The cosmos are always moving, changing, and making way for awe-inspiring astronomical phenomena. These are the best, most exciting events to watch for in the coming weeks and months.
Penumbral lunar eclipse (March 25, 2024)
The moon is going to pass through the Earth's shadow in March, creating a penumbral eclipse. Unlike other eclipses, “they are extremely subtle events to observe,” per Inthesky.org. "In a penumbral eclipse the Moon passes through an outer region of the Earth's shadow called the penumbra," and in turn "the Earth appears to cover part of the Sun's disk, but not all of it," and "the Moon's brightness will be reduced."
The phenomenon is difficult to see without “very astute vision, or in carefully controlled photographs." However, "the whole of the Moon's face will pass within the Earth's penumbra, and so the reduction of the Moon's brightness will be more perceptible than usual." The eclipse will be visible all through North America.
Total solar eclipse (April 8, 2024)
A total solar eclipse will be making an appearance over North America in April 2024, and another "won't be visible across the contiguous U.S. again until August 2044," CNN reported.
During the eclipse, the moon will completely cover the sun, causing the sky to briefly become darker as the moon passes through. In addition, "bright stars or planets may shine in the dark sky, and the air temperature will drop as the sun disappears," CNN continued. Viewers should not look at the eclipse directly, especially when any amount of sunlight is visible.
The last total solar eclipse occurred in August 2017 and was known as the "Great American Eclipse."
Lyrids meteor shower (April 16 - April 25, 2024)
The Lyrids are an annual meteor shower causing between 15 and 20 meteors per hour at its peak. Each meteor shower is associated with a parent comet or asteroid which the debris breaks off of. For the Lyrids, the parent comet is Comet Thatcher, discovered in 1861, Smithsonian detailed. The shower will peak on April 22 and can "produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds," per Sea and Sky.
The shower may be harder to see this year because of a full moon at its peak, but experts say viewing from a dark location and being patient can bring it into view. NASA advises you "come prepared with a sleeping bag, blanket, or lawn chair. Lie flat on your back with your feet facing east and look up, taking in as much of the sky as possible.”
Eta Aquarid meteor shower (April 15 - May 27, 2024)
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower is an "above average shower, capable of producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak," according to Sea and Sky. It happens as the Earth passes through leftover debris from the comet Halley. The shower is expected to peak around May 6, 2024.
The meteor shower is known for its speed, with "meteors traveling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere," NASA explained, adding that "fast meteors can leave glowing 'trains'"
Partial lunar eclipse (Sept. 18, 2024)
On the night of Sept. 17 into Sept. 18, a portion of the moon will pass through the Earth's shadow, resulting in a partial lunar eclipse. The phenomenon will be visible throughout North and South America, Europe and Africa. Unlike a solar eclipse, a lunar eclipse can be viewed without protective eyewear.
"Because the moon orbits the Earth at an angle of about five degrees — rather than along a flat plane — the shadow is often cast above or below the moon's orbit," according to the Smithsonian. However, "about twice a year during the full moon, the angle is just right for an eclipse."
Update Jan 19. 2024: This article has been updated throughout.
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