Celebrate the New Year 2025 with a Meteor Spectacle, an Eclipse, and a Radiant Planet within an incredible 24-hour span.
Celebrate the New Year 2025 with a Meteor Spectacle, an Eclipse, and a Radiant Planet within an incredible 24-hour span.
What about 2025 for you, celestial enthusiasts? It's set to be an exciting year! For skywatchers and stargazers, it won't disappoint. From a total solar eclipse across North America to a naked-eye comet and intense displays of the Northern Lights at low latitudes, 2025 is packed with astronomical events.
However, 2024 might have seen it all, but 2025 is starting off with a bang! Within 24 hours from January 3/4, 2025, there are three remarkable happenings lined up.
Here's a rundown of what to expect to kick off 2025 with a cosmic spectacle, along with the option to watch each event online:
A Venus-Moon Conjunction
Friday, Jan. 3, 2025
Head out towards the southwest sky about an hour after the sun sets, if skies are clear, and you'll witness a breathtaking sight. Bright Venus, shining like a radiant "Evening Star," will be just a few degrees away from a slim 18%-lit waxing crescent moon. Saturn, a bit dimmer, will gracefully appear above them.
The Virtual Telescope will broadcast live views on YouTube starting at 16:45 UTC (11:45 a.m. EST) on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
Quadrantid Meteor Shower Peak
Friday, Jan. 3, 2025
The Quadrantids might not make it to many stargazers' radars, claiming their peak period when conditions are often cold and cloudy in the Northern Hemisphere. But if you're fortunate enough to have clear skies, it's worth stepping out after dark. This shower can leave you amazed with up to 120 "shooting stars" per hour at their peak, which is Jan. 3.
But wait, there's more! The Quadrantids usually feature bright fireballs that can illuminate any part of the night sky. The Quadrantids' parent body could be 2003 EH1, a mysterious object NASA considers a "rock comet."
If clouds prevail, The Virtual Telescope will show live views from its wide-angle camera in Manciano, Tuscany, Italy, starting at 17:00 UTC (noon EST) on Friday, Jan. 3, 2025.
A Moon-Saturn Conjunction
Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025
Just 24 hours after the Venus-Moon conjunction and the peak of the Quadrantids, another mesmerizing sight is on the horizon – a Moon-Saturn occultation. However, this celestial spectacle will be visible only from specific regions.
Saturn will appear less than a degree below a 28%-lit waxing crescent moon in the southwest, around an hour after sunset. If you're in Europe, Africa, western Russia, or eastern Greenland, the moon will occult Saturn, according to in-the-sky.org's helpful map showing the visibility of the occultation worldwide. This is the last easily visible occultation of Saturn by the moon for 11 years.
The Virtual Telescope Project will host an online observation from 17:15 UTC (12:15 p.m. EST) on Saturday, Jan. 4, 2025.
Wishing you clear skies and wide-eyed wonder!
In addition to these exciting events, astronomy enthusiasts should also mark their calendars for the Quadrantid meteor shower's conjunction with Venus in 2025. This rare occurrence will take place on the same night as the Venus-Moon conjunction, January 3rd. While observing, you might catch a glimpse of Saturn, subtly shining above Venus and the moon.
Furthermore, stargazers in 2025 might be treated to an incredible opportunity to witness a conjunction of Saturn and the moon, just a day later on January 4th. The Moon will be less than a degree away from Saturn, creating an intriguing sight in the southwest sky shortly after sunset. If you're not able to view it in person, you can still enjoy the spectacle through live online broadcasts provided by reputable telescope projects.