultation. A lunar occultation can be seen with the naked eye provided the associated star or planet is bright enough, however, they are best observed with binoculars or a telescope.
5 May: Lunar occultation of Mars
This occultation will only be visible from Madagascar, Mauritius, Reunion and Seychelles and surrounding locations. The occultation will start on the morning of the 5th at 00:06 with Mars re-emerging at 04:27 UTC. The Moon will be below the horizon when the occultation begins but observers will be able to witness the reappearance of Mars.
31 May: Saturn slips behind the Moon
On the 31st of May, the Moon will pass in front of Saturn and its many moons. This will be visible from southern South America including Argentina, Chile, southern Brazil and Uruguay and surrounding locations. The occultation will begin at 06:23 UTC.
27 June: Lunar occultation of Saturn
On the 27th of June from around 10:45 PM AEST the Moon will pass upfront of Saturn. The Moon would be just above the horizon at the start of the occultation. Saturn begins to re-emerge an hour later at about 11:45 PM.
24 July: The Moon passes in front of Saturn
On the 24th of July, Saturn will slip behind the Moon. This will be visible from southeast Asia and some parts of eastern Africa. The occultation will begin at 18:27 UTC and will end at 22:27 UTC, for more information on visibility refer to Lunar Occultations.
21 August: Saturn slips behind the Moon
On the 21st of August starting at 00:45 UTC the Moon will pass in front of Saturn. This lunar occultation is visible from parts of northern South America and the Caribbean, Africa and Europe. The occultation ends at 04:37 UTC.
17 September: Lunar occultation of Saturn
This event will be visible from western USA, western Canada, Hawaii and some parts of Australia, Papua New Guinea and surrounding locations. The occultation will start at 18:08 AEST (08:08 UTC) and end at 22:07 AEST (12:07 UTC).
8 December: Lunar occultation of Saturn
On the 8th of December, from 06:35 UTC, the Moon will pass in front of Saturn. It will be visible from various countries, including eastern Indonesia, Japan, the Philippines, and northwest Papua New Guinea.
17 December: Lunar occultation of Mars
On the 17th of December, there will be a lunar occupation of Mars. This event will be visible from parts of Canada, Greenland, eastern Russia, Alaska and surrounding locations. The occultation will start at 07:47 UTC and will end at 10:47 UTC.
This is not an exhaustive list of astronomical events for 2024. Refer to my What's up? night sky guide for detailed information provided every month. Subscribe to my email list to stay up to date.
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