In 2025, skywatchers can look ahead to a sequence of gorgeous celestial occasions, together with a shiny Mars occulted by the Wolf Moon, Venus at its brightest, a spectacular “satan’s horns” photo voltaic eclipse, and loads of meteor showers peaking below moonless night time skies.
Although many of those occasions are seen to the bare eye, a good pair of binoculars and a good newbie telescope can considerably improve your expertise.
Here are 15 must-see skywatching occasions to mark in your calendar.
1. Quadrantid meteor bathe: Jan. 3, 2025 (round midnight)
Although the Quadrantid meteor bathe is usually ignored by skywatchers within the Northern Hemisphere as a result of it happens in the course of the winter, the Quadrantids are extra prolific than most meteor showers. In addition to bringing as much as 120 “taking pictures stars” per hour at their peak after darkish on Jan. 3, the Quadrantids typically produce a number of superbright “fireballs.” The moon will probably be beneath the horizon this yr, so anticipate a great present if the skies are clear.
2. Mars wolfed up by the Wolf Moon: Jan. 13-14, 2025 (earlier than midnight)
Mars will probably be spectacularly shiny all through January 2025, however that is the most effective night time to catch it. Although your entire globe can watch the moon seem to cross near Mars, North America will get a front-row seat to see the Red Planet disappear behind the virtually full Wolf Moon. The precise time to view it is determined by your location, however from Washington, D.C., Mars will disappear behind the moon at 9:16 p.m. EST and reappear at 10:31 p.m. EST on Jan. 13, based on In-The-Sky.org, which provides the instances for all areas.
3. Mars at opposition: Jan. 15, 2025 (all night time)
Just a few nights after its occultation by the full moon, Mars will attain its full section, referred to as opposition. This occurs solely as soon as each 26 months, and it is arduous to overlook it as a result of the Red Planet will probably be outstanding all night time for a number of weeks on either side. Mars will attain perigee — its closest level to Earth — a number of days earlier, on Jan. 12.
4. A crescent Venus at its brightest: Feb. 19, 2025 (after sundown)
There is not only one night time in 2025 to look at Venus. However, Feb. 19 will supply an distinctive view as a result of the “night star” will probably be at its closest level to Earth. This additionally means will probably be in its slimmest crescent section. That’s one thing seen solely on Venus and Mercury from Earth. From Jan. 11 to Feb. 19, will probably be potential to see Venus rework from half-lit to 13% lit, however provided that you utilize a telescope.
5. “Devil’s horns” at dawn: March 29, 2025 (dawn)
It could not match the complete photo voltaic eclipse on April 8, 2024, however one other photo voltaic eclipse will probably be seen from North America in 2025. This one, nonetheless, will probably be solely completely different and much much less dramatic. A partial eclipse will already be underway because the solar rises in North America. The occasion will probably be greatest seen from Atlantic Canada, Quebec and Maine, the place a crescent solar will rise such that two separate photo voltaic “horns” will seem momentarily on the japanese horizon.
6. Lyrid meteor bathe: April 21-22, 2025 (midnight)
A waxing crescent moon will set earlier than midnight on April 21 to clear the best way for the height of the Lyrid meteor bathe. Expect to see between 10 and 20 “taking pictures stars” per hour, all brought on by mud and particles left within the inside photo voltaic system by Comet C/1861 G1 (Thatcher). There’s a powerful risk of spectacular fireballs in the course of the Lyrids.
7. Eta Aquarid meteor bathe: May 6-7, 2025 (midnight)
The Eta Aquarids are brought on by the particles left within the inside photo voltaic system by Halley’s Comet, which is due again in 2061. At its peak, the Eta Aquarid meteor bathe will function as much as 60 taking pictures stars per hour. It’s greatest seen within the Southern Hemisphere; solely about half that variety of meteors will probably be seen from the Northern Hemisphere.
8. A crescent moon visiting the Pleiades: July 20, 2025 (earlier than dawn)
A 24%-lit waning crescent moon will rise alongside the Pleiades open cluster of stars. Our pure satellite tv for pc will transfer by these glowing stars all through the night time, with a detailed conjunction seen an hour earlier than sundown. Astrophotographers will probably be out in power.
9. Delta Aquariid meteor bathe: July 28-29, 2025 (after darkish)
Expect about 20 taking pictures stars per hour throughout this annual peak of the Delta Aquariids. This yr, it can happen after a waxing crescent moon has already set, leaving the skies darkish. This meteor bathe is greatest seen after midnight from both hemisphere. However, whereas most meteor showers have an outlined peak night time, this one rambles on for a lot of late July and early August.
10. Conjunction of Venus and Jupiter: Aug. 12, 2025 (earlier than dawn)
This yr’s Aug. 12 peak of the Perseid meteor bathe — probably the most well-known and prolific meteor bathe of the yr — will probably be largely ruined by robust moonlight. As cosmic compensation, we’ll get a gorgeous conