December 26, 2019. The rare Annular “ring of fire” solar eclipse as seen from the Corniche road in … [+]
Are you ready for a great year of stargazing? From rare occultations to stunning planetary views, there will be plenty of celestial events to enjoy in the year ahead. So-called “supermoons” will illuminate the night sky, two rare kinds of solar eclipses will bring brief amazement to those lucky enough to travel to remote parts of the globe. A bright comet is predicted for January through February while 2023 promises to be the best for meteor showers for many years.
Let’s take a chronological look at the 10 must-see stargazing highlights that the next 12 months have in store:
1. A bright comet appears
January through February 2023
Remember 2020’s Comet NEOWISE? 2023 could see a rival. Discovered in 2022, Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will likely brighten as it gets closer to its perihelion—its closest point to the sun—on January 12, 2023, though likely reaching its brightest for Earthlings on February 1, 2023—its closest approach to Earth as it swings out of the solar system. Here’s a useful finder chart for locating C/2022 E3 (ZTF) into 2023.
2. Jupiter and Venus in conjunction
Thursday, March 2, 2023
There are several planetary conjunctions in 2023, but this close-pass apparent path of the giant planet and the brightest planet of all is one not to miss. Visible in the post-sunset night sky on March 2, 2023, the two plants will appear to pass just 0º.32’ from each other—the width of an outstretched finger held up to the sky. However, you will have to make sure you have a clear view of the southwestern horizon.
3. A brief totality in the southern hemisphere
Thursday, April 20, 2023
A solar eclipse occurs when a New Moon moves across the Sun. That will happen twice in 2023 with both events providing spectacular views from Earth. On April 20, 2023 a rare hybrid solar eclipse—a combination of a total solar eclipse and an annular “ring of fire” eclipse—will bring a spine-tingling totality to Western Australia, Timor Leste and West Papua.
The crescent moon and Jupiter are seen in a rare planetary alignment over Van province of Turkey on … [+]
4. A crescent Moon and Jupiter
Wednesday, May 17, 2023
Just before dawn on May 17, 2023 a waning, 5%-lit crescent Moon will move across Jupiter. Later that day it will occult it. Since the Moon’s orbital path around the Earth is slanted only 5º to Earth’s orbit around the Sun—and the plane of the solar system—that’s bound to happen now and again. It will be visible from parts of the Americas and Europe, though only easily to those with motorized telescopes. It won’t happen again until 2026.
5. Mars enters a star cluster
Friday, June 2, 2023
One of the best sites in a pair of binoculars in spring and summer is the beehive cluster. Also called M 44, this open cluster of stars is around 520 light years away in the constellation of cancer, the crab. In a pair of binoculars you can see about 12 bright blue stars, but on June 2, 2023 they will be joined by the red planet. Although far from its best (opposition in December 2022), it we’ll have astroid photographers out in force to take an image of the red planet among the blue stars.
2023 will be a great year for moonless meteor showers.
6. A moonless Perseid meteor shower
Saturday/Sunday, August 12/13, 2023
Get ready for 100 “shooting stars” each hour in a dark sky—and mark your calendars for a camping expedition! After a few years under moonlit skies the northern hemisphere’s most popular meteor shower’s peak occurs in 2023 when the moon has set. Known for bright and fast-moving meteors (and frequent “fireballs”), the Perseids are caused by comet Swift-Tuttle, which orbits the Sun approximately every 133 years. The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus, from which the meteors appear to radiate.
Other moonless meteor showers in 2023 include:
- Lyrid meteor shower on Saturday/Sunday, April 22/23 (20 per hour)
- Orionid meteor shower on Friday/Saturday, October 20/21 (20 per hour)
- Leonid meteor shower on Friday/Saturday, November 17/18 (10-20 per hour)
- Geminid meteor shower on Wednesday/Thursday, December 13/14 (75 per hour)
7. A ‘Blue Supermoon’ shines brightest
Wednesday, August 30 and Thursday, August 31
There will be four technical “supermoons” in 2023 (when the Moon appears slightly larger than average because it’s slightly closer)), but the biggest, brightest and best one will also be a “Blue Moon.” Late August’s full moon will be called a “Blue Moon” because it’s the second full moon in a calendar month, something that is bound to happen every few years because the Moon takes 29 days to orbit the Earth. It will turn full while 357,344 km from Earth and look its best at moonrise on two successive evenings.
On October 14, 2022, a “ring of fire” will be observable for up to five minutes from Oregon through … [+]
8. A ‘Great Western Ring of Fire Eclipse’ in the U.S.
Saturday, October 14, 2023
North America is living through a golden age of solar eclipses. By now you will have probably heard about the next total solar eclipse coming to North America in 2024. However, in 2023 there will be a dress rehearsal as an annular solar eclipse—also called a “ring of fire”—will be visible across southwest US states from Oregon through Texas—including many US national parks. It’s essentially a pretty partial eclipses, caused by a slightly smaller Moon (farthest from Earth on its egg-shaped orbit) blocking the middle part of the Sun. Solar eclipse glasses will need to be worn at all times, but it will be an arresting sight from places like:
- Bryce Canyon National Park, Utah (2 minutes 15 seconds)
- Canyonlands National Park, Utah (2 minutes 24 seconds
- Chaco Culture National Historical Park, New Mexico (4 minutes 42 seconds)
- Crater Lake National Park, Oregon (4 minutes 19 seconds)
- Mesa Verde National Park, Colorado (2 minutes 58 seconds)
- Natural Bridges National Monument, Utah (4 minutes 28 seconds)
9. Venus and a crescent Moon
Thursday, November 9, 2023
This one requires some organisation, but the reward will be worth it. If you can force yourself out of bed about two hours before sunrise on November 9, 2023 you’ll be able to see a 14% lit crescent moon beside a very bright planet Venus. And awesome site in itself, from North America it will also be possible to see Venus disappear behind the invisible dark limb of that crescent moon.
10. Debris from Biela’s Comet strikes Earth
Saturday/Sunday, December 2/3, 2023
Biela’s Comet—last seen in the inner solar system in 1852—isn’t known for causing meteor showers too often, partly because it split into two a few centuries ago. However, 2023 could see a rare show from what’s left in what will be called the Andromedids meteor shower as about 60 “shooting stars” per hour become visible.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
