The main sky observation events to expect in 2021

Staring at the night sky has captivated people since ancient times, with brilliant and sometimes inexplicable phenomena lighting up the skies. Celestial, planetary or other phenomena that occur only occasionally and that occur far above our heads captivate, entertain, and bring a certain joy to our curious minds. From meteor showers to eclipses, these are the most exciting sky-watching events to look forward to in the new year.

Quadrantid meteor shower (January)

The new year will start with some shooting stars and (hopefully) a few opportunities to wish them. The Quadrantid meteor shower, one of the best annual meteor showers, will peak in the the night of January 2 until the early hours of the morning of January 3, according to NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Although the light from the moon (which will be 84% full by then) can make the skies too bright to see most meteors, some more spectacular ones may be visible, according to Earthsky. You will have better luck seeing them if you are in the Northern Hemisphere. And compared to other meteor showers, the peak of the Quadrantids is very short, only lasting a few hours on January 3 at 9:30 a.m. EST (14:30 UTC), according to the International Meteor Organization. That would mean that western North America would have a good view of the meteor shower before sunrise on January 3, according to Earthsky.

Lyrids meteor shower (April)

The Lyrids meteor shower is one of the oldest known; the first sighting of the rain dates back to 687 BC. C., according to NASA. This year, they will flee from April 16 to April 25 and peak before sunrise on April 22 after moonset, according to Earthsky. The Lyrides can bring in up to 100 meteors per hour, but on average 10-15 meteors per hour can be expected during the peak, according to Earthsky. The space debris that interacts with the planet’s atmosphere to form the Lyrid comes from comet C / 1861 G1 Thatcher, according to NASA. These beautiful meteors tend to leave behind a train of bright dust that can be seen for several seconds.

Eta Aquarids meteor shower (May)

This meteor shower will provide the best spectacle for those in the southern hemisphere. The peak will be an hour or two before sunrise on May 5, according to Earthsky. But this meteor shower has a “wide maximum,” which means you can probably catch some flying meteors a couple of days before and after the actual peak, according to Earthsky. These meteors originate from Comet 1P / Halley and are known for their speed, according to NASA. Because they travel so fast, around 148,000 mph (238,183 km / h), they leave behind glowing “trains” or burning pieces of debris that can soar through the skies for several seconds or minutes, according to NASA.

Total lunar eclipse (May)

A total lunar eclipse or “blood moon” will adorn the skies in May 26, and it should be visible from East Asia, Australia, areas across the Pacific Ocean and most of the Americas, according to Space.com and NASA. A lunar eclipse occurs when the shadow of our planet blocks the sunlight from reflecting off the moon, shrouding our partner in darkness, according to Space.com. A lunar eclipse occurs only when there is a full moon; a total lunar eclipse means that the shadow of the Earth will completely block the moon. A total lunar eclipse can also cause the moon to turn copper or red in color due to some light from the sun that passes through Earth’s atmosphere and is tilted toward the moon, according to Space.com.

Annular Solar Eclipse (June)

On June 10, you may be able to see an “annular solar eclipse”, which is also called a “ring of fire.” This eclipse occurs when the moon passes between the sun and the earth but does not completely cover the sun, creating a bright ring (of fire) around the shadow. This particular annular eclipse will be visible only in northern Canada, Greenland and Russia, according to NASA. (Never look at the sun during a solar eclipse; looking at the sun is dangerous, according to NASA.)