Astronomy Calendar 2018

#1 January

JAN 2^nd: Astronomical evens in 2018 is starting with a full moon on January 2^nd. This full moon will be a supermoon. Moon will be at the closest point to earth. The supermoon will be 12 percent to 14 percent brighter than the ordinary full moon.

JAN 3 and 4: This year Quadrantids meteor shower will be at its peak on 3^rd and 4^th January. Up to  40  metroids are visible during its peak. More Metroid will be visible at 3^rd midnight and 4^th-morning sky. On January 3^rd earth will be on perihelion, Its closest point to the sun.

JAN 31^st: Full Moon, Super Moon, Blue Moon and a total Lunar eclipse visible in North America Eastern Asia and Australia.The second full moon of a month is called as the blue moon.

#2 February

FEB 15: A partial solar eclipse will be visible to North America.

#3 March

MAR 15: Greatest time to observe Mercury.The planet will reach 18.4 degrees from the sun it will be its greatest eastern elongation. The planet Mercury will be visible in the western sky just after sunset.

MAR 20: March Equinox, On this day sun, will shine directly on the equator. Equal Day and Night will be experienced around the globe. This is also called as the vernal equinox.

#4 April

APR 22 and 23: April 22 and 23 will be the days of another firework in the sky, The Lyrids Meteor Shower. It is an average shower up to 20 meteors will be visible in the sky. This Metroid shower occurred due to the dust particles left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.

APR 29: The planet Mercury will be at its highest western elongation. It will reach a western elongation of 27 degrees from the sun.

#5 May

MAY 6 and 7: Eta Aquarid Meteor shower is capable to produce up to 60 meteors at its peak time. This meteor shower is visible in the northern hemisphere. This Metroid showed occurred by the dust particle left behind by the comet Halley.

MAY 9: The planet Jupiter will be at its closest approach to earth.It will be brighter and visible all over the night.

#6 June

JUNE 21: June solstice, It will be the longest day of the year in the northern hemisphere. North pole of the earth will be tilted towards the sun and sunlight will directly fall on tropic of cancer.

JUNE 27: Saturn will at its closest approach to earth. It will be brighter than any other time of the year.

#7 July

JULY 13: Partial solar eclipse will be visible in South Australia and Antarctica.

JULY 27: Total lunar eclipse visible in most part of the world.The moon will pass through the earth’s dark shadow.

JULY 28 and 29: Delta Aquarid meteor shower is an average shower that can capable of produce up to 20 Metroid per hour.This shower can see annually from July 12 to August 23. It will be at it's peeking on July 28 night and 29^th morning.

#8 August

AUG 11: The partial solar eclipse on August 11^th will be visible in the most part of the world.It will be best seen in northern Russia.

AUG 12 and 13: Perseid Meteor Shower is one of the best meteor showers for the observers. It can produce up to 60 meteors per hour in its peak hours. Most meteors can be visible on the night of August 12 and morning of August 13.

AUG 17 : Venus at its greatest eastern elongation. It will reach an elongation of 45.9 degrees from the sun.The planet will be visible in the western sky after sunset.

#9 September

SEPT 7 : Neptune will be at it’s closest approach towards earth. It will be visible all over the night and the brightest of all time in the year.

#10 October

OCT 8 : Daracoinds Meteor Shower is a small meteor shower which will produce up to 10 meteors per hour. It is produced by the dust particle left by the comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner.

OCT 21 and 22: Orionids Meteor Shower is an average meteor shower which is capable of producing up to 20 meteors per hour in its peak hours.It was produced due to the dust left by the comet, Halley.

OCT 23: Uranus will beat its closest approach to earth and it will be more bright than any other time of the year.

#11 November

NOV 5 and 6: Taurid Meteor Shower is the longest meteor shower. This will run from the September 7^th to December 10^th of every year. It is produced by the dust particles of Asteroid 2004 TG10 and Comet 2P Encke.

NOV 17 and 18: Leonids Meteor Shower is an average shower which is capable of producing up to 15 meteors per hour.This shower is occurred due to the dust particles left behind by the comet Tempel-Tuttle. This shower is famous for is peak time comes one in 33 years.During its peak, hundreds of meteors can be seen.The last peak shower occurred in 2001.

#12 December

DEC 13 and 14: Geminids Meteor Shower is capable of produce 120 meteors in its peak time. It is produced due to the dust particles produced by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon.It will be visible from December 7^th to 17^th but it will get its peak on 13 night and 14^th morning.

DEC 21: December solstice, the longest night of the year in the northern hemisphere is on December 21^st.

DEC 21 and 22: Ursids Meteor Shower is the last meteor shower of the year.It is capable of producing up to 10 meteors in its peak hours.