Mark your calendar and get ready to look up: Space dates for 2024
The year kicked off with a bang, with a meteor shower peaking just days after the start of 2024. There's more to come for stargazers.
Find out when you can catch the best shows in the sky this year:
Full Moon dates
Full Moons have different names based on seasons, historical crops and behavior of animals. The Old Farmer's Almanac details specific moonrise times for different ZIP codes across the United States.
NASA recommends going outside and looking up at the sky to view the full moon. Using a telescope or binoculars will magnify the moon and clarify details on its surface. Local forecasts have detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in different locations where people are keeping an eye out for the moon.
January full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Jan. 25 - Wolf MoonFebruary full moon reaches peak illumination - Saturday, Feb. 24 - Snow MoonMarch full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, March 25 - Worm MoonApril full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, April 23 - Pink Moon
May full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, May 23 - Flower Moon
June full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, June 21 - Strawberry MoonJuly full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, July 21 - Buck MoonAugust full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, Aug. 19 - Sturgeon MoonSeptember full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, Sept. 17 - Corn MoonOctober full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Oct. 17 - Hunter MoonNovember full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, Nov. 15 - Beaver MoonDecember full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, Dec. 15 - Cold MoonMeteor Showers
While meteors — space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere — streak through the sky every night, there are several meteor showers each year, according to NASA. During meteor showers, many meteors hit Earth's atmosphere in a short period. The streaks of light are caused by the glowing, hot air as meteors speed through Earth's atmosphere. Here is the full list of meteor showers occurring in 2024, according to the American Meteor Society.
Quadrantids meteor shower peak - Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024
Lyrid meteor shower peak estimate - Sunday, April 21 through Monday, April 22Eta Aquariids meteor shower peak estimate - Saturday, May 4 through Sunday, May 5
Perseids meteor shower peak estimate - Monday, Aug. 12 through Tuesday, Aug. 13Geminid meteor shower peak estimate - Friday, Dec. 13 through Saturday, Dec. 14
Eclipses
The 2024 solar eclipse — when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun — could be your last chance to see one occur for decades to come. After the total solar eclipse on April 8, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug. 23, 2044.
Total solar eclipse - Monday, April 8
Annular solar eclipse visible in South America with a partial eclipse visible in South America, Antarctica, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, North America - Wednesday, Oct. 2 Full list of major 2024 space eventsQuadrantids meteor shower peak - Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024
January full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Jan. 25February full moon reaches peak illumination - Saturday, Feb. 24March full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, March 25Total solar eclipse - Monday, April 8
Lyrid meteor shower peak estimate - Sunday, April 21 through Monday, April 22April full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, April 23
May full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, May 23
June full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, June 21July full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, July 21Perseids meteor shower peak estimate - Monday, Aug. 12 through Tuesday, Aug. 13August full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, Aug. 19September full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, Sept. 17Annular solar eclipse visible in South America with a partial eclipse visible in South America, Antarctica, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, North America - Wednesday, Oct. 2 October full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Oct. 17November full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, Nov. 15December full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, Dec. 15
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