2014
will be a busy year for backyard star gazers complete with two total lunar
eclipses, one partial solar eclipse, and the return of Mars to the nighttime
sky.
First
the largest planet in the solar system will shine in the prime time this
winter. After the sun goes down, Jupiter
is the bright night light visible high in the south. Look up on the following nights to see Jupiter
next to the Moon.
March 9 and 10
April 6
May 3 and 4
May 31 and June 1
This
will be a good year to get to know Mars.
The Red Planet will be closest to the Earth around April 14 but you’ll
notice it in the eastern sky long before that.
Its orange glow should grab your attention on March 18 when it will be
near the Moon and the brilliant blue star Spica. After April 14, Mars will still hang around
and be visible in the evening sky until 2015.
Other Mars-Moon conjunctions of note: June 7, July 5 (a really close
one), August 2 and 3, August 31 (Mars, Moon, Saturn triangle), November 25, and
December 24.
Saturn
will be closest to the Earth on May 10 and be visible each evening through
October. May 13 the full Moon will be to
the right of Saturn and just above the funny-named star, Zubenelgenubi. Other Saturn-Moon conjunctions of note: June
9 and 10, July 7 (a really close one), August 3 (the Moon between Saturn and
Mars), August 31 (Moon covers over Saturn from 1-2pm that makes a Mars, Moon,
Saturn triangle in the evening), and September 27.
The
best nights to see Mercury will be May 12-24 right after sunset.
Venus
will be visible in the morning sky for most of 2014.
The
Supermoon (closest and largest full Moon of the year) will be on August 9 and
10.
Eclipses and Meteors
The next
lunar eclipse will occur in the early morning of Tax Day, April 15, 2014. From about 2:00-5:30 AM the shadow of the
Earth will be cast on the surface of the Full Moon. During totality (from 3:06-4:24 AM) the entire
Moon will be in the darkest shadow of the Earth and turn an eerie shade of
orange.
If
you miss that one (or if it’s cloudy) another lunar eclipse will ensue on the
morning of October 8, 2014. This eclipse
will begin at about 5:14 AM and last until the Moon sets, still in eclipse, at
7:45 AM. The best viewing of this
eclipse should be at its start when the Moon is higher above the western
horizon.
On
the afternoon of October 23 it will be the Moon’s turn to block out the
Sun and give us a partial solar eclipse. For the Cincinnati area the Moon
will obstruct only a portion of the Sun from 5:45 PM until sunset at around
6:30 PM. Whenever looking at even a
sliver of the Sun you need to use protection.
Make sure to get approved solar viewing glasses or solar filters before
the eclipse because you won’t want to miss a second of it.
The best meteor shower of the year may not be until December 13-14. That’s when the Geminids will occur. The Moon will rise late so if you bundle up and brave the chilly December air between 9-11pm you may see some good shooting stars.
The best meteor shower of the year may not be until December 13-14. That’s when the Geminids will occur. The Moon will rise late so if you bundle up and brave the chilly December air between 9-11pm you may see some good shooting stars.
For more information on any of the celestial events in 2014 please contact:
--
Dean Regas
Outreach Astronomer, Cincinnati Observatory
513-321-5186
dean@cincinnatiobservatory.org