Astronomical Calendar 2015 astronomy events

2015 is full of surprises for observers worldwide. A lot of events will take place this year from occultations to eclipses.
Among these astronomical phenomena, I point out the total eclipse of the Sun on 20 March, and total lunar eclipse of 28 September. On September 28, 2015 will be a total lunar eclipse. I look forward to see the event.
Occultations will take place, 6 in number, between March and Venus, and a lot of conjunctions between the Sun, stars and planets. Conjunction of Mars, Venus and Jupiter on 28 October, I find most interesting.
Another important event is that by February, we will be able to see the dwarf planet Ceres images with the help of NASA's Down device.

Take your binoculars or telescope from the closet, because surely, in 2015 you will not have too many pauses between the events that will unfold in the sky.


Astronomical Calendar 2015 astronomical events.

I have gathered here informations about astronomical phenomena of the year 2015 which took me a lot of time and believe me it was not easy to put them together. I hope you'll find interesting this astronomical calendar.

If you want, you can view astronomical calendar in sections you can see:

-only moon phases
-only perigee / apogee
-only occultations
-only conjunctions
-only comets

In this calendar, further events will occur over time, as asteroids and other objects are evolving in the sky.
Here's how it looks:

►02, 03 january 2015 - Quadrantids. Quadrantid meteor shower, get to have up to 40 meteors per hour, usually on 3 and 4 January, but may be visible on 1-5 January. The highest rate of meteors per hour took place in 1932 (80/ hour). The best time for observations is a dark place after midnight. Meteors radiate from the constellation Bootes, close to the North Star.
The source of this meteor shower was unknown until December 2003 when Peter Jenniskens of the Ames Research Center (NASA) found evidence that meteoroids come from 2003 EH1 , an "asteroid", which is probably a piece of a comet which collapsed 500 years ago.
Unfortunately, nearly full Moon will block most brilliant meteors this year. The best time for observing will be from a dark location after midnight.

►January 04, 2015 - Earth at perihelion. Earth reaches the closest point to the Sun, 0.98333 AU at 08:59.

►January 5, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 04:53 GMT.

►January 9, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (405411 km from Earth), at 18:17 GMT

►January 11, 2015 - Mercury-Venus 0.6 ° at 01:00 GMT.

►January 13, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 01:00 GMT.

►January 13, 2015 - Comet C / 2013 G9 (Tenagra) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on April 15, 2013. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►January 14, 2015 - Comet 201P / LONEOS reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered 09 August 2001. No data about its diameter. It has an orbit of 6.47 years.

►January 20, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 13:14 GMT.

►January 21, 2015 - The moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (359643 km from Earth) at 20:06 GMT

►January 21, 2015 - Mercury perihelion. The planet will be at its closest point to the Sun at 20:00.

►January 21, 2015 - Comet D / 1886 K1 (Brooks) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on May 25, 1886. No data about its diameter. It has an orbit of 5.44 years.

►January 26, 2015 - The asteroid 357439 (2004 BL86) 3.1 Moon distances of our planet. It was discovered on January 30, 2004. Its diameter is 0.4-1 km. It has an orbit of 1.84 years.

►January 27, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 04:48 GMT

►January 30, 2015 - Comet 7P / Pons-Winnecke reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on June 12, 1819. Its diameter is 5.2 km. It has an orbit of 6.37 years.

►January 30, 2015 - Mercury at inferior conjunction. Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun, at 14:00 GMT.

►January 31, 2015 - Asteroid (2008 CQ) 4.8 Moon distances from our planet. It has an orbit of 5.5 years.

►February 2015 - "Dawn" at Ceres. Dawn, NASA's spacecraft will encounter dwarf planet known as Ceres sometime in February 2015. Ceres is the largest object in the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter. Because of its size and shape, was officially classified as a dwarf planet, which puts it in the same category as Pluto. Ceres is 950 km in diameter and is large enough to have a round shape. Down will spend several months studying Ceres and will send back the first close ups of the dwarf planet in our Solar System.

►February 3, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 23:09 GMT.

►February 06, 2015 - Jupiter at opposition. 17:00. Jupiter will be the closest to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the sun. An opposition happens when a planet is at an elongation of 180 ° and thus appears opposite from the Sun in the sky. This is the best time to observe Jupiter.

