April 2025
Tuesday April 1 – Saturday April 5
-
Sun n Fun Expo
Currently a placeholder for the event. We usually work the event, more information will be coming along in the weeks to follow.
Friday April 18
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
May 2025
Friday May 16
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
June 2025
Friday June 20
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
July 2025
Friday July 18
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
August 2025
Friday August 15
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
September 2025
Friday September 19
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
October 2025
Friday October 17
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
November 2025
Friday November 21
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
December 2025
Friday December 19
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
January 2026
Friday January 16
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
February 2026
Friday February 20
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
March 2026
Friday March 20
- 5:00 pm – 9:00 pm
-
Bartow Friday Fest PublicRecurs monthly
This is for anyone who wants to go to a block party. It’s o bserving and Q&A only. Solar scopes are welcome before sunset. Set up at Main St. & S Wilson Ave.
If you want to take a look around, someone will watch your scope for you. There’s usually some good food close by and music down the street.
The view is somewhat limited and there’s lots of light,Β but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be readyΒ with some goodΒ answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.
April 2025
Friday April 4
- 10:14 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
Monday April 7
- All Day
-
Mercury Retrograde Ends
This is primarily of interest to *astrologically* minded folks. See URL for more info…
Saturday April 12
- 8:22 pm
-
π Full Moon (Sprouting Grass)
The Maine Farmers’ Almanac began publishing Indian names for full Moons in the 1930s and these names are now widely known and used. According to this almanac, as the full Moon in April is the Pink Moon, named after the herb moss pink (AKA creeping phlox, moss phlox, or mountain phlox.) This plant, native to the eastern USA, is one of the earliest widespread flowers of spring.
Sunday April 20
- 9:35 pm
- π Third Quarter Moon
Monday April 21
- All Day
-
Lyrids Meteor Shower
Watch for the show on the evening of April 21 before the crescent moon rises.
The Lyrid meteor shower β Aprilβs shooting stars β lasts from about April 15 to 29. About 10 to 15 meteors per hour can be expected around the showerβs peak, in a dark sky. The Lyrids are known for uncommon surges that can sometimes bring the rate up to 100 per hour. Those rare outbursts arenβt easy to predict, but theyβre one of the reasons the tantalizing Lyrids are worth checking out. The radiant for this shower is near the bright star Vega in the constellation Lyra.
Sunday April 27
- 3:31 pm
- π New Moon
May 2025
Thursday May 1
- All Day
-
Beltane
Beltane, a celebration of fertility, anticipates the first signs of summer falling between the Spring Equinox and the Summer Solstice (in the Northern Hemisphere).
Sunday May 4
- 9:51 am
- π First Quarter Moon
Monday May 5
- All Day
-
Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
We’re in luck this year! The sky before dawn on these mornings will be dark and moonless in 2025. The best viewing time is in the hour or two before dawn across all global locations, as the radiant appears over the eastern horizon around 4 a.m. local time.
This shower peaks annually from April 19 to May 28, and is known for producing up to 60 meteors per hour in the Southern Hemisphere and about 30 per hour in the Northern Hemisphere. Originating from comet Halley, these meteors radiate from the constellation Aquarius but are visible across the sky.
Monday May 12
- 12:55 pm
-
π Full Moon (Vesak Day)
Vesak, also known as ‘Buddha Purnima’ or ‘Buddha Day,’ is celebrated on the day of the full moon in the month of Vesakha according to the Asian lunar calendars. This observance typically falls in April or May in the Gregorian calendar.
On Vesak Day, Buddhists around the world commemorate events of significance to Buddhists of all traditions: the birth, enlightenment, first sermon, and the passing away of Gautama Buddha. Each of these events is believed to have occurred on the full moon.
Tuesday May 20
- 7:58 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Monday May 26
- 11:02 pm
- π New Moon
June 2025
Sunday June 1
- All Day
-
Venus, the Morning Star
Hello again! This is Venus at its brightest for early risers. Look east right before the Sun rises.
At its greatest western elongation today, Venus will be the last celestial light to be extinguished by the daylight. It’s a reminder that all day long, the stars and planets are still there when you look up — just not quite bright enough to poke through all that blue sky.
