There’s a solar eclipse coming on 10 June when the Moon passes directly between Earth and the Sun. It will be a so-called annular eclipse because the Moon will be near the most distant part of its orbit, and so not big enough to cover the Sun’s disk completely.
Venus is now shining as a brilliant evening star, and will become difficult to miss in the twilight after sunset.
Early May brings the opportunity to see the Eta Aquariids, a shower of shooting stars made up of meteor dust left by Halley’s Comet.
Mercury, the closest planet to the Sun, is starting to make its best appearance in the evening sky for observers at northern latitudes.
The first major display of shooting stars in more than three months occurs in April – the Lyrid meteor shower. Here is how to watch the Lyrids.
Meteors are sometimes seen which cannot be identified with a known shower. They are known as sporadic meteors, or simply sporadics.
Mars, the only bright planet currently in the evening sky, can be seen passing between two prominent star clusters during March, 2021. They are the Pleiades and the Hyades, in the constellation of Taurus.
Mercury is easy to see if you know when and where to look. All you need is a clear sky and an unobstructed horizon. Here is our guide to observing Mercury.
The brightest asteroid, Vesta, is beginning to put on a show in the night sky. You can easily see Vesta for yourself with binoculars, or take a photo with a digital camera. Here’s how to see asteroid Vesta.
The bright planet Mars is making a close approach in the sky to a more distant planet, Uranus. Watch the conjunction with binoculars.
Conditions are good in 2020 for the annual display of a minor meteor shower called the Ursids. Here is how to see them.
The Geminid meteor shower is active in December. Here is our expert guide on how to see the Geminids.
