Witness a "Super Sun" during Saturn's Moon Eclipse: The Night Sky's Spectacle This Week
Witness a "Super Sun" during Saturn's Moon Eclipse: The Night Sky's Spectacle This Week
Each Monday, I highlight the celestial gems of North America for the week ahead, which also applies to mid-northern latitudes in the northern hemisphere. Check out my main feed for more in-depth articles on stargazing, astronomy, eclipses, and so on.
The Cosmic Scene This Week: Dec. 30, 2024-Jan. 5, 2025
Prepare for classic moon-planet alignments, 2025's first meteor shower, and other stargazing and astronomy must-knows this week:
Monday, Dec. 30: New Moon
At 5:27 p.m. EST, witness the stargazer's favorite time of the month – the new moon. This lunar phase places the moon between the Earth and the sun, making it invisible, and the night skies devoid of moonlight.
This unveils the perfect setting for stargazing throughout the week, with the entire evening offering a near-perfect view, followed by a crescent moon after sunset over the coming days.
Friday, Jan. 3: Lunar-Venus Rendezvous
Look to the southwest an hour after sunset, and you'll be treated to the mesmerizing sight of a luminescent Venus close to an 18%-lit waxing crescent moon. Amplifying this visual experience is the presence of Saturn above the pair.
Friday, Jan. 3: Quadrantid Meteor Shower Peak
Meteor showers may not be the most recognized, but the Quadrantids certainly pack a powerful punch by displaying around 120 "shooting stars" per hour at its peak. Caused by 2003 EH1 – either an asteroid or a possible "rock comet," according to NASA – the Quadrantids are also known for their intense fireball meteors, which can appear anywhere in the night sky.
However, their radiant point lies close to the end of the Big Dipper's handle. With a crescent moon setting well before the peak, it's shaping up to be a spectacular show this year – but North Americans will need to start scanning the skies as soon as it gets dark.
Saturday, Jan. 4: Earth at its Closest Approach to the Sun
Earth's orbit around the sun isn't a perfect circle. Today, Earth is at its closest point, called Perihelion, to the sun for the entire year. A "Super Sun" moniker might seem fitting, as the sun appears at its largest in the sky—just like a "supermoon."
The term perihelion is derived from Greek words peri (near) and helios (sun). Today, it will be 91.4 million miles (147,100,632 km) from the sun, while it's 94.5 million miles (152,099,968 km) away on Jul. 3, according to timeanddate.com.
Saturday, Jan. 4: Lunar-Saturn Meeting
Look to the southwest after sunset, and you'll see Saturn a degree below a 28%-lit waxing crescent moon. Below will be radiant Venus, setting to the west.
The moon's passage over Saturn will be visible from Europe, Africa, western Russia, and eastern Greenland, according to in-the-sky.org. They provide an interactive map displaying the visibility of this event across the globe.
This is the last easily detectable such event until 2036, and the Virtual Telescope Project hosts an online observation from 17:15-18:30 UTC (12:15-1:30 p.m. EST).
Night Sky's Hidden Gem: Quadrans Muralis
Although there are 88 constellations recognized by the International Astronomical Union, why search for one that no longer officially exists? This week, it's the Quadrantid meteor shower, whose "shooting stars" seem to emerge from a constellation called Quadrans Muralis.
Formerly relevant, this constellation was relegated to obscurity when the IAU established its official list. The constellation can be found between Boötes and Draco, near the end of the Big Dipper's handle, according to NASA.
These times and dates apply to mid-northern latitudes. For precise, location-based information, consult online planetariums such as Stellarium.
Wishing you clear skies and curious minds.
- With the moon being invisible during the new moon on December 30, 2024, stargazing this week will offer a near-perfect view of the night sky, making it an ideal time for astronomy enthusiasts to explore constellations like Quadrans Muralis, where the Quadrantids meteor shower originates.
- The Quadrantids meteor shower, peaking on January 3, 2025, is associated with the constellation Quadrans Muralis, which lies between Boötes and Draco. Despite no longer being an officially recognized constellation, it remains a fascinating area for stargazing during this year's meteor shower, where users can potentially witness intense fireball meteors.
- As Earth reaches its closest point to the sun, known as Perihelion, on January 4, 2025, stargazers can take advantage of this time to observe the sun at its largest appearance in the sky. While the term 'Perihelion' comes from Greek words 'peri' (near) and 'helios' (sun), it does not alter the Earth's average temperature or distance from the sun.