Monday June 2
- 11:40 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
Wednesday June 11
- 3:43 am
-
π Full Moon (Mead Moon)
The full moon closest to the Summer Solstice (for those of you in the Northern Hemisphere) is known as the Mead Moon. In ancient traditions, drinking mead under the ‘Mead Moon’ would promote healing, fertility and prosperity throughout the year. So let’s crack open a bottle of honey wine!
Monday June 16
- All Day
-
Mars and Regulus
About 90 minutes after sunset, look for red Mars shining next to the similarly bright Regulus, one of our brightest stars. Regulus, a member of the Leo constellation, is actually a quadruple star system composed of four stars organized into two pairs.
Regulus is also known as Qalb al-Asad, from the Arabic ΩΩΨ¨ Ψ§ΩΨ£Ψ³Ψ―, meaning ‘the heart of the lion’.
Wednesday June 18
- 3:19 pm
- π Third Quarter Moon
Friday June 20
- 10:42 pm
-
June solstice
In the northern hemisphere, this marks the first day of summer and is the day with most hours of light in the year — when the Sun is farthest north. In the southern hemisphere, this is your winter solstice, marking the shortest day of the year.
Wednesday June 25
- 6:31 am
- π New Moon
July 2025
Wednesday July 2
- 3:30 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
Thursday July 3
- All Day
-
Earth at Aphelion
Earth at Aphelion refers to the point in Earth’s orbit where it is farthest from the Sun, a phenomenon that occurs annually. This coincides very nearly with winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere, leading to especially cold temperatures there due to the combined effect of Earth’s axial tilt away from the Sun and the increased orbital distance. Brr!
Thursday July 10
- 4:36 pm
-
π Full Moon (Buck)
In July, the Full Moon is the Buck Moon, named after the new antlers that emerge from a buckβs forehead around this time of the year. It is also called Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and (from pagan/medieval times) the Wyrt Moon.
Thursday July 17
- All Day
-
Mercury Retrograde Begins
Do: Reconnect with an old friend!
Don’t: Believe everything you think.Mercury Retrograde is of particular interest to *astrologically* minded folks, and some people who have to deal with communications technology. See URL for more info…
- 8:37 pm
- π Third Quarter Moon
Thursday July 24
- 3:11 pm
- π New Moon
Wednesday July 30
- All Day
-
Delta Aquariid Meteor Shower
The Delta Aquariid shower burns from around July 18 to August 21. Shooting stars are rising in mid-evening, up high around 2 a.m. and low in the sky by dawn. Take advantage of the moon-free evenings (after midnight) in late July.
Favoring the Southern Hemisphere and tropical Northern Hemisphere regions like the southern U.S., this shower produces 15 to 20 meteors per hour. Originating from debris left by comets Marsden and Kracht, these meteors radiate near the star Skat in the Aquarius constellation. Unlike many showers, the Delta Aquarids don’t have a sharp peak, instead offering a steady display through late July and early August. During early August, they often coincide with the Perseids, providing an enhanced experience, particularly from southerly latitudes.
August 2025
Friday August 1
- All Day
-
Lughnasadh
Lughnasadh is celebrated near the midpoint of the Summer Solstice and the Autumn Equinox (Northern Hemisphere). It observes the traditional start of the harvest season.
- 8:41 am
- π First Quarter Moon
Saturday August 2
- 11:00 am – 12:00 pm
-
Reminder: August 2027 Solar Eclipse
Just as North America experienced twice-in-a-lifetime solar eclipses in 2017 and 2024, Europe and Africa will have their turn. The eclipse will start in Morocco, sweep across the Mediterranean Sea, and reach its peak totality in historic Luxor, Egypt.
Eclipsophile says, Cloud cover for this eclipse is among the lowest Iβve analyzed over the last 45 years… Just about anywhere will present a good to excellent opportunity to see this event and bathe in over six minutes of totality.
https://eclipsophile.com/tse2027/If you live anywhere near the path of totality and have never seen a total eclipse of the sun, DO NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
If you live far away, it’s not too early to make travel plans. Many hotels in the path of totality are already fully booked.
Saturday August 9
- 3:54 am
-
π Full Moon (Sturgeon)
The term Sturgeon Moon refers to the full moon in August and originates from Native American tribes in North America. They named it after the sturgeon fish, which was abundant and most easily caught in the Great Lakes and other major bodies of water during this time of the year.
