Celestial events to watch in 2024
Meteor showers, eclipses and more are coming to the skies
This article was updated on April 18, 2024.
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.
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," said Sea and Sky. It happens as the Earth passes through leftover debris from the comet Halley. The shower is expected to peak between May 4 and May 6, 2024.
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The meteor shower is known for its speed, with "meteors traveling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere," NASA said, adding that "fast meteors can leave glowing 'trains'"
Perseid meteor shower (July 17 - Aug. 24, 2024)
The Perseid meteor shower is one of the most vibrant of the year. While it lasts approximately a month, the shower is expected to peak between Aug. 11 and Aug. 12. At its peak, you can expect to see 60 to 100 meteors in an hour from a dark place making the Perseid shower "widely sought after by astronomers and stargazers," TimeandDate said.
The Perseids are caused by debris from the comet 109P/Swift-Tuttle. The meteors "frequently leave long 'wakes' of light and color behind them as they streak through Earth's atmosphere," said NASA. At the peak of the shower, "the moon will be about 50 percent illuminated," the Smithsonian said. "It will set at midnight, so optimal viewing conditions are early in the morning until dawn."
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," said the Smithsonian. However, "about twice a year during the full moon, the angle is just right for an eclipse."
Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS (Oct. 12 - 19, 2024)
The comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS will pass near Earth in fall of 2024. It is also expected to be visible to the naked eye. The comet will be approximately 44 million miles away from Earth at its closest point, and has the potential to be bright and vibrant. "Pretty much right away, it started a buzz in the comet community, because predictions were putting it all over the place in terms of how bright it could get," Ariel Graykowski, a planetary astronomer at the SETI Institute in Mountain View, California, said to Scientific American.
Comets are notoriously unpredictable, being that they are "dusty, icy relics of planetary formation that were hurled to the solar system's outskirts eons ago," said Scientific American. Like leftovers at the back of your freezer, "they spend most of their time inert and unnoticed in the dark." As this event gets closer, scientists can better predict its visibility; however, many already forecast a "fantastic celestial spectacle."
Orionid meteor shower (Sept. 26 - Nov. 22, 2024)
The Orionid meteor shower is a staple of the fall. This year it will peak between Oct. 20 and Oct. 21 with a rate of approximately 20 meteors per hour. "Sometimes the Orionid meteor shower produces spectacular displays of up to 80 meteors an hour, but in recent years it has produced more modest displays of about 20 or 30 visible meteors per hour," said Space.com. The Orionids are also produced from Halley's comet like the Eta Aquarids.
Visibility this year may be reduced because the "moon will be 79% illuminated at the time of the peak." Space.com added. However, they should still be visible to both the northern and southern hemispheres. To have the best view, go to as dark a location as possible between midnight and dawn and let your eyes adjust.
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Devika Rao has worked as a staff writer at The Week since 2022, covering science, the environment, climate and business. She previously worked as a policy associate for a nonprofit organization advocating for environmental action from a business perspective.
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