The Orionid meteor shower, occurring from October 2 to November 22, peaks on October 21-22 with potential for viewing a rare naked-eye comet, coinciding with the debris trail of Halley's Comet, and offers a spectacular celestial display for skywatchers.
International Observe the Moon Night 2025 is on October 4, featuring over 700 online and in-person events worldwide to celebrate and learn about the moon, with opportunities for stargazing, lunar photography, and space exploration education, encouraging public engagement with lunar science and NASA's Artemis program.
The Sturgeon Moon, the August full Moon, rises on August 9th and marks the start of the Moon's journey across the Solar System planets, offering opportunities for skywatchers to observe its encounters with Saturn, Jupiter, Venus, and Mercury, along with phenomena like the Moon illusion and lunar rays.
This week offers a great opportunity to observe two major meteor showers, the Alpha Capricornids and Southern Delta Aquariids, with peak activity expected around Tuesday and Wednesday nights, providing a chance to see bright fireballs and numerous meteors, especially in the Southern Hemisphere, while also enjoying other celestial events like full moons and eclipses in 2025.
Saturn will return to the Northern Hemisphere's late night sky this week after months as a morning star, becoming increasingly visible in the evening sky until its opposition on September 21, when it will be observable throughout the night. Stargazers can enhance their viewing with telescopes, and should check local timings for optimal observation. Saturn's reappearance marks an exciting period for skywatchers until it passes close to the sun in March 2026.
The June full Strawberry Moon, the lowest in a decade due to a rare lunar standstill, can be viewed online via free livestreams from the Virtual Telescope Project and Griffith Observatory, making it accessible even in urban areas with limited sky visibility.
A beginner's guide to backyard astronomy includes tips on understanding the observable cosmos, finding a good stargazing location, essential gear such as binoculars and apps, and exploring celestial objects during the day. It also suggests connecting with other backyard astronomers and highlights notable astronomy events in 2024.
April's night sky will feature a total solar eclipse on April 8, visible across a 100-mile-wide strip of North America, along with a conjunction of the Moon and Jupiter on April 10, Jupiter meeting Uranus on April 20, the Lyrid meteor shower peaking on April 22, and the Full Pink Moon on April 23.
Astronomer Bob King shares his experiences of observing a new comet discovered by Japanese observer Hideo Nishimura, the return of the constellation Orion, and the joy of watching the Perseid meteor shower with others. He also highlights a unique and interactive aurora activity led by park ranger Jenny Martin, which combined science and fun for both kids and adults.