2017 Guide to Meteor Showers, Total Solar Eclipse, Other Celestial Events

We love looking to the heavens for meteor showers and other dazzling celestial and lunar events, like big, bright supermoons. There will be only one in 2017, and you’ll have to wait until the end of the year to see it. But take heart! The full moons won’t interfere much with meteor showers, as they did in 2016.

There will be several lunar and solar eclipses in 2017, but not all of them will be visible in the United States or North America. But the best eclipse of the year — a total solar eclipse — cuts right through the central United States. The rare occurrence — the moon completely blocks out the sun, revealing the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona — occurs on Aug. 21.

Everyone in the United States will see at least a partial eclipse, but the nation’s midsection gets the full show.

We looked to seasky.org for our annual guide to the heavens.

Meteor Showers

Here are the peak dates for 2017 meteor showers:

Jan. 3-4, Quadrantids meteor shower: This better-than-average meteor shower will usher in the new year, producing 40 shooting stars an hour at its peak. The shower, believed to be produced by dust grains left behind by an extinct comet known as 2003 EH1, runs annually from Jan. 1-5. Best viewing times are shortly after midnight. Meteors radiate from the constellation Bootes, but you can see them from anywhere in the sky.

April 22-23, Lyrids meteor shower: Produced by dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thrasher, discovered in 1861, the Lyrids is an only an average meteor shower producing about 20 meteors an hour. It originates from the constellation Lyra, but you’ll be able to see them from anywhere in the sky. The crescent moon shouldn’t cause too much of a problem during the shower’s peak. The best viewing times for this shower are after midnight.

May 6-7, Eta Aquarids meteor shower: This shower favors the Southern Hemisphere — about 60 shooting stars an hour will be visible there — but the Northern Hemisphere won’t be entirely left out of action, and the rate could approach 30 an hour. The shower runs annually from April 19-May 28, but peaks on the night of May 6 and morning of May 7. A waxing gibbous moon — that is, a moon that appears high in the east at sunset, and is more than half-lighted, but less than full — could block out the most distant meteors, but patience pays off here. If you wait long enough, you should be able to see the brighter ones. Meteors in this shower radiate from the constellation Aquarius, but you should be able to see them anywhere in the sky.

July 28-29, Delta Aquarids meteor shower: Radiating from the constellation Aquarius but visible anywhere from the sky, this meteor shower produces about 20 meteors an hour at its peak. It runs from July 12-Aug. 13. A crescent moon will have set by midnight, leaving dark skies for the early morning show.

Aug. 12-13, Perseids meteor shower: This is the one you’ve waited for all year. Produced by the comet Swift-Tuttle, It usually produces about 60 meteors per hour. They’re not just any shooting stars, either — the Perseids are known for producing a large number of blazing bright meteors. The shower runs from July 17-Aug. 24, overlapping some with the Delta Aquarids, and is best seen late at night or in the early morning of the peak dates of Aug. 12-13. There’s a waning gibbous moon — it appears less than half full, but more than half lights — and that could block out the fainter meteors, but the Perseids are so bright that you should still plan on catching the show. The meteors radiate from the constellation Perseus, but you’ll be able to see them no matter where you’re looking in the sky.

Oct. 7, Draconids meteor shower: Produced by the dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner and, discovered in 1900, the Draconids radiate from the constellation Draco, but are visible anywhere in the sky. This is typically a sleepy show, producing only about 10 meteors an hour — unless Draco the Dragon breathes fire, and then settle in for an amazing show. In rare instances, Draco can fire off hundreds of meteors in a single hour, and you should hope for that, because a nearly full moon will block all but the brightest. Unlike other meteor showers, the best viewing time is in the early evening. The shower runs from Oct. 6-10, but peaks Oct. 7.

Oct. 21-22, Orionids meteor shower: This shower, which runs annually from Oct. 2-Nov. 7 and peaks the night of Oct. 21 and morning of Oct. 22, produces about 20 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by dust grains left behind the ancient comet Halley and originates from the constellation Orion, but you’ll be able to see it from anywhere in the sky. A crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving the dark skies that are ideal for viewing. The best viewing time is after midnight.

Nov. 4-5 Taurids meteor shower: This long-running shooting star show from Sept. 7-Dec. 10, is actually a two-fer — the South Taurids, which peak Nov. 4-5, and the North Taurids, which peak Nov. 11-12. The North Taurids originate from dust grains left behind by the Asteroid 2004 TG10, while the second is the result of debris left behind by behind by Comet EP Encke. A full moon on Nov. 4 will steal the show, but if you’re patient you may be able to see some, but gy Nov. 11-12, viewing conditions will improve. These typically slow-moving meteors radiate from the constellation Taurus, but you’ll be able to see them anywhere in the sky.

