As we start a new year, 2024, with its amazing space events, is promising to be a remarkable year for both astronomers and space fans.
The next twelve months promise to be filled with remarkable moments that will capture the interest of anybody who has a curiosity for the universe, and there are also a lot of lineups of space missions, scientific advancements, and celestial phenomena.
Top 10 Space Events of 2024 :
Here’s a look at the top 10 space events that will make 2024 an unforgettable year for stargazers.
Quadrantid Meteor Shower:
It is thought that the Quadrantid meteor shower, which takes place every year from January 1 to January 5, produces up to 40 meteors per hour on average. It is thought to have been formed by dust grains that the 2003 EH1 comet left behind.
The gibbous moon covers the fainter meteors at the shower’s peak, which occurs in the evening of the third and early hours of the fourth of January,2024. After midnight, viewing is best from a poorly lighted location. Anywhere in the sky can produce meteors, and Bootes is the source.
Total Solar Eclipse:
A total solar eclipse is anticipated on April 8,2024 that will unveil the corona, the outermost layer of the Sun’s atmosphere. For American viewers, this is a once-in-a-lifetime chance. The last eclipse to occur in the US mainland was in 2017, therefore the next one won’t happen until 2045.
Parts of Mexico, the eastern United States, and Nova Scotia will be affected by the eclipse; states including Texas, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine are predicted to see it.
Meteor Shower of Lyrids:
Twenty meteors are produced hourly by the Lyrids shower, a meteor shower that is mostly caused by dust grains left behind by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher. Every year, it takes place from April 16–25, peaking in the late evening and early morning hours on April 22.
Even though the light from the full moon frequently obstructs the brightest meteors, with some patience, some nice ones may be photographed. After midnight, viewing is best from a poorly lighted location. The constellation Lyra is the source of meteors.
Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower:
Up to 60 meteors can be produced every hour by the above-average Eta Aquarids shower, with the Southern Hemisphere seeing the maximum activity. The shower, which is caused by comet Halley’s dust grains, is visible from April 19 to May 28. It peaks on May 6 and early May 7.
The new moon and dismal sky should provide for an amazing sight; optimum viewing is after midnight from a poorly lit spot. Meteors can originate from the Aquarius constellation and appear anywhere in the sky.
Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower:
With remaining material of Marsden and Kracht, the Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower may produce up to 20 meteors every hour. Every year, it takes place from July 12 to August 23, reaching its zenith in the late afternoon and early morning hours on July 28.
While fainter meteors are obscured by the second quarter moon, several nice ones may still be observed. After midnight, viewing is best from a poorly lighted location. Meteors can originate from the Aquarius constellation and appear anywhere in the sky.
Blue Moon and Full Moon:
The Moon will be full and blue on August 19, when it will be on the side of Earth that faces the Sun. The time of its phase entry is 18:27 UTC. Because large sturgeon fish in the Great Lakes are easier to obtain, early Native American tribes named this full moon the Sturgeon Moon.
The Green Corn Moon and the Grain Moon are some other names for it. This uncommon full moon, which only happens once every 2.7 years, is the third of the season’s four full moons. That’s where the expression “once in a blue moon” comes from.
Draconid Meteor Shower:
About 10 meteors per hour are produced by the uncommon Draconid Meteor Shower, which is caused by dust grains left behind by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner. The shower, which is distinct in that it appears in the early evening, peaks on October 7 and lasts from October 6 to 10.
While a potentially nice show in the early evening is guaranteed by the second quarter moon, optimal meteor viewing may still need patience. Meteors originate in the constellation Draco, although they can appear elsewhere in the sky. The finest view of the shower is from a dimly lit spot far from city lights.
Orionid Meteor Shower:
Peaking between October 21st and early October 22nd, the Orionid meteor shower, which may generate up to 20 meteors per hour, falls on October 21. The waning gibbous moon will hide this year’s fainter meteors, but with perseverance, some good ones should still be seen.
The ideal place to observe the shower is from a dimly lit location after midnight. It is open from October 2 to November 7. Meteors originate in Orion, although they can appear elsewhere in the sky.
Uranus in Opposition:
When Uranus and the Sun align on November 17, it will be visible all night long and more brilliantly than it will be at any other time of year. Right now is the best moment to see Uranus, however it will only be visible as a tiny dot of blue-green color.
December Solstice:
With the Earth’s South Pole tilted towards the Sun at 23.44 degrees south latitude, the December Solstice occurs on December 21. The Winter Solstice falls on the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and the Summer Solstice on the first day of summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