Ever seen a sturgeon? Living dinosaurs! This fish species dates back to the Late Cretaceous period, around 100 million years ago, making them one of the oldest surviving fish species. Google yourself some ‘great lakes sturgeon’ pictures. Weird looking, but allegedly one of the tastiest fish in the world.
Monday August 11 – Tuesday August 12
-
Perseids Meteor Shower
Double-feature! Wake up early for this shower, and to also see brilliant Venus drop toward bright Jupiter in the eastern morning sky. Venus will pass Jupiter, seemingly switching places with it, on August 11 and 12 this year.
This is one of the best showers of the year, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. This year, a fairly bright moon will block the fainter meteors. Wake up early and position yourself so a tree or building blocks the blinding moon. Although the predicted peak falls during the night of August 11-12, it has a long range: from July 14 to September 1. So, you can start watching for these meteors in the early August morning hours.
The Perseid meteor shower is perhaps the most beloved meteor shower of the year in the Northern Hemisphere. Itβs a rich and steady shower. These fast and bright meteors radiate from a point in the constellation Perseus the Hero. As with all meteor shower radiant points, you donβt need to know Perseus to watch the shower. Instead, the meteors appear in all parts of the sky, frequently leaving persistent trails. Perseid meteors tend to strengthen in number from midnight to the wee hours before dawn.
These meteors are the result of our passing through the tail of Comet Swift-Tuttle. For a while, astronomers calculated that this comet would collide with the Earth during the Perseids in 2126. Such an impact would have spoiled any stargazing since the comet is the largest near-Earth object that periodically passes through our sky. If Swift-Tuttle ever does hit the Earth, its 60 km/s impact will be about 27 times more energetic than the asteroid strike that wiped out the dinosaurs.
Monday August 11
- All Day
-
Mercury Retrograde Ends
This is primarily of interest to *astrologically* minded folks. See URL for more info…
Saturday August 16
- 1:12 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Saturday August 23
- 2:06 am
- π New Moon
Sunday August 31
- 2:25 am
- π First Quarter Moon
September 2025
Sunday September 7
- 12:27 pm – 3:56 pm
-
Total Lunar Eclipse
A total eclipse visible in Russia, Asia, lots of Australia… Regions seeing at least some of the eclipse include Europe, Asia, Australia, Africa, West in North America, East in South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Arctic, Antarctica.
- 2:08 pm
-
π Full Moon (Harvest)
The Farmer’s Almanac described this as the Harvest Moon because it gave farmers several extra evenings of moonlight to allow them to finish their harvests before the frosts of fall arrived. Tender vegetables such as tomatoes, peppers, winter squash, and pumpkins must be picked before the first frost.
It is the Harvest Moon! On gilded vanes
And roofs of villages, on woodland crests
And their aerial neighborhoods of nests
Deserted, on the curtained window-panes
Of rooms where children sleep, on country lanes
And harvest-fields, its mystic splendor rests!
Gone are the birds that were our summer guests,
With the last sheaves return the laboring wains!
All things are symbols: the external shows
Of Nature have their image in the mind,
As flowers and fruits and falling of the leaves;
The song-birds leave us at the summer’s close,
Only the empty nests are left behind,
And pipings of the quail among the sheaves.Henry Wadsworth Longfellow
1807 β1882
Sunday September 14
- 6:32 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Friday September 19
- All Day
-
Venus, Regulus, and the Moon
Set an alarm and wake up 90 minutes before sunrise to see the waning crescent moon, brilliant Venus, and similarly brilliant Regulus in the eastern sky.
Saturday September 20 – Sunday September 21
-
Saturn Crazy Bright
Saturn will be at opposition — its closest approach to Earth. It will be brighter this week than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons. A medium-sized or larger telescope will allow you to see Saturn’s rings and a few of its brightest moons.
Fun fact: Saturn’s rings are relatively new. They coalesced around the same time that trees and sharks were making their first appearance on Earth some 400 million years ago.
Sunday September 21
- 3:54 pm
- π New Moon
Monday September 22
- 2:19 pm
-
September Equinox
The Sun will beam down directly on the equator giving us just about equal amounts of day and night in most parts of the world. North of the equator, this is your Autumnal Equinox. If you live south of the equator, this is your Spring Equinox.
