Astronomy Events 2025

Astronomical Events 2025 Times are Central Time Zone ...OK To Copy 1st Draft -see the website gpclements.com or the sites on the back side of this page for updates after January 2, 2025 January 4 Today, the Earth is closest to the Sun for 2024. (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 crescent Moon sets early in the evening so it will not hinder viewing meteors. Dress warmly! January 9 Moon is 0.3 degrees north of the Pleiades on the sky. January 9 Venus 47 degrees East of the Sun on the sky. View it high in the SW sky after sunset. January 13 Full Moon January 13 Mars is 0.2 degrees south of the Moon at 9:42 p,m, CST. January 16 Mars Opposition (opposite side of Earth compared to Sun) … Mars is closest to Earth, and brightest, for 2025. It is visible all night long. View it in the eastern sky at sunset and in the southern sky at midnight. The angular size of Mars on the sky will be 14.6 arcseconds ...the largest for 2025. January 29 New Moon February 5/6 The Moon is 0.5 degrees north of the Pleiades at 12:43 a.m. Feb 6th CST. Observers in the western USA, will get the best view (Moon farther from West horizon) as the Moon passes in front of the Pleiades star cluster from our point of view – after 11 p.m. PST on Feb 5th -- near 1.a.m. Feb 6th for CST the Moon will be close to setting in the West. February 12 Full Moon February 13 Mars ends its retrograde motion (apparently moving West on the sky) Mars started this retrograde motion on Dec 6, 2024. This retrograde motion of Mars is due to the moving of the Earth in its orbit. February 28 New Moon March 8 Mercury is almost 18 degrees east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset. March 8 Mars is 1.7 degrees South of the Moon at 6:27 p.m. CST March 9 Beginning of Daylight Savings Time – if that system is still in use in the USA. Move clocks ahead one hour Saturday night. March 14 Full Moon March 14 TOTAL Lunar Eclipse This will be a good eclipse for viewing in the USA (if it is not cloudy where you live). The Moon will begin to enter the Earth’s shadow at 12:09 a.m. CDT on Friday March 14. The eclipse will be Total when the Moon fully enters the Earth’s shadow at 1:26 a.m. The total eclipse ends at 2:31 a.m. and the partial eclipse ends at 3:47 a.m. Look for the curvature of the Earth’s shadow during the partial eclipse. The Greek astronomers took this as evidence that the Earth was round. See the animation at https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/lunar/2025-march-14 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. The actual Equinox time is March 20 at 3:58 a.m. CDT when the Sun crosses the projection of the Earth’s equator on the sky as the Sun slowly moves from the south towards the north on the sky. March 29 New Moon April 13 Full Moon April 20 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 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. The Crescent Moon will not interfere with viewing meteors. April 27 New 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. The light from the Moon will hinder observing meteors. May 12 Full Moon May 13 The bright star Antares is 0.3 degrees North of the Moon at 11:10 p.m. CDT May 27 New Moon June 11 Full Moon June 20 June Solstice, Start of Summer for Northern Hemisphere. Start of Winter for S. Hemisphere. Greatest length of daylight hours for N. Hemisphere. The Sun is at its northernmost point on the sky as viewed from Earth, 23.5 degrees north of the projection of the Earth’s equator on the sky. June 25 New Moon June 29 Mars is 0.2 degrees South of the Moon on the sky at 8:05 CDT July 3 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 4 Mercury is at a large angle (almost 26 degrees) east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset (if fireworks don’t interfere with your view).. July 10 Full Moon July 24 New Moon August 9 Full Moon August 12 Jupiter and Venus are close on the sky low in the Eastern sky, about 3 hours before sunrise CDT. Look to the left of the Orion constellation, in the constellation of Gemini. August 12,13 Perseid Meteor Shower - Up to 50 meteors per hour if you have a dark sky. Meteors appear to come from the Perseus constellation. Observe after midnight. The light from the Moon will interfere with viewing meteors. August 23 New Moon September 7 Full Moon September 7 Total Lunar Eclipse visible in Asia, Australia, Eastern Europe and Africa. The midpoint of the Total eclipse occurs at 6:58 p.m. UTC (Greenwich England) time. 7:58 p.m. UK Daylight Savings Time September 21 New Moon September 21 Saturn Opposition … Saturn is closest to Earth, and brightest, for 2025. It is visible all night long. View it in the eastern sky at sunset and in the southern sky at midnight. September 22 September Equinox, 12 hours of night, 12 hours of daylight, Start of Fall for Northern Hemisphere October 7 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 21 New Moon 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. The light from the Moon will not interfere with viewing. October 29 Mercury is almost 24 degrees east (left) of Sun in the sky. View it low in the western sky shortly after sunset. November 2 End of Daylight Savings Time in USA if that system is in use, Set clocks back one hour Saturday night. November 5 Full Moon November 17,18 Leonid Meteor Shower - Up to 15 meteors per hour if your sky is dark. Meteors appear to come from the constellation of Leo. View after midnight. The light from the Moon will not interfere with viewing. November 20 New Moon December 3 The Moon is 0.8 degrees North of the Pleiades at 8:54 CST Jupiter is in the Gemini constellation. December 4 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. 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. The light from the Moon will not interfere with viewing the meteors. December 20 New Moon December 21 December Solstice – This date has the shortest amount of daylight for observers in the Northern Hemisphere. Start of Winter for Northern Hemisphere 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/almanac2025cst.html, universetoday.com 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 . 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 .