There are mountain of exciting sky view event come up in the come year that should excite amateurs and professionals alike . We ’ll be certain to remind you before the most noteworthy event , but mark your calendars so you could contrive in the lead and keep your eyes on the skies throughout 2014 ! Even if you do n’t have a telescope , many of these can be see with the raw eye or a good couplet of binoculars .
January
2 - 3 - Quadrantids Meteor Shower apex - The shower bath will be seeable from January first through the 5th , it peaks overnight on the 2nd and into the break of the day of the 3rd , with about 40 sightings per 60 minutes . These should be very easy to see , because the moon will not be present to wash the meteor out . The meteor will come out to be originating from the constellation Bootes .
5 - Jupiter at Opposition - This is the best twenty-four hour period of the yr to regard Jupiter , as it piss it ’s tight approach to Earth and will be amply reflecting lighter from the Dominicus . There will also be plenty of light excogitate off of its four largest moons : Io , Europa , Ganymede , and Callisto . These will be visible on both sides of the major planet .
March
20 - Asteroid takes out lead - Okay , so the asteroid doesn’treallytake out a adept ( because we all know who would pull ahead that fight ) , but it will pass in front of it and make it disappear from view . The asteroid 163 Erigone is 45 international mile wide and will evanesce in front of Regulus , a superstar in the Leo configuration . For about 12 seconds , the asteroid ’s shadow will completely mist the genius . This is a very rare happening and regrettably very few will get the opportunity to see it . The centre of the way of life will begin in New York City and it will move up into Ontario .
April
8 - Mars at opponent - As Mars make its close approach of the year on this date , this is the best time to observe it . Details of the Martian surface will be visible with a telescope using magnification 80 - 100x . Binoculars will raise the color , but a intermediate scope ( about 5 - 8 inches ) is necessitate to see inside information . Higher powered telescopes may even be able to see the polar icing caps .
15 - Total Lunar Eclipse - The full Sun Myung Moon will be altogether caught in Earth ’s shadow , known as its umbra . At the onset of the eclipse , the moon will gradually appear to become a out of practice crimson color . Astronomers inNorth and South Americawill have the best opinion of the occultation , which is expect to last nigh 80 minute .
22 - 23 - Lyrids Meteor Shower Peak - The remnant of C/1861 G1 Thatcher seem to us in the shape of the Lyrids meteor rain shower . Though they will be seeable between the sixteenth and 25th , they peak overnight on the 22nd with up to 20 meteors per 60 minutes . Unfortunately , the light from the second stern moon will wash out some of the meteors , but the burnished ones should be visible . These shooting star have the potential to be very dusty with lustrous tails that seem to attend in the aviation .
28 - 29 - Ring of Fire Eclipse - This partial solar eclipse will bring on a “ ring of flaming ” effect as the moon blocks out much of the sun ’s Inner Light . Unfortunately , the upright view of this phenomenon will be over an uninhabited region of Antarctica .
May
5 - 6 - Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak - This exhibitor is composed of dust-covered remainder of the famed Halley ’s Comet . The long - lam shower is visible from April 19th until May 28 , but peaks overnight on May 5th with up to 60 sightings per hour . The first quarter lunation should set powerful around midnight local fourth dimension , which will really improve experimental condition for recognize meteors . Though the meteors can appear anywhere in the sky , it will appear that they are come from the Aquarius constellation .
10 - Saturn at Opposition - Saturn will make its unaired plan of attack of the yr and will be reflecting plenitude of the Dominicus ’s light , making this the good opportunity to spot it . A medium telescope ( about 5 - 8 inches ) is require to see the ring and some of the big moon which will also be lit up from the Dominicus .
24 - Meteor Shower - Before sunrise on the 24th , there could be a great number of meteoroid which are oddment of the comet P/209 LINEAR . The shower will be comparatively short lived , but there is the potential for up to 100 sighting per hour .
June
7 - Mars and Moon Conjuncture - Just after sunset , Mars will be only a couple point away from our moon in the Western sky . This junction will be visible into the early morning hour .
July
28 - 29 - Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower Peak - This shooting star shower is the remnants of two different comets . Though it run from July 12 through August 23 , it will top out overnight on July 28th with up to 20 sighting per hour . The meteors will appear to come from the Aquarius constellation .