Also, try balancing an egg on its end! Whether or not you succeed has nothing to do with the Equinox, but it’s still a fun game to try on any day of the year. π
Monday September 29
- 7:53 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
October 2025
Monday October 6
- 11:47 pm
-
π Full Moon (Hunters)
Known as the Hunters Moon because at this time of year the leaves are falling and the game is fat and ready to hunt.
Wednesday October 8
- All Day
-
Draconids Meteor Shower
A bright moon makes this show less promising, but at least you don’t have to wake up early. The radiant point is highest in the sky just as darkness falls.
The cause of this shower β Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner β was at perihelion in March of this year. Will we finally see a storm of Draconid meteors this year? Yes please!
The radiant point for the Draconid meteor shower almost coincides with the head of the constellation Draco the Dragon in the northern sky. Thatβs why you can view the Draconids best from the Northern Hemisphere (and early in the Evening.)
Monday October 13
- 2:12 pm
- π Third Quarter Moon
Monday October 20 – Tuesday October 21
-
Orionids Meteor Shower
In 2025, this shower coincides with moonless nights, hooray! Watch on the morning of October 21, starting after midnight through the wee hours before dawn.
These fast-moving meteors sometimes produce bright fireballs, which might be able to overcome a moonlit glare. If you trace these meteors backward, they seem to radiate from the Club of the famous constellation Orion the Hunter.
The Orionids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Halley, which has been known and observed since ancient times.
Tuesday October 21
- 8:25 am
- π New Moon
Wednesday October 29
- 12:20 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
November 2025
Saturday November 1
- All Day
-
Samhain
Samhain marks the last of the year’s four cross-quarter festivals in the Wheel of the Year, celebrated by many in Neopagan and Wiccan traditions. Positioned between the Autumn Equinox and the Winter Solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, it serves as a time to honor and remember the deceased.
Monday November 3
- All Day
-
(Possible) Taurid Fireballs
The Taurid meteor shower, which includes both Southern and Northern Taurids, is known for its long duration, typically lasting from September 28 to December 2, but it generally offers only about five meteors per hour even at its peak. The Taurids are notable for a high percentage of fireballs, or exceptionally bright meteors.The American Meteor Society pointed to βa seven-year periodicityβ with Taurid fireballs. 2008 and 2015 both produced them. 2022 did as well. Fingers crossed for 2029?
The best viewing times for the Taurids are typically around midnight, when the constellation Taurus is highest in the sky.
The Taurids are unusual in having two separate streams: one produced by debris from Asteroid 2004 TG10 and the other from Comet 2P Encke.
Wednesday November 5
- 8:19 am
-
π Super Full Moon (Kartik Purnima)
Kartik Purnima, a revered festival in Hinduism, is celebrated on the full moon day of the Hindu month of Kartik. This festival holds great significance as it commemorates Lord Shiva’s triumph over the demon Tripurasura, and is also associated with Lord Krishna’s defeat of the demon Narakasura.
This auspicious day symbolizes the victory of good over evil and provides an opportunity to admire the moonβs splendor and ponder its spiritual importance.
Sunday November 9
- All Day
-
Mercury Retrograde Begins
Yes! Resume working on that abandoned project. But don’t sign that contract before re-reading it three times.
Mercury Retrograde is of particular interest to *astrologically* minded folks, and some people who have to deal with communications technology. See URL for more info…
Wednesday November 12
- 12:28 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Sunday November 16 – Monday November 17
-
Leonids Meteor Shower
We’re just short of the new moon, so it’s a good time to look for shooting stars. Watch late on the night of November 16 until dawn on November 17. The morning of November 18 could be good too.
Here’s a bit of history: The Leonids, typically an average shower, occasionally produces extraordinary meteor storms. In 1966, observers witnessed thousands of meteors per minute during a spectacular 15-minute period on November 17. Meteors seemed to fall like rain, all streaming from the constellation Leo the Lion. This event left a lasting impression of Earth moving through space, amidst a dense meteor stream. While Leonid meteor storms recur approximately every 33 to 34 years, recent occurrences haven’t matched the intensity of 1966. Usually, the Leonids peak at 10-15 meteors per hour and are most active after midnight, with the highest numbers just before dawn.
The Leonids are unique for their roughly 33-year cyclonic peak, with the last major event in 2001. (So maybe mark your calendars for November 2033?) The shower, resulting from dust grains left by comet Tempel-Tuttle, discovered in 1865, runs annually from November 6-30. While meteors radiate from Leo, they can be seen across the sky.
