EVENT LIST
Earth at Perihelion
Earth reaches perihelion (closest point to the Sun) on January 4th at 0.98333 AU in 2025.
Mars at Opposition
The red planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. It will be brighter than any other time of the year and will be visible all night long. This is the best time to view and photograph Mars. A medium-sized telescope will allow you … Continue reading Mars at Opposition
Venus & Saturn Conjunction
Venus and Saturn will be about 2 and a quarter degrees apart high in the southwest sky after sunset making for a great photo op.
Venus at Greatest Elongation East
Venus has been shining as the evening star since around August last year. On January 10, 2025, it reaches its farthest distance from the Sun in the evening sky.
Full Moon
The Full Moon occurs at 4:26 p.m. CST on Jan. 13th when the Moon is opposite the sun in its orbit around Earth. Its sunlit side is entirely visible from Earth. The moon appears full to the eye for two to three nights. However, astronomers regard the moon as full at a precisely defined instant, … Continue reading Full Moon
Occultation of Mars by the Moon
If you live in North America, you won’t want to miss this celestial event. An occultation happens when one celestial body passes in front of another, thereby hiding (or occulting) it from view. In this case, on Monday evening the Full (Wolf) Moon is passing in front of Mars. Full Moon actually occurs a few … Continue reading Occultation of Mars by the Moon
New Moon
The new moon occurs at 6:35 a.m. CST on Jan 29th when the moon is in between the Earth and the Sun on its orbital path. The new moon is described as invisible because the part of the moon that is illuminated by the Sun is not facing the Earth. Only the dark side of … Continue reading New Moon
Lunar New Year
Lunar New Year is not a public holiday. Many people in countries such as the United States celebrate Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival or Chinese New Year. It marks the first day of the New Year on the Chinese calendar. 2025 is the year of the snake.
Moon and Venus Conjunction
The thin crescent Moon and Venus will be just 2.3 degress from each other in the constellation Pisces low in the southwest sky after sunset on the evening of Saturday, Feb. 1st. Also look for Saturn hanging a little over 11 degrees below them.
Full Moon
The Full Moon occurs at 7:53 a.m. CST on Feb. 12th when the Moon is opposite the sun in its orbit around Earth. Its sunlit side is entirely visible from Earth. The moon appears full to the eye for two to three nights. However, astronomers regard the moon as full at a precisely defined instant, … Continue reading Full Moon