Nov. 17-18, Leonids meteor shower: This shower, which runs annually from Nov. 6-30, is both average and unique. It’s average in that it will only produces about 15 meteors an hour at its peak on the night of Nov. 17 and morning of Nov. 18, but every 33 years, it has a cyclonic peak that results in hundreds of meteors an hour. The last time this happened was in 2001, so it will be 2034 before that happens again. Produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, discovered in 1865, the meteors radiate from the constellation Leo, but just look up and you should see some. With a new moon, skies should be dark enough for a good show. The best viewing time is after midnight.

Dec. 13-14, Geminids meteor shower: You’ve been waiting for this one, too, and it will outshine the Perseids. Running annually from Dec. 7-17, it peaks the night of Dec. 13 and morning of Dec. 14, when it could produce up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour. It’s left behind by debris dust from an the 3200 Phaethon asteroid, discovered in 1982. A waning crescent moon won’t give much competition, and you should be in for an excellent show. The best viewing time is after midnight. The shooting stars radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

Dec. 21-22, Ursids meteor shower: Produced by dust grains left behind by the comet Tuttle, first discovered in 1790, this shower runs annually from Dec. 17-25 and will peak in 2017 on the night of Dec. 21 and morning of Dec. 10. It’s a minor shower, producing only about 5-10 shooting stars an hour. The crescent moon will set early in the evening, leaving dark skies. The best viewing time is just after midnight. Meteors radiating from the constellation Ursa Minor are visible anywhere in the sky.

2017 Full Moons and Supermoon

Jan. 12: This moon is also known the Wolf Moon, so named by Native American tribes who noted this is the time of year when hungry wolf packs howled outside thier camps. It’s also known as the Old Moon or the Moon After Yule.

Feb. 11: Native Americans call the February full moon the Snow Moon because that’s when the heaviest snows normally fall. That made hunting difficult for the indigenous people, so some tribes called it the Hunger Moon.

March 12: Native Americans called this the Worm Moon earthworms began to emerge as the ground began to thaw, but it’s also known as the Crow Moon, the Crust Moon, the Sap Moon and the Lenten Moon.

April 11: This is known as the Pink Moon, because it comes about the time pink phlox ground cover blooms. It’s also known as the Sprouting Grass Moon, the Growing Moon, and the Egg Moon. Coastal tribes all it the Fish Moon, because shad swam upstream to spawn.

May 10: Native American tribes called the May full moon the Flower Moon because of an abundance of flowers that bloom at this time of year. It’s also known as the Corn Planting Moon and the Milk Moon.

June 9: Native Americans called this the Strawberry Moon because it signaled the time of year to gather ripening fruit, and it coincides strawberry harvesting season. You may also hear it referred to as the Rose Moon or Honey Moon.

July 9: Early Native American tribes called this the Buck Moon because it’s the time of year when male buck deer begin to grow their new antlers. You may also hear it called the Thunder Moon and the Hay Moon.

Aug. 7: The Sturgeon moon, so named by Native Americans because the large sturgeon fish of the Great Lakes and other major lakes are biting at this time of year, is also known as the Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon.

Sept. 6: Native Americans called this the Corn Moon, because it’s the time when the corn harvest began.

Oct. 5: Native American tribes called this the Hunters Moon because game animals were fat, a prime time for hunting. Other names are the Travel Moon and the Blood Moon.

Nov. 4: Native American tribes called this the Beaver Moon because it was the time of year to set the beaver traps before the swamps and rivers froze. You may also hear it referred to as the Frosty Moon.

Dec. 3 supermoon: Native Americans called this the as the Cold Moon because it’s the time of the year when cold winter air normally settles in and nights become longer. For this reason, it’s also been known as the Long Nights Moon, but it’s also known as the Moon Before Yule. This is also the only supermoon for 2017. That’s when the moon is at its closest approach to the Earth and may look slightly larger and brighter than usual.

Other Celestial Events Worth Noting

Jan. 12, Check out the planet Venus, which reaches its greatest eastern elongation 47.1 degrees from the sun: If you want to gaze at Venus, this is the best time of the year to do so because it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. To see it, look for the bright planet in the western sky just after sunset.

Jan. 19, Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation of 24.1 degrees from the sun: It’s the best time of the year to view the planet, and it’s most visible in the morning sky — you’ll see it low in eastern sky just before sunrise.

