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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

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, but those who stop by, have some good questions, so, be ready with some good answers.
This is another event that has brought us new members.

This is your second once-in-a-lifetime chance to spot Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinan-Atlas). The comet will be at its closest on October 12, but this evening it should be at its brightest as a result of the tail catching the light of the sun and forward scattering.

As soon as it’s dark, look west, low on the horizon where the sun set. You might have to gain some elevation if your horizon is obstructed. If you can’t see the comet directly, try using your peripheral vision (or binoculars).

Observation opportunities should continue through at least the next week, in case your skies are cloudy tonight.

Astrophotographers: note that this comet is FAST. Relative to the Earth, it’s cruising through our solar system at 81 kilometers per second. The rotation of the stars will seem slow in comparison!

This is the closest supermoon of the 4 supermoons in 2024.

Known as the Hunters Moon because at this time of year the leaves are falling and the game is fat and ready to hunt.

In 2024, the waning gibbous moon will block out the fainter meteors.

On a dark, moonless night, the Orionids exhibit a maximum of about 10 to 20 meteors per hour, peaking on the night of the 21st and morning of the 22nd.

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.

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.

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. In 2022, an increased rate of fireball activity, known as the Taurid swarm, was observed, likely due to Jupiter’s gravitational influence on the debris in Earth’s path. This type of thing seems to happen every seven years or so…

The best viewing times for the Taurids are typically around midnight, when the constellation Taurus is highest in the sky. The meteors, which can be slow-moving but occasionally very bright, are best viewed in the mornings before the peak, as the moon gets fuller each night after.

The Taurids are unusual in having two separate streams: one produced by debris from Asteroid 2004 TG10 and the other from Comet 2P Encke.

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.

The festival is not only important for its religious connotations but also for its astronomical aspects. On Kartik Purnima, the moon is exceptionally bright and nearest to the Earth (SUPERMOON!) creating an ideal setting for worship and meditation. This auspicious day symbolizes the victory of good over evil and provides an opportunity to admire the moon’s splendor and ponder its spiritual importance.

A nearly full moon will outshine all but the brightest Leonid meteors this year. For the best view, find a very dark spot and watch after midnight.

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.

Reorganize! Declutter! Repair broken things and put on a fresh coat of paint!

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…

Jupiter will be at opposition — 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.

Bummer! A nearly full moon will interfere with viewing of this show. Plonk yourself somewhere dark after midnight and you might still see some good shooting stars.

The bold, bright white and slow moving Geminids give us one of the Northern Hemisphere’s best showers. They’re also visible, at lower rates, from the Southern Hemisphere. The meteors are plentiful, rivaling the August Perseids.

You can watch the usually reliable and prolific Geminid meteor shower from evening December 13, with the best views probably just before or around midnight. Under a dark sky with no moon, you might catch 120 Geminid meteors per hour.

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.

This is primarily of interest to *astrologically* minded folks. See URL for more info…

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

The waning gibbous moon will block out the fainter meteors this year.

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.

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.

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 and you do not see any moon phases in 2025, you may need to resubscribe. If you use Google Calendar I strongly recommend you un-subscribe and re-subscribe each year as that service tends to not update itself very well.

https://cantonbecker.com/astronomy-calendar/