The Night Sky
Observing planetary events in the night sky is a relatively easy, no-cost experience you can share with your children.
Sometimes you’ll need to set an alarm because events happen in the middle of the night or early morning.
Watch the related 3-minute video.
Calendar of 2024 Night Sky Events
Calendar 2024 (Searchable by month.)
What to look for in August 2024
The big event for the month will be the Perseid meteor showers.
What to Look for July 2024
July 2024 will have lots to see. It ends with a triangle formed by a crescent moon, Jupiter, and Mars.
July 4-5 watch.
What to Look for June 2024
Here’s what’s expected (weather permitting).
Use the links at the bottom of the post for additional details and information about other upcoming events.
UPDATE: Watch the night sky in late January, February & March 2024
The March 24 Venus and Saturn event will probably be the most convenient to view at 6:06 PM EST
Special Event During the Solar Eclipse
If cloud cover stays away, there is a chance to see a horned comet during the total solar eclipse of 2024.
Have you looked at the night sky lately?
Did you notice anything a little different?
Starting this week and continuing into next week, Jupiter and Venus (the two brightest planets) have been moving toward conjunction.
The image to the right was taken with an old camera phone, so it’s not that crisp. Despite the technical limitations and much light pollution, you can see the conjunction in its early phase. The object toward the bottom is the crescent moon. Jupiter is on top, slightly to the left, with Venus closer to the moon.
Cloud cover prevented viewing for the next three nights.
Here’s an image taken four nights later. Notice the change in position. The two planets appear much closer to each other.
Taken at dusk 02/26/23. Click to enlarge,
To witness the conjunction as it continues for the next few days, look to the west beginning at sunset.
By all reports, on March 1, the two planets will reach their closest point – appearing to be side-by-side – giving the impression of two eyes looking down.
If cloud cover or commitments cause you to miss this conjunction, you’ll have another opportunity in about thirteen months.
Night sky watching is a simple and free activity you can do with your kids, especially during warm weather. It’s an excellent way to spark imagination and discuss how the sky has been used as a navigation tool throughout the ages.
It also provides an occasion to unplug from technology and reconnect with the world around you. It’s not hands-on, but eyes-on counts too.
You can use the links below to look for other yearly planetary events. There will be a solar eclipse in the fall. There are also two lunar eclipses for 2023, but by all reports, they won’t be visible from North America.
If you’d rather have the warm sun on your face, you can try some of the activities in our “Your Neighborhood” post.
Reference Links:
2023 Planet Conjunction
Weather Blog: Moon, Jupiter, and Venus light up the night sky tonight – NBC2 News (nbc-2.com)
(Watch the video for an example of what to look for on March 1.)
See A Jaw-Dropping Jupiter, Venus, And Crescent Moon Encounter: The Night Sky This Week (forbes.com)
Night Sky Tracking
Night Sky Map & Planets Visible Tonight (timeanddate.com)
The Sky Tonight | The Schools’ Observatory (schoolsobservatory.org)
Polaris – The North Star
What is the North Star and How Do You Find It? – NASA Solar System Exploration
THE SCHOOLS’ OBSERVATORY
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