Don’t Miss The 9 Best Stargazing Events That Will Light Up The Maine Sky In 2022

There's plenty of nature surrounding us here in Maine, which makes this a great place to be if you enjoy being outside. And that makes it easy to give you great hike ideas and ways to enjoy your time across all seasons. And while we love the trees and shoreline, today we're focused on the sky above! Get out your calendar to mark down the best celestial events taking place over the next few months! This is the best stargazing in Maine for 2022.

1. January 7th: Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation.

On this night those who look up will see that Mercury is extra-visible and totally illuminated in the western sky after the sun goes down. Later in the year, on February 16th, Mercury will reach its western elongation, being highly visible in the eastern sky just before sunrise at that time. Totally opposite!

2. April 22nd-23rd: Lyrids Meteor Shower

This is one we look forward to every year! This year's is expected to be moderate with about 20 meteors per hour during its peak. This year's shower will take place during the full moon which means visibility might be tough, but the larger meteors should still be visible as they radiate from the constellation Lyra.

3. May 6th-May 7th: Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower

While the best viewing for this one will be in the southern hemisphere, those of us up here certainly won't be missing out. Look skyward to catch about 30 meteors per hour at the peak. To see the best of it you'll want be viewig the sky in the early hours of May 6th into the early hours of May 7th. While the moon will be bright these days, you should still be able to see the brightest of the fireballs!

4. May 16th: Total lunar eclipse

Few things are as breathtaking (and spooky) as a total lunar eclipse. It takes on such a beautiful rusty-red hue as the moon moves through the shadow of the earth (also known as the "umbra"). This one is visible throughout all of North America, so lucky us!

5. June 14th: Supermoon

This is one of our favorite things to catch in the night sky! This is when the moon appears larger and brighter than usual due to its place in the sky and proximity to Earth. If you miss this one, be sure to check out the next two that will take place this year. One is on July 13th, and the other is August 12th.

6. July 28th-July 29th: Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower

Peaking late on the night of July 28th through the early morning hours of July 29th, this shower will have about 20 meteors an hour at its peak all seemingly radiating from the constellation Aquarius.

7. August 14th: Saturn at Opposition

Appearing to be at its closest position to earth, Saturn will be fully illuminated by the sun. This sight which is expected to be incredible will be at its brightest all year and you can catch it from dusk to dawn. Then, on September 16th, check out Neptune when it comes into its own opposition.

8. August 12th-August 13th: Perseids Meteor Shower

One of our favorite celestial events all year will shine bright from the late evening of August 12th through the early morning hours of August 13th. With the moon dim things should look even more magnificent as the meteors fly across the sky from Perseus.

9. November 8th: Partial Lunar Eclipse

Another partial lunar eclipse will grace the night sky for us in the late autumn. This beautiful sight is one of our favorites and worth staying up to catch!

Which events are you going to make sure to catch? And, even more important, if you have any tips for stargazing let us know in the comments! Looking for more fun night sky things to see? Check out seasky.org!

In addition to planning your stargazing for the year, consider creating a hiking plan! Here is a small collection of some of our favorite hikes to do in Maine.