Feb. 11, penumbral lunar eclipse: This occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow (penumbra). The sky will darken, but not completely. You’ll be able to see the eclipse throughout most of eastern South America, eastern Canada, the Atlantic Ocean, Europe, Africa and western Asia.

Feb. 26, annular solar eclipse: This occurs when the moon is too far away from the Earth to completely cover the sun, resulting in a ring of light around the darkened moon. You won’t see it in North America, though: The eclipse begins off the coast of Chile and passes through southern Chile and southern Argentina, across the southern Atlantic Ocean, and into Angola and Congo in Africa. A partial eclipse will be visible throughout parts of southern South America and southwestern Africa.

March 20, March Equinox: The equinox occurs at 10:29 UTC. There are equal days of day and night, throughout the world. It’s the spring (vernal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of the fall (autumnal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.

April 1, Mercury at greatest eastern elongation: Mercury is 19 degrees from the sun, at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.

April 7, Jupiter at opposition: The face of the giant planet will be illuminated by the sun and will appear brighter than at any other time of the year, and you’ll be able to see it all night long. So plan on getting out your camera and photographing Jupiter and its moons. With a medium-sized telescope, you should be able to some of the details in Jupiter’s cloud bands, but with a good pair of binoculars should allow you to see Jupiter's four largest moons, appearing as bright dots on either side of the planet.

May 17, Mercury at greatest western elongation: Mercury reaches its greatest western elongation of 25.8 degrees from the sun. It will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

June 3, Venus at greatest western elongation: Venus will be 45.9 degrees from the sun, and it will be at its highest point above the horizon. The best time to see it is in the eastern sky before sunrise.

June 15, Saturn at opposition: The ringed planet will be at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the sun.It will the brighest at any time of the year, and will be visible all night. A medium-sized or larger telescope will give you the best views of Saturn’s rings and some of its brightest moon.
see Saturn's rings and a few of its brightest moons.

June 21, June Solstice: The solstice occurs at 04:24 UTC. The North Pole of the Earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. The solstice is the first day of summer in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter in the Southern Hemisphere.

July 30, Mercury at greatest eastern elongation: Mercury is 27.2 degrees from the sun and will at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for Mercury low in the western sky just after sunset.

Aug. 7, partial lunar eclipse: This occurs when the moon passes through the Earth's partial shadow, or penumbra, and only a portion of it passes through the darkest shadow, or umbra. When this type of eclipse happens, the moon will darken as it moves through the Earth’s shadows. You won’t see it North America, though. The eclipse will be visible in most of eastern Africa, central Asia, the Indian Ocean and Australia.

Aug. 21, total solar eclipse: When this happens, the moon completely blocks out the sun, revealing the sun’s outer atmosphere, known as the corona. Great news: This will be a rare occurrence for viewers in the United States, and another one won’t take place until 2024. The eclipse begins in the Pacific Ocean and travels through the center of the United States. The total eclipse will be visible in parts of Oregon, Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Missouri, Kentucky, Tennessee, North Carolina, and South Carolina before ending in the Atlantic Ocean, but the rest of the United States will see a partial eclipse.

Sept. 5, Neptune at opposition: The face of the giant blue planet will be fully visible as it reaches its closest approach to Earth. You’ll be able to see it all night, but you might want to plan on viewing it through a powerful telescope. Anything less will will show it only as a tiny blue dot.

Sept. 12, Mercury at greatest western elongation: Mercury reaches greatest western elongation of 17.9 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Look for the planet low in the eastern sky just before sunrise.

Sept. 22, September Equinox: The September equinox occurs at 20:02 UTC. It’s the first day of fall (autumnal equinox) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of spring (vernal equinox) in the Southern Hemisphere.

Oct 19, Uranus at opposition: The face of the blue-green planet will be fully illuminated by the sun at its closest approach to Earth. It will be brighter than at any other time of the year and will be visible all night long, but you’ll need a powerful telescope to see it.

Nov. 13, conjunction of Venus and Jupiter: This is a spectacular sky show. Venus and Jupiter appear only 0.3 degrees apart. The best time to see it is just before sunrise in the eastern sky.

Nov. 24, Mercury at greatest eastern elongation: Mercury will be 22.0 degrees from the sun and it its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. The planet will be low in the western sky just before sunset.

Dec. 21, December Solstice: The December solstice occurs at 16:28 UTC, and the South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.

Photo illustration using photo by andy via Flickr Commons