August
10 - Supermoon - This will be the close full moon of 2014 , though it wo n’t come out much larger than any other full moon to the naked an untrained eye .
12 - 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower Peak - These meteors are leftovers from Swift - Tuttle comet and are a favourite among many skywatchers . The shower can be seeable from July 17th through August 24th , and will top out overnight on August 12th at 60 sighting per hour . Unfortunately , the Inner Light from the moon will wash out many of the meteors , though the burnished should still be visible .
18 - Jupiter and Venus Conjuncture - Venus and Jupiter are the brightest planets in the sky and will be 0.25 degrees aside from one another , which is less than the width of the moonlight . They will be well view before cockcrow .
29 - Neptune at Opposition - The eighth planet will make its closest approaching and will be chew over hatful of sun on this day . Those with bombastic , high powered telescopes may be able to see some details of this amazing planet , though it will come out only as a blue speck to everyone else .
October
7 - Uranus at Opposition - Uranus will make its close approach and will be reverberate plenty of sunlight on this Clarence Day . Those with great , in high spirits powered telescope may be able to see some details of this amazing planet , though it will appear only as a bluish green pinch to everyone else .
8 - Total Lunar Eclipse - The second full lunar eclipse of the year will last about one hour and will be most visible to those on thewestern side of North America , as well as the easternmost persona of Asia and Australia . Africa and Europe will not be able to view the rusty red umbra at all .
8 - 9 - Draconids Meteor Shower Peak - This shower bath spans from October 6 - 10 , though it will peak overnight on the 8th with up to 10 meteor per minute . Though it is a small exhibitioner anyway , it will be especially tough to observe this class because of the light from full moon . However , if you are already out observing the lunar eclipse , it might be possible to see some of the bright meteoroid . They will seem as if they are originating from the Draco constellation .
19 - Mars / Comet Near Miss - The recently - discovered Comet C/2013 A1 , commonly known as Sliding Spring , will be making an passing close approach with our planetary neighbor . NASA ’s Near - Earth Object Office has estimated that it will be only 68,000 miles ( 110,000 kilometre ) away from the red satellite , which is roughly one - third of the distance from the Earth to the moon . There is presently a 1 in 8000 chance of it expunge the surface , which intend that our rovers and orbiters should be altogether safe .
22 - 23 - Orionids Meteor Shower Peak - This exhibitor is made up of oddment from the famed Halley ’s Comet and spans from October 2 through November 7 . It will top out overnight on the 22nd with up to 20 sighting per 60 minutes . Because it is the night before the New Moon , 2014 is an excellent year to see this shower . The meteors will appear to be originating from the Orion constellation .
23 - Partial Solar Eclipse - This partial solar eclipse will bevisible throughout North America , as well as the easternmost parts of Russia .
November
5 - 6 - Taurids Meteor Shower Peak - Though the Taurids is a modest exhibitioner , it has an super tenacious span from September 7th through December 10th . It will peak overnight on the 5th with about 10 sightings per minute . Unfortunately , the visible light from the moon will wash out most of the shooting star , but the brilliant ones may still be visible . The meteors will appear to originate from the Taurus constellation .
17 - 18 - Leonids Meteor Shower Peak - The Leonids ranges from November 6th through the 30th , though it will peak overnight on the 17th with about 15 sightings per hour . The Sun Myung Moon is n’t expected to wash out many of the meteors , so it should be fairly visible . In 2001 , the Leonids grow hundred of sighting per hour , but we are n’t expected to see that variety of show again until 2034 . The shower will appear to grow from the configuration Leo .
December
13 - 14 - Geminids Meteor Shower Peak - The Geminids is a perennial favorite among skywatchers . It sweep from December 7th through the 17th , but will peak overnight on the 13th with up to 120 sighting per hour . The shooting star will look multicolored , which devote an tote up bonus to the already striking show . Though the Sun Myung Moon will wash out some of the meteor , they should be bright and plenteous enough to still be very seeable . These meteor will come out to originate from the Gemini configuration .
24 - 25 - Ursids Meteor Shower Peak - The last meteoroid exhibitor of the year will span from the 17th through the 25th , though it will top out overnight on the 22nd with about 10 sightings per hr . Because the exhibitor ’s peak coincides with the new moon , it should be a great time to catch the meteors and shut down up a fantastic year of skywatching . These meteoroid will come along to originate from the Ursa Minor constellation .
