Should you look up in the sky in 2021? Major astronomical events 2021.
Despite all that was terrible in 2020, it brought us a few eye-catching night sky events. Most recently, viewers looked up to see the conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter. Back in August, the Perseid meteor shower, one of a number of annual meteor showers, did not disappoint for those getting to dark skies late at night.
Then, near the end of July, there was the fly-by of Comet Neowise, with its tail trailing across the early dawn and then evening sky (which I missed). Before that, Comet Atlas arrived in early May, but it broke up and fizzled out before getting close enough for most of us to see it.
Mark your calendars now for those special stargazing events for the upcoming year that make it worth staying up late, or getting up early, to gaze to the heavens (heavens means skies- For non astronomy fans!).
Many of the highlights for 2021 involve the planets as they crowd together and become readily visible. On 11 February, the two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, are both in view 20 to 30 minutes before sunrise.
A huddle of planets appears on March 9 and 10 with Mercury, Jupiter and Saturn in alignment with the nearby crescent moon. Those with telescopes might even see a few of the moons of Jupiter. Sadly, I don't have one...
Possibly the biggest treat of the year appears on May 26 with a total lunar eclipse. This 2021 one is handy for early risers, but night owls might find the timing inconvenient. The full eclipse begins at 5:11 am, and the show is over by 5:25 am.
A lunar eclipse occurs only during a full moon and when the Earth, sun and moon are in alignment. The moon lacks its own light, but shines because its surface reflects the sun’s rays.
This is also a super moon. That designation is a result of the elliptical shape of the moon’s orbit. The moon’s distance from earth changes and, when the full moon coincides with when the moon is closest to earth, it is considered a super moon.
That isn’t the only super moon in 2021. There’s one a month early, in April. That moon, called the Pink Moon, will also be closest to earth and appear to be a bit larger than normal when seen on the horizon.
For the big celestial event on June 10, you’ll have to head to Canada or Greenland for the Circle of Fire solar eclipse. That’s when the moon, sun and earth are in one line so the lunar disk is too small to cover the entire sun, creating a ring of light around the dark lunar silhouette. This is the biggest event of 2021, but sadly, Indians, it's not for us!
The Perseid Meteor Shower arrives again in August, peaking on August 12 and 13. The 2021 event should be a good one thanks to the dark, moonless sky. Shooting stars abound with as many as 60 visible per hour. But with Mumbai like pollution, it doesn't seem that I will see it!
The Draconid meteor shower peaks on October 8 but it is typically less dramatic than the Perseid shower. The shooting stars are less numerous, but they’re also slower, taking longer to cross the sky.
As we near November, the moon gets into the act again. On November 19, a partial lunar eclipse will be visible around 2 am. It is like a total eclipse, but there isn’t full coverage of the moon. Still, 97% of the moon will be in shadow, making it well worth getting up in the middle of the night to see.
The final big event for 2021 will require a trip to Antarctica. On Dec. 4 those in Antarctica and South Africa will be treated with a total solar eclipse. That is when the moon comes between the sun and earth and casts the darkest part of its shadow on the earth. Um! Well, Indians, greatest events are not in our hand in 2021.
Until then and for 2021 we’ll have to settle for one total and one partial lunar eclipse. As for visible comets in 2021, those are not as easy to predict. While comets pass overhead frequently, having one come into view without the use of a telescope is a rare treat. Stay tuned, though, in case one shows up to amuse us in 2021.
Posts before October 2021 have been marked as "Old Posts". Less likely, but they might have out dated or incorrect information, ugly looking bits of code, no labels, etc. Don't get me wrong, many of these posts are top-notch and interesting too.
I thought it would be better not to delete or revamp these posts, even if they suck. The bitter truth is that old works always suck, but I take that as a positive tool to convey that I am growing. Besides there's no better way to showcase my journey without these old, messy, poorly written posts!
I thought it would be better not to delete or revamp these posts, even if they suck. The bitter truth is that old works always suck, but I take that as a positive tool to convey that I am growing. Besides there's no better way to showcase my journey without these old, messy, poorly written posts!
Old Post