►February 06, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (406155 km from Earth) at 6:25 GMT

►February 12, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 03:50 GMT.

►February 16, 2015 - Comet P / 2005 Q4 (LINEAR) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 31, 2005. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►February 18, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 17:14 GMT.

►February 18, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 23:47 GMT.

►February 19, 2015 - The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (356992 km from Earth) at 7:29 GMT

►February 22, 2015 - The conjunction of Venus and Mars. Conjunctions are rare events in which two or more objects will appear very close together in the night sky. The two bright planets will be visible only half a degree apart in the evening sky. Look to the west just after sunset.

►February 24, 2015 - Mercury at greatest elongation: 18.9 ° W, 16:00

►February 26 2015 - Conjunction Neptune - Sun. At 04:00 GMT.

►March 02, 2015 - Comet 6P / d'Arrest reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on June 28, 1851. Its diameter is 3.2 km. It has an orbit of 6.54 years.

►March 5, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (406386 km from Earth) at 6:35 GMT

►March 5, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 18:05 GMT.

►March 06, 2015 - Mercury at aphelion. The planet is at the farthest point from the Sun at 20:00.

►March 13, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 17:48 GMT.

►March 13, 2015 - Comet D / 1884 O1 (Bernard) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on July 24, 1884. No data about its diameter. It has an orbit of 5.38 years.

►March 19, 2015 - The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (357584 km from Earth), at 19:38 GMT

►March 20, 2015 - Equinox of March. March Equinox occurs at 22:45 GMT. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and the days and nights will be almost equal in the whole world. This is also the first day of spring (spring equinox) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of fall (autumnal equinox), in the southern hemisphere.

►March 20, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 09:36 GMT.

►March 20, 2015 - Total eclipse of the Sun, at 09:46. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the solar disk and sometimes resembles a bite of a cookie. Total solar eclipse will be visible from Svalbard and the Faroe Islands. The eclipse will be partial to the people of Iceland, Europe, North-East Asia and North Western Africa.
A total solar eclipse can be seen only with a special solar filter or looking at the reflection of the Sun.

►March 21, 2015 - Mars 0.6 ° N Moon at 22:13 GMT. Occultation.

►March 25, 2015 - Comet P / 2008 WZ96 (LINEAR) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on 30 November 2008. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►March 27, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 07:43 GMT.

►April 1, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (406012 km from Earth), at 12:59  GMT

►April 01, 2015 - Comet C / 2012 F3 (PANSTARRS) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on 30 November 2008. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►April 04, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 12:05 GMT

►April 04 2015 - partial eclipse of the Moon mag = 0.996, at 12:01 GMT. Earth will be between the Moon and the Sun and Earth's shadow will cover the lunar disc. The eclipse will be visible in most of North America, Pacific, East Asia and New Zealand.
►April 06, 2015 - The conjunction of Uranus and the Sun. 14:00 GMT.

►April 06 2015 - Comet 88P / Howell reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 29, 1981. Its diameter is 4.4 km. It has an orbit of 5.5 years.

►April 08, 2015 - Comet 42P / Neujmin 3 reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 2, 1929. Its diameter is 2.2 km. It has an orbit of 10.71 years.

►April 10, 2015 - Mercury at superior conjunction. Mercury passes on the opposite side of the Sun from the Earth at 04:00 GMT.

►April 12, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 03:44 GMT.

►April 17, 2015 - The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (361026 km from Earth) at 3:53  GMT

►April 18, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 18:57 GMT.

►April 18, 2015 - Venus at perihelion. Venus reaches the closest point to the Sun, at 13:00 GMT.

►April 18, 2015 - Comet P / 2006 S6 (Hill) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 29, 2006. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►April 19, 2015 - Mercury perihelion. Mercury reaches the closest point to the Sun, at 20:00 GMT.

►April 22-23, 2015 - Lyrid meteor shower. Lyrids are meteor showers with medium intensity, usually producing about 20 meteors per hour. These meteors can produce bright dust tail that takes a few seconds. Some meteors may be visible between April 16 to 25. First quarter moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving a fairly dark sky, so it could be a good show. These meteors radiate from the constellation Lyra, and their source Comet Thatcher 18611.

►April 25, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 23:55 GMT.

►April 29, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (40508 km from the Earth) at 3:55 GMT

►May 4, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 03:42 GMT.

