From the stunning planetary parade to the lunar eclipse, meteor showers, and Supermoon — there is much to prepare for in the new year.
Parade of Seven Planets
The first event in January will be the parade of planets. In the night sky, you will be able to see Venus, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars together. They will remain visible until the end of February. Two other planets — Neptune and Uranus — will also be part of this parade, but they can only be seen through a telescope.
To catch a glimpse of the planets, look up at the sky after sunset, around 8:30 PM local time. Venus, Saturn, and Neptune will stay on the horizon for only a short while and will set between 11:30 PM and midnight. Mars, Jupiter, and Uranus will be visible all night and will slowly begin to set as dawn approaches, with Mars being the last to go.
Later, the planetary parade will become even more spectacular when Mercury joins in. All seven planets will rise, although only a few will be visible at the same time, as Saturn, Mercury, and Neptune will be too close to the Sun when it sets.
While the planets will remain in the sky for several weeks, the best time for observation is from January 21 to February 21. The ideal moment for viewing will be on January 29, during the new moon.
Also read: The length of a day on Earth is changing: scientists have revealed the reason
The Moon Covers Mars
A lunar eclipse is expected on January 13, when our Moon will obscure the light of Mars for about an hour. This is a full moon day, which will be occult for the red planet. If you watch the sky closely, you will see Mars to the left of the Moon, which will soon disappear. This happens because the Moon will block Mars's light.
This is an extremely rare phenomenon, and it won't be visible everywhere. The timing will also depend on your location.
Total Lunar Eclipse
March will bring a total lunar eclipse on the night of the 13th to the 14th. Earth will be positioned directly between the Sun and the full Moon, casting a shadow on the lunar surface. It will begin as a partial lunar eclipse at 1:09 AM Eastern European Time, when you will see a curved shadow from Earth obscuring the moonlight. The total eclipse will occur from 2:26 to 3:31, changing the Moon's color to orange.
Lyrids and Orionids Meteor Showers
In 2025, two meteor showers will be visible — the Lyrids meteor shower and the Orionids meteor shower. From April 22-23, the Lyrids will put on a spectacular display of shooting stars originating from the constellation Lyra.
From October 21-22, the Orionids meteor shower will reach its peak. The chances of witnessing the meteor shower will be higher, as the Moon will be nearly invisible.
Supermoon
Finally, at the end of 2025, on November 5, we can look forward to a Supermoon.