Posted in Maine
January 09, 2021
Don’t Miss The 10 Best Stargazing Events That Will Light Up The Maine Sky In 2021
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!
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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 March 6th, Venus will reach its western elongation being highly visible in the eastern sky just before sunrise at that time. Totally opposite!
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.
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 May 26th and the other is on June 24th.
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!
Taking place on the same night as a super moon this partial eclipse will be extra-special! But if a partial isn't good enough, you'll need to make plans to head to the western part of the US where it will be a full lunar eclipse.
We just experienced the Christmas Star in the sky when Jupiter and Saturn completely aligned for the first time in forever, but this time get ready for Venus and Mars to dance! Their conjunction will be just as impressive.
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.
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 August 19th check out Jupiter when it comes into its own opposition.
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.
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! In 2021, take these 12 incredible Maine hikes, one for each month of the year.
Address: Maine, USA