►May 05, 06, 2015 - Eta Aquarid meteor shower. Eta Aquarids usually produce about 10 meteors per hour. The highest intensity usually take place on 5 and 6. The radiant point is the constellation Aquarius, and the meteors originates from Comet Halley. The best observations are usually to the east after midnight, away from city lights. Almost full Moon will be a big problem this year blocking all the less brighter meteors.

►May 07, 2015 - Mercury at greatest elongation: 21.2 ° E at 05:00 GMT.

►May 08, 2015 - Comet P / 1997 T3 (Lagerkvist-Carsenty) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered 05 October 1997. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►May 11, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 10:36 GMT.

►May 15, 2015 - The moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (366024 km from Earth) at 0:23  GMT

►May 17, 2015 - Comet C / 2008 QP20 (LINEAR-Hill) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on April 24, 2003. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►May 18, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 04:13 GMT.

►May 22, 2015 - Comet 57P / Dutoit-Neujmin-Delporte reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on July 18, 1941. No data about its diameter. It has an orbit of 6.42 years.

►May 23, 2015 - Saturn at opposition. Ringed planet will be closest to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun, at 01:00. An opposition is when a planet is at an elongation of 180 ° and thus appears opposite to the Sun in the sky. This is the best time to view and photograph Saturn and its moons.

►May 25, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 17:19 GMT.

►May 26, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (404246 km from Earth) at 22:12 GMT.

►May 30, 2015 - Mercury at inferior conjunction. Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun, at 17:00 GMT.

►June 2, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 16:19 GMT.

►June 06, 2015 - Venus at greatest elongation: 45.4 ° E at 19:00 GMT.

►June 9, 2015 - Moon at last quarter. at 15:42 GMT

►June 10, 2015 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (369713 km from Earth) at 4:39 GMT

►June 13, 2015 - Venus-Beehive: 0.5 ° N at 08:59 GMT

►June 13, 2015 - Comet P / 2009 Q4 (Boattini) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 26, 2009. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►June 13, 2015 - Comet P / 2010 B2 (WISE) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on January 22, 2010. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►June 13, 2015 - Comet P / 2012 F5 (Gibbs) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on September 17, 2009. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►June 14, 2015 - Conjunction of Mars and the Sun. 15:00 GMT.

►June 15, 2015 - Mercury 0.0 ° N Moon at 02:26 GMT. Occultation.

►June 16, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 14:05 GMT.

►June 21, 2015 - June Solstice. June solstice occurs at 16:38 GMT. North Pole of the Earth will be tilted towards the Sun, which will reach the northernmost position in the sky. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) on the northern hemisphere, and the first day of winter (winter solstice), in the southern hemisphere.

►June 23, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (404134 km from Earth), at 17:01 GMT

June 24, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 11:03 GMT.

►June 24, 2015 - Mercury at greatest elongation: 22.5 ° W at 17:00

►June 25, 2015 - Comet P / 2009 WX51 (Catalina) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on November 22, 2009. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►July 01, 2015 - Comet P / 2008 S1 (Catalina-McNaught) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on May 2, 2008. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►July 02, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 02:20 GMT.

►July 05, 2015 - The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (367095 km from Earth), at 18:54  GMT

►July 06, 2015 - Earth at aphelion. Earth reaches the furthest point from the Sun, 1.01668 AU, at 12:59 GMT.

►July 08, 2015 - Moon at last quarter at 10:24 GMT.

►July 14, 2015 - New Horisons at Pluto. New Horisons, NASA's spacecraft is scheduled to arrive at Pluto; after a journey of nine and a half years. Launched on January 19, 2006, it will be the first spacecraft to visit Pluto. New Horisons will give us our first close view of the dwarf planet and its moons. After the passage of Pluto, the probe will continue to Kuiper Belt to examine some of the other icy bodies at the edge of the Solar System.

►July 16, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 02:24 GMT.

►July 16 2015 - Mercury perihelion. The planet will be at its closest point to the Sun at 19:00.

►July 19, 2015 - Venus 0.4 ° N Moon at 01:06 GMT. Occultation.

►July 21, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (404837 km from Earth), at 11:02 GMT

►July 23, 2015 - Mercury at superior conjunction. Mercury passes on the opposite side of the Sun from the Earth at 19:00 GMT.

