Enjoy the scenery!

2023 Highlights:

March 1- Venus and Jupiter

“…Western sky gazers have a chance to see Venus and Jupiter put on an illuminating show. Venus and Jupiter will appear to be nearly touching each other which will make them easy to find — though it’s a farce. The planets will be separated by millions of miles of space.”

June 21: Summer Solstice and Conjunction

“Throughout the entire month of June, Venus and Mars will hang in the sky like Venus and Jupiter in March, the planets will be on the same astronomical line, which means they will appear as if they are grouped together….Viewers across the globe should be able to look at the trio without special equipment because they will be shining so brightly.”

Aug. 13-14: Perseid meteor shower

“Onlookers in the Northern Hemisphere will get a warm treat while watching the Perseids this year. The event will be chock-full of slinging meteors, with up to 100 per hour, during its peak the night of Aug. 12, according to the American Meteor Society.”

Aug. 27: Saturn Opposition

“Saturn will be visible to the naked eye, but a telescope may be necessary to get a close-up of the planet’s famous dangling rings.”

Aug. 31: Super Blue Moon

“Sky watchers may be disappointed to learn that unlike the “blood moon,” which temporarily stains the moon red, blue hues aren’t cast on the moon during a blue moon. It simply means that the month of August will be dotted with two full moons – compared to full moons that generally occur once a calendar month. The second full moon on Aug. 31 is considered the blue moon.”

Oct. 14: ‘Ring of Fire’ solar eclipse"

“Annular solar eclipses, commonly known as “ring of fire” eclipses, occur when the Earth, the moon and the sun are all in alignment, but the moon is too far from the Earth to completely block it. As the moon creeps in front of the sun, a fiery reddish and orange aura is cast on the fringes of the moon.”

Dec. 13-14: The Geminids

“To wrap up the year, sky watchers will be able to wish upon dozens of shooting stars right before the holiday season. The Geminids meteor shower reliably soars across the sky each year, like clockwork, around December. This year, the bright and intensely colored meteors will be active starting Nov. 19 and are slated to wrap up on Christmas Eve, according to the American Meteor Society.

The moon doesn’t appear to be a spoiler this year, so viewers will be able to watch the dazzling display without distractions. With little moonlight interruption, people could see up to 150 meteors per hour, according to American Meteor Society.”

Information provided by The Washington Post