Astronomical phenomena December 2014

Opportunities for observation for December 2014:

06 december 2014 - Full Moon. Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and so the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 14:27 GMT +2.

06 december 2014 - Aldebaran 1.5 ° S of Moon at 6:35 GMT +2.

12 december 2014 - Moon at apogee. Luna reaches the farthest point from Earth (404,338 km from Earth) at 01:04 GMT +2.

12 december 2014 -Mars at perihelion. The planet will be at its closest point to the Sun at 14:00 GMT +2.

13, 14 december 2014 - Geminid meteor shower- is considered by many to be the best meteor shower on the 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 Moon will block some of the meteors, but Geminids are so brilliant and it would still be a good show. The best observation is to the east after midnight in a dark area.

21 december 2014 -The December solstice occurs at 02:03 GMT +2. South Pole of the Earth will be tilted towards the Sun, and will reach the most northern position in the sky. This makes it the first day of winter (winter solstice), the northern hemisphere, and the first day of summer (summer solstice), in the southern hemisphere.

22 december 2014 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 03:36 GMT +2.

22, 23 december 2014 - 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. It will be one of the best years to observe Ursids, as there will be no moonlight to interfere with the show. 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.

24 december 2014 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (364,791 km from Earth) at 18:44 GMT +2.


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.

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Astronomical phenomena November 2014

Opportunities for observation for November 2014:


01 november 2014 - Mercury at greatest elongation, 18.7 ° E, at 14:00.


03 november 2014 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (367,871 km from Earth) at 02:22 GMT +2.


06 november 2014 - Full Moon. Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and so the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 00:23 GMT +2.


08 november 2014 - Aldebaran 1.4 ° S of Moon at 9:41 GMT +2.


12, 13 november 2014 - 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. Unfortunately, the Full Moon will block all but the most bright 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 of Taurus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.

15 november 2014 - Moon at apogee. Luna reaches the farthest point from Earth (404,338 km from Earth) at 03:57 GMT +2.


17, 18 november 2014 - 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. Crescent Moon this year, will not be a big problem.


22 november 2014 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 14:32 GMT +2.


27 november 2014 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (369,825 km from Earth) at 01:12 GMT +2.




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.

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Astronomical phenomena October 2014

Opportunities for observation for October 2014:


06 october 2014 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (362,481 km from Earth) at 11:42 GMT +2.

07 october 2014 - Uranus opposition. 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.

08 october 2014 - Full Moon. Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and so the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 12:51 GMT +2.

08 october 2014 - Total Lunar eclipse. A total eclipse, occurs when the Moon passes completely through the Earth's dark shadow, or Umbra. During this type of eclipse, the Moon will gradually become darker and later take a rusty red or blood color. The eclipse will be visible in most of North America, South America, East Asia, and Australia. This eclipse will be visible from Romania, because it takes place between 10:55 to 14:55.

08-09 october 2014 - Draconid meteor shower. The Moon will be illuminated 99.9%. 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. Unfortunately, the glow of the Full Moon this year will block all 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

19 october 2014 - Comet 2013 A1 (Siding Spring) will pass extremely close to Mars, almost certainly to 300,000 km from the planet, possibly much closer. The best actual estimates are approximately 50,000 km move to the surface of Mars.

20 september 2014 - Moon at apogee. Luna reaches the farthest point from Earth (404,898 km from Earth) at 08:06 GMT +2.

21, 22 october 2014 - 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. This year will be a great year for the Orionids because the Moon will not be in the sky to interfere with the show. The best cardinal point to see will be to the east after midnight. Orionids originates from Comet Halley.

23 october 2014 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 23:57 GMT +2.

23 october 2014 - Partial Eclipse of the Sun. A partial solar eclipse occurs when the Moon covers only a part of the solar disc, and sometimes looks like a bite of a cookie. A partial solar eclipse can be observed safely only with a special solar filter or looking at the reflection of the sun. This Partial eclipse will be visible in most of North and Central America.


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.

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Astronomical phenomena September 2014

Opportunities for observation for September 2014:


08 september 2014 - Moon reaches perigee, the closest point to Earth (358,388 km from Earth) at 05:30 GMT +2.

09 september 2014 - Full Moon. Earth is between the Sun and the Moon and so the Moon will be fully illuminated as seen from Earth. This phase occurs at 03:38 GMT +2.

12 september 2014 -Mercury at aphelion. The planet will be at its farthest point from the Sun at 00:00.

20 september 2014 - Moon at apogee. Luna reaches the farthest point from Earth (405,846 km from Earth) at 16:23 GMT +2.

23 september 2014 - September Equinox.September Equinox occurs at 04:29 GMT +2. 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.

24 september 2014 - New Moon. Moon will be directly between the Earth and the Sun and will not be visible from Earth. This phase occurs at 08:14 GMT +2.

28 september 2014 - Moon-Saturn occultation. Saturn 0.8 ° S of Moon at 6:46.

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.

Read more »