Anybody who enjoys stargazing is in for an exciting year. That’s because, in 2023, you’ll be able to see everything in the night sky, from amazing meteor showers to one of Earth’s planetary neighbors in opposition. Plus, there will also be supermoons and even a spectacular “Ring of Fire.”
Let’s get right to it. Here are 10 amazing stargazing events to put on your 2023 calendar.
1. Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks
The Lyrid meteor shower will be visible from April 16–25 but its peak will begin at about 10:30 p.m. local time on April 22, according to Space.com. However, the show will pick up as the night continues.
During that peak, you can expect to see about 18 meteors per hour, streaking along at speeds of 29 miles per second, according to NASA. What’s even better is that the fast and bright meteors often leave glowing dust trails behind that are visible for several seconds.
Named after the constellation Lyra, because that’s where the streaking meteors appear to emanate, the Lyrid meteor shower occurs each year in April when Earth passes through the debris trail of a comet called C/1861 G1 Thatcher, discovered on April 5, 1861. This comet takes 415 years on Earth to orbit the sun.
2. Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower Peaks
You’ll have plenty of time to watch the Eta Aquarid meteor shower because it occurs between April 15 and May 27. The best viewing, however, will be during the shower’s peak late on May 5 and early on May 6, Space.com explains.
The meteors will be traveling at speeds of about 41 miles per second, according to the American Meteor Society. During the shower’s peak, you can expect to see between 10 and 30 meteors per hour.
The Eta Aquarid meteor shower occurs each year when Earth passes through the space debris left behind by Comet Halley, which takes about 76 years to orbit the sun. The shower is named after Eta Aquarii, the brightest star in the constellation Aquarius — which is where the meteors appear to come from.
3. Full Moon, Supermoon
The moon’s orbit around Earth isn’t circular, it’s elliptical. Although the distance between the Moon and Earth varies throughout the month and even the year, the average distance is approximately 238,855 miles, according to NASA.
Since the Moon has an elliptical orbit, there are times when it is closer to Earth than others. The point in the Moon’s orbit when it is closest to Earth is called the perigee. When the Moon is full at that point, it’s called a supermoon because it appears 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than other full moons.
Interestingly, there isn’t an official definition for how close the Moon must be to Earth to be considered a supermoon, but most sources use around 225,000 miles as the benchmark.
On July 3, the Moon will become full at 7:39 a.m. Eastern Time, according to the Farmers’ Almanac.
Since the Moon will be 226,209 miles from Earth at that moment, it will also be a supermoon, according to Full Moon Phase.
4. A Second Full Moon, Supermoon
Interestingly, the next full moon will also be a supermoon. The Moon, which becomes full at 2:32 p.m. Eastern Time on August 1 this year, has been called the Sturgeon Moon by fishing tribes because the large fish are easiest caught in August, the Farmers’ Almanac explains.
The full moon will be even closer to Earth this month. On August 1, the Moon will be 223,455 miles from Earth, Full Moon Phase explains.
5. Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks
One of the reasons so many people enjoy the Perseid meteor shower is that it runs from July 14–September 1. It peaks this year on August 12 and early into the next morning when summer nights are warm and comfortable for stargazing.
In rural locations where the skies are dark, you can expect to see between 50 and 75 meteors per hour, the American Meteor Society explains. Many will leave long “wakes” of light and color behind as they streak through Earth’s atmosphere.
The Perseid meteor shower, which NASA calls the “best meteor shower of the year,” occurs each August when Earth passes through debris left by a comet named 109P/Swift-Tuttle. It was discovered in 1862 independently by both Lewis Swift and Horace Tuttle. Interestingly, it takes 133 years for the Swift-Tuttle comet to orbit the Sun.
The Perseids are named after the constellation Perseus the hero.
6. Saturn At Opposition
When a planet is in opposition, Earth is directly between that planet and the sun — so the planet will be its closest and brightest of the year.
On August 27, Saturn will not only be brighter than any other time of the year, it will be visible all night. That said, it will reach its highest point in the sky around midnight local time, according to In-the-Sky.
This will be the best time in 2023 to see Saturn, the second-largest planet in our solar system. If skies are clear and you use a medium-power telescope, you’ll be able to see Saturn, its rings, and even some of its largest moons, such as Titan. Interestingly, Titan is larger than Earth’s moon and is also larger than the planet Mercury, NASA explains.
7. Full Moon, Supermoon, Blue Moon
There are roughly 29.5 days between each full moon, which makes it unusual for two full moons to occur in a month with 30 or 31 days. When that does occur, it is colloquially called a “blue moon” because it’s rare, although, the Moon won’t actually appear blue.
What’s even more interesting is that this full moon is also another supermoon — and this time it will be even closer to Earth. On August 30, the Moon will be 223,338 miles from Earth, Full Moon Phase explains.
8. Annular Solar Eclipse
On October 14, 2023, an annular — Latin for “ring-shaped” — solar eclipse will create what’s called a “Ring of Fire” effect. It will be visible across a roughly 125-mile-wide path that stretches from Oregon to Texas, and then into Mexico, Central America, and South America, according to NASA.
Unlike a total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely blocks our view of the Sun because it is directly between the Sun and Earth, an annular solar eclipse occurs as the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth in its farthest orbit away from the Earth. Because the Moon is so far away from Earth at that point, it appears smaller than at other points in its orbit, which means it doesn’t quite obscure the Sun. Instead, a thin outer band — or ring — of the sun will still be visible from Earth.
During the annular solar eclipse, the Moon will only cover about 90 percent of the Sun, according to the American Astronomical Society. The other 10 percent of the Sun will be visible as a “Ring of Fire.”
In the U.S., the annular solar eclipse will become visible in Oregon at 9:13 a.m. Pacific Time, before visibility ends in Texas at 12:03 p.m. Central Time, NASA explains.
9. Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks
The Leonid meteor shower is known for its fast meteors, which speed through Earth’s atmosphere at 44 miles per second. While the meteor shower is active from November 3–December 2, it will peak on November 17 and early into November 18. You can expect to see about 15 meteors per hour.
Here’s what makes the event even more exciting: The Leonid meteor shower is known for “fireballs and Earth-grazers,” according to NASA.
Fireballs are large “explosions of light and color” that are visible for longer than an average meteor. Earth-grazers, which have colorful tails, get their name because they streak low along the horizon.
We see the Leonid meteor shower every year when Earth passes through debris left behind by the periodic comet Tempel-Tuttle, officially known as 55P/Tempel-Tuttle. The comet takes just over 33 years to orbit the Sun.
10. Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks
While the Geminid meteor shower occurs between November 19 and December 24, it will peak on December 13 and early into December 14, Space.com explains. You can expect to see up to 120 meteors per hour, traveling at speeds of 22 miles per second, NASA notes.
In addition to the sheer number of meteors, the Geminids are considered the best meteor shower of the year because the meteors are visible all night. What’s even better, if you have kids and grandkids — or simply don’t want to stay up late yourself — the meteors start becoming visible around 9 or 10 p.m. local time, NASA explains.
We usually see meteor showers when Earth passes through debris left in space by a comet, but that isn’t the case with the Geminid meteor shower. Instead, we see the meteors each year in December when Earth passes through the meteoroids left by an asteroid named 3200 Phaethon. The asteroid, which measures 3.2 miles in diameter, takes 1.4 years to orbit the sun.
The Geminid meteor shower gets its name because its meteors appear to emanate near the Gemini constellation.
While you’re thinking about it, be sure to check out all of our stargazing content.