Educators

Astronomy Calendar


Check out what's happening in the sky!

This calendar of celestial events is frequently updated.

Midnight sun seen over a mountain range.
Image: Midnight Sun by H. Robertsson.

 


Discover the Sun during the Heliophysics Big Year, October 2023 to December 2024!

The Heliophysics Big Year is a global celebration of solar science and the Sun’s influence on Earth and the entire solar system. Learn more: NASA Helio Big Year.

 

  • May 23 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face  will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 5:55 am Alaska time. This full moon is sometimes known as the Flower Moon, the Corn Planting Moon, or the Milk Moon.
  • June 6 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 4:39 am Alaska time. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
  • June 20 - June Solstice. The June solstice occurs at 12:46 pm Alaska time. The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere.
  • June 21 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 5:09 pm Alaska time. This full moon is sometimes known as the Strawberry Moon, the Rose Moon and the Honey Moon.
  • July 5 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 2:59 pm Alaska time. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
  • July 21 - Full Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 2:18 am Alaska time. This full moon is sometimes known as the Buck Moon, the Thunder Moon, or the Hay Moon.
  • July 22 - Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation. The planet Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation of 26.9 degrees from the Sun. This is the best time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.
  • August 4 - New Moon. The Moon will located on the same side of the Earth as the Sun and will not be visible in the night sky. This phase occurs at 3:15 am Alaska time. This is the best time of the month to observe faint objects such as galaxies and star clusters because there is no moonlight to interfere.
  • August 12, 13 - Perseids Meteor Shower. The Perseids is one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by comet Swift-Tuttle. The Perseids are famous for producing a large number of bright meteors. The shower runs annually from July 17 to August 24. It peaks this year on the night of August 11 and the morning of August 12. The first quarter moon will block out some of the fainter meteors in the early evening. But the Moon will set shortly after midnight, leaving dark skies for what could be an excellent early morning show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Perseus, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
  • August 19 - Full Moon, Blue Moon. The Moon will be located on the opposite side of the Earth as the Sun and its face will be fully illuminated. This phase occurs at 10:27 am Alaska time. This full moon is sometimes known as the Sturgeon Moon, the Green Corn Moon, or the Grain Moon. Since this is the third of four full moons in this season, it is known as a blue moon. This rare calendar event only happens once every few years, giving rise to the term, “once in a blue moon.” There are normally only three full moons in each season of the year. But since full moons occur every 29.53 days, occasionally a season will contain 4 full moons. The extra full moon of the season is known as a blue moon. Blue moons occur on average once every 2.7 years.

Information from Sea and Sky Astronomy Calendar.

 


More astronomy viewing resources:

Check the aurora forecast for Interior Alaska,  courtesy of the Geophysical Institute.

Use star wheels and astrolabes to find celestial bodies!

Sea and Sky has a yearly calendar to help you plan future astronomy viewings.

Check the weather on Mars, courtesy of the Curiosity rover.

 

View of the night sky with several meteors streaking through it.

Image: Perseids Meteor Shower (NASA/JPL).
 

NASA logo with the word "partner" underneath.

 

This project was funded under NASA cooperative agreement NNX16AL65A and cooperative agreement number NNH15ZDA004C. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the author(s) and  do not necessarily reflect the views of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.