Thursday November 20
- 1:47 am
- π New Moon
Friday November 28
- 1:58 am
- π First Quarter Moon
Saturday November 29
- All Day
-
Mercury Retrograde Ends
This is primarily of interest to *astrologically* minded folks. See URL for more info…
December 2025
Thursday December 4
- 6:14 pm
-
π Super Full Moon (Bitter)
Brr! The December full moon is also known as the Ice Moon, Snow Moon, Long Nights Moon, and my favorite (from the Cree), Frost Exploding Trees Moon
Thursday December 11
- 3:51 pm
- π Third Quarter Moon
Saturday December 13 – Sunday December 14
-
Geminids King Meteor Shower
The waning crescent moon will leave us with dark skies for this show. Under a dark sky like this one, you might catch as many as 120 meteors per hour.
Since the radiant rises in mid-evening, you can watch for Geminids all night on December 13-14. The days before and after might be good as well.
Also keep an eye out for Jupiter shining strong.
The bold, bright white and slow moving Geminids give us one of the Northern Hemisphereβs best showers. Theyβre also visible, at lower rates, from the Southern Hemisphere. The meteors are plentiful, rivaling the August Perseids.
Most meteor showers are the result of us passing though comet trails. These meteors are the debris left behind by an *asteroid* known as 3200 Phaethon, discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
Friday December 19
- 8:43 pm
- π New Moon
Sunday December 21 – Monday December 22
-
Ursids Meteor Shower
Dark skies! Watch for Ursids on the evening of December 21st through dawn.
The Ursids is a minor meteor shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour. It is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790. The shower runs annually from December 17-25. It peaks this year on the the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
Sunday December 21
- 10:03 am
-
December solstice
This marks the beginning of winter (in the northern hemisphere) and the beginning of summer (in the southern hemisphere.) The winter solstice is the shortest day of the year, respectively, in the sense that the length of time elapsed between sunrise and sunset on this day is a minimum for the year. Of course, daylight saving time means that the first Sunday in April has 23 hours and the last Sunday in October has 25 hours, but these human meddlings with the calendar and do not correspond to the actual number of daylight hours.
If you live in the southern hemisphere, this is your Summer Solstice, and good cause for celebrating the longest day of the year.
Saturday December 27 – Tuesday December 30
-
Jupiter Crazy Bright
Jupiter will be at opposition β its nearest point to Earth this year, making it exceptionally bright and visible throughout the entire night. This event offers the optimal opportunity to observe and photograph Jupiter, along with its moons. With a medium-sized telescope, you can view details in Jupiter’s cloud bands.
Using a good pair of binoculars, you should be able to spot the four largest moons of Jupiter, known as the Galilean moons (discovered by Galileo Galilei in 1610), appearing as distinct bright spots on either side of the planet. Beyond these, astronomers have discovered 76 more Jovain moons since Galileo’s time.
Fun fact: Jupiter emits more heat than it receives from the Sun! Jupiter generates its own heat as a result of perpetually (and slowly) shrinking and compressing, converting gravitational potential energy into thermal energy.
Saturday December 27
- 2:09 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
January 2026
Thursday January 1
- All Day
-
HAPPY NEW YEAR from your Astronomy Calendar
This event is in your calendar because at some point you subscribed to Canton Becker’s moon and astronomical events calendar. If you are reading this on January 1, 2026 and you ONLY see moon/solstice/equinox events from this point forward, you may need to resubscribe:
Saturday January 3
- 5:02 am
- π Full Supermoon
Saturday January 10
- 10:48 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Sunday January 18
- 2:51 pm
- π New Moon
Sunday January 25
- 11:47 pm
- π First Quarter Moon
February 2026
Sunday February 1
- 5:09 pm
- π Full Moon
Monday February 9
- 7:43 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Tuesday February 17
- 7:01 am
- π New Moon
Tuesday February 24
- 7:27 am
- π First Quarter Moon
March 2026
Tuesday March 3
- 6:37 am
- π Full Moon
Wednesday March 11
- 5:38 am
- π Third Quarter Moon
Wednesday March 18
- 9:23 pm
- π New Moon
Friday March 20
- 10:45 am
- March Equinox
Wednesday March 25
- 3:17 pm
- π First Quarter Moon