►July 24, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 04:04 GMT.

►July 24, 2015 - Comet P / 2004 FY140 (LINEAR) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on March 27, 2004. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►July 26, 2015 - Saturn Moon 2.2 ° S at 08:43 GMT

►July 28-29, 2015 - South Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour. Radiant point for these meteors is in the constellation Aquarius.

►July 31, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 10:43 GMT.

►August 02, 2015 - The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (362135 km from Earth), at 10:11 GMT

►August 07, 2015 - Mercury 0.5 ° of Jupiter at 07:00 GMT.

►August 07, 2015 - Mercury 0.8 ° N Regulus at 17:25 GMT.

►August 07, 2015 - Moon at last quarter. at 02:03 GMT.

►August 8, 2015 - Aldebaran 0.7 ° S of Moon at 23:22 GMT.

►August 08, 2015 - Venus at aphelion. The planet is the farthest point from the Sun at 22:00.

►August 12, 2015 - Comet P / 2004 R1 (McNaught) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on September 2, 2004. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►August 12.13, 2014 - Perseid meteor shower. Perseids are one of the best meteor showers that produce up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak hours. Radiant point is in the constellation Perseus, and the meteors originates from the tail of Swift-Tuttle Comet. Find a place away from city lights and look to the northeast after midnight.The moon will not block meteors this year and Perseids are so bright and numerous that it would be a good show.

►August 13, 2015 - Comet P / 2010 K2 (WISE) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on May 27, 2010. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►August 15, 2015 - Comet P / 2009 L2 (Yang Gao) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on June 15, 2009. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►August 14, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 14:53 GMT.

►August 15, 2015 - Venus at inferior conjunction. The planet passes between Earth and the Sun, at 19:00 GMT.

►August 18, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (405852 km from Earth) at 2:33 GMT

►August 22, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 19:31 GMT.

►August 26, 2015 - The conjunction of Uranus and the Sun. 21:00 GMT.

►August 29, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 18:35 GMT.

►August 29, 2015 - Mercury at aphelion. The planet is the farthest point from the Sun at 19:00 GMT.

►August 30, 2015 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (358289 km from Earth), at 15:24  GMT

►September 04, 2015 - Comet P / 1999 R1 (SOHO) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on September 4, 1991. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►September 04, 2015 - Mercury at greatest elongation: 27.1 ° E at 10:00

►September 5, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 09:54 GMT.

►September 5, 2015 - Neptune opposition at 02:00 GMT. Neptune will be the closest to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. An opposition is when a planet is at an elongation of 180 ° and thus appears opposite to the Sun in the sky. This is the best time to observe Neptune. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny blue dot.

►September 5, 2015 - Aldebaran 0.6 ° S of Moon at 05:09 GMT.

►September 13, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 06:41 GMT.

►September 14, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (406466 km from Earth), at 11:28 GMT

►September 21, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 08:59 GMT.

►September 23, 2015 - September Equinox.September Equinox occurs at 08:21 GMT. The Sun will shine directly on the equator. Days and nights will be almost equal in the whole world. This is also the first day of fall (autumn equinox) on the northern hemisphere, and the first day of spring (vernal equinox), in the southern hemisphere.

►September 24, 2015 - Mars 0.7 ° N Regulus at 19:38 GMT.

►September 26, 2015 - Comet P / 1999 J6 (SOHO) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on May 10, 1999. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►September 28, 2015 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (356877 km from Earth) at 1:46 GMT.

►September 28, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 02:50 GMT.

►September 28, 2015 - Total lunar eclipse at 02:47 GMT, mag = 1.276. Earth will be between the Moon and the Sun and Earth's shadow will cover all lunar disc. The total lunar eclipse will be visible from most of North America, South America, Europe, West Asia and parts of Africa.
The eclipse will last for 3 hours and 20 minutes from beginning to end. The moon will be eclipsed totally for about 1 hour and 12 minutes.

►September 30, 2015 - Mercury at inferior conjunction. Mercury passes between the Earth and the Sun, at 15:00 GMT.

►October 02, 2015 - Aldebaran 0.5 ° S of Moon at 12:51 GMT.

►October 04, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter, at 21:06 GMT.

►October 08, 2015 - Venus 0.7 ° N Moon at 20:32 GMT. Occultation.

►October 08, 09, 2015 - Draconid meteor shower. Draconid meteor shower is a minor one only producing about 10 meteors per hour. This is caused by dust particles left by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner, which was discovered in 1900. The shower takes place annually between October 6 to 10. Moon at the last quarter this year will block some of the brighter meteors. If you are very patient, you may be able to observe a few. The best time for viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Draco, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

►October 11, 2015 - Mercury 1.0 ° N Moon at 12:00 GMT. Occultation.

►October 11, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (406389 km from Earth), at 13:17 GMT

►October 12, 2015 - Uranus opposition, at 03:00 GMT. Uranus will be the closest to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the Sun. An opposition is when a planet is at an elongation of 180 ° and thus appears opposite to the Sun in the sky. This is the best time to observe Uranus. Due to its distance, it will only appear as a tiny green-blue dot.

►October 12, 2015 - Mercury perihelion. Mercury reaches the closest point to the Sun, at 18:00.

►October 13, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 00:06 GMT.


►October 16, 2015 - Mercury at greatest elongation: 18.1 ° W, 03:00 GMT.

►October 20, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 20:31 GMT.

►October 21, 2015 - Comet P / 2001 H5 (NEAT) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on March 20, 2001. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►October 21,22, 2015 - Orionid meteor shower. Orionids are a meteor shower of medium intensity, which produces about 20 meteors per hour. A good view is in any morning from October 20 to 24. The best cardinal point to see will be to the east after midnight. Orionids originates from Comet Halley.This year will be great for Orionids as Moon sets after midnight and the sky will not interfere with the show.

►October 23, 2015 - Comet P / 2007 V2 (Hill) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on October 14, 2007. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►October 24, 2015 - Comet P / 1994 N2 (McNaught-Hartley) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered 05 July 1994. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►October 25, 2015 - Comet 22P / Kopff reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 22, 1906. Its diameter is 3.0 km. It has an orbit of 6.45 years.

►October 26, 2015 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (358464 km from Earth), at 12:59 GMT

►October 26, 2015 - The conjunction of Venus and Jupiter. Conjunctions are rare events in which two or more objects will appear very close together in the night sky. The two bright planets will be visible in 1 degree apart in the early morning sky. Look to the east just before sunrise.

►October 26, 2015 - Venus at greatest elongation: 46.4 ° W at 19:00 GMT.

►October 27, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 12:05 GMT.

►October 28 2015 - Conjunction Venus, Mars and Jupiter. Conjunctions are rare events in which two or more objects will appear very close to the night sky. The three planets will form a tight triangle 1 degree in the morning sky. Look to the east just before sunrise.

►October 28, 2015 - Comet P / 2005 RV25 (Lone-Christensen) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on September 11, 2005. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►October 30, 2015 - Aldebaran 0.6 ° S of Moon at 22:45 GMT.

►November 03, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter, at 12:24 GMT.

►November 06, 2015 - Comet P / 2008 Y2 (Gibbs) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on December 1, 2008. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►November 7, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (405724 km from Earth) at 21:48 GMT

►November 11, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 17:47 GMT.

►November 12,13, 2015 - Taurid meteor shower. Taurids are a long time minor meteor shower, producing only about 5 to 10 meteors per hour. It is unusual that it consists of two separate streams. The first is produced by dust particles of asteroid 2004 TG10. The second current is produced by debris left behind by Comet 2P Encke. The shower takes place annually between October 20 to December 10. This year the maximum is on the night of November 12. The new Moon will not block the meteors. If you are very patient, you may be able to observe a lot of them. The best time for viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation of Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

►November 14, 2015 - Comet 10P / Tempel 2 reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on July 3, 1873. Its diameter is 10.6 km. It has an orbit of 5.38 years.

►November 17, 2015 - Mercury at superior conjunction. Mercury passes on the opposite side of the Sun from the Earth at 15:00 GMT.

►November 17,18, 2015 - Leonids - meteor shower.- Leonids meteor showers are one of the best for observation. You will see about 40 meteors per hour. Leonids have a cyclic peak year every 33 years when hundreds of meteors can be seen each hour. Last time this phenomenon occurred in 2001. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo after midnight and the meteors originates from the tail of the Comet Temple-Tuttle. The Moon this year, will not be a big problem.

►November 19, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 06:27 GMT.

►November 21, 2015 - Mars at aphelion. The planet is the farthest point from the Sun at 00:00 GMT.

►November 23, 2015 - The Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (362818 km from Earth) at 20:06 GMT

►November 25, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 22:44 GMT.

►November 26, 2015 - Aldebaran 0.7 ° S of Moon at 09:33 GMT.

►November 26, 2015 - Venus at perihelion. Venus reaches the closest point to the Sun, at 06:00.

►November 30 2015 - Conjunction of Saturn and the Sun. 00:00 GMT.

►November 30, 2015 - Comet P / 2010 R2 (La Sagra) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 12, 2010. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►December 03, 2015 - Moon at the last quarter. at 07:40 GMT.

►December 04, 2015 - Comet P / 2003 WC7 (LINEAR-Catalina) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on November 18, 2003. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►December 05, 2015 - Moon at apogee. Luna reach the farthest point from Earth (404800 km from Earth), at 14:56 GMT

►December 06, 2015 - Mars 0.1 ° N Moon at 02:40 GMT. Occultation.

►December 07, 2015 - Venus 0.7 ° N Moon at 16:55 GMT. Occultation.

►December 10, 2015 - Comet P / 2002 Q1 (Van Ness) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 17, 2002. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

December 11, 2015 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 10:29 GMT.

►December 13,14, 2015 -Geminid meteor shower- is considered by many to be the best meteor shower on the sky. Geminids are known to produce up to 60 multicolored meteors per hour at their peak. Most usually appear on, or around 13 by December and 14, although some meteors should be visible between 06 and 19 December. They radiate from the constellation Gemini and originates from the asteroid 3200 Phaeton. This year, the new Moon will not block the meteors, and Geminids are so brilliant and it would be a good show. The best observation is to the east after midnight in a dark area.

►December 18, 2015 - Moon at the first quarter. at 15:14 GMT

►December 21, 2015 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (368418 km from Earth), at 8:53 GMT

►December 22, 23, 2015 - Ursid meteor shower. Ursids are a minor meteor shower which produces only about 5 to 10 meteors per hour. This is caused by dust left by the comet Tuttle, which was discovered in 1790. The shower is happening annually from December 17 to 26. This year, the maximum will occur on the night of 22. The best observations are after midnight, in a dark area., Away from city lights. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Ursa Minor, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

►December 23, 2015 - Aldebaran 0.7 ° S of Moon at 19:09 GMT.

►December 25, 2015 - Full Moon. The earth will be between the Sun and the Moon, and therefore, the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 11:11 GMT.

►December 26, 2015 - Comet P / 1998 QP54 (Lone-Tucker) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on August 2, 1998. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►December 31, 2015 - Comet C / 2013 C2 (Tenagra) reaches perihelion, the closest position of the sun. It was discovered on February 14, 2013. No data yet about its orbit or diameter.

►December 31, 2015 - Mercury at greatest elongation: 19.7 ° E at 03:00 GMT.


►December 31, 2015 - Jupiter Moon 1.5 ° N at 17:55 GMT.


Legend:
-Perihelion-position in the orbit of a planet closest to the Sun.
-Aphelion - position in the orbit of a planet farthest from the Sun.
-Perigee -  the position of the Moon closest to Earth.
-Apogee -  the position of the Moon farthest to Earth.
-Inferior Conjunction - Mercury or Venus passing between the Earth and Sun.
-Superior Conjunction - Mercury or Venus passes on the opposite side of the Sun from Earth.
-Greatest elongation - elongation is the angle between the Sun and a planet as seen from Earth, during eastern elongation (E), the planet appears as an evening star, during western elongation (W), the planet appears as a morning star.
-Opposition - position in the orbit of a planet when opposites the Sun as seen from Earth.
-Conjunction - position in the orbit of a planet when appears closer to the Sun as seen from Earth.
-Occultation - Moon occults or eclipses a star or a planet.
-Ascending Node - the point where a planet passes from the southern to the northern part of its orbit.
-Descending Node - the point where a planet passes from the northern to the southern side of its orbit.

See Astronomy Calendar for 2015 (hebrew).
See Astronomy Calendar for 2015 (arabic).
See Astronomy Calendar for 2015 (romanian).
See Astronomy Calendar for 2015 (italian).

See Astronomy Calendar for 2014.

Posted in: Astronomical calendar 2015