Extragalactic New Year
A beginning of a year brings several astronomical changes. 2019 will have five eclipses, a rare planet transit, one of the best meteor showers and a Super Blood Wolf Moon, but the fun doesn’t stop there.
January 3-4: Quadrantids Meteor Shower
The new year kicks off with an impressive bang, and no, we don’t mean fireworks. 2019’s first major meteor shower is the Quadrantids shower. It peaks this year in January on the night of the 3rd and morning of the 4th. Europe and areas surrounding Europe have a good shot at viewing the shower at its best during the predawn hours on January 4.
January 6: Partial Solar Eclipse
In the first week of 2019, the moon will pass between the Earth and Sun for a partial solar eclipse, according to NASA. It will be visible only from northeast Asia and the North Pacific, as it will happen around 8:42 pm.
January 21: Super Blood Moon
The moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. Total lunar eclipses are often call “blood moons” because when the Sun, Earth and moon align, the sunlight that passes through the Earth’s atmosphere will appear to turn blood red. Moreover, it would be closest to Earth and appear bigger, hence the title “super moon.”
May 6-7: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower
The forecast calls for the greatest number of Eta Aquarids meteors to fall before dawn on May 6. Fortunately, the new moon on May 4 will provide inky black skies to clearly view the Eta Aquarids meteor shower. This shower favors the Southern Hemisphere, ranking as one of the finest showers of the year.
July 2: Total Solar Eclipse
This total solar eclipse will be visible from small parts of Chile and Argentina and turn the day into night. Some regions in the Pacific and in South America, including Ecuador, Brazil, Uruguay, and Paraguay, will see a partial solar eclipse if the weather permits. The last total solar eclipse happened in 2017.
August 12-13: Perseids Meteor Shower
Stargazers around the world, rejoice! The universe is about to give you another exciting meteor shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteorites per hour at its peak. While it will happen right before a full moon, these meteors are extremely radiant and you will still be able to easily see them.
Astronomy can be full of surprises as well. Bright comets can appear, meteor showers can burst forth with greater activity than anticipated, and aurora and solar activity can always flare up unannounced. Watch the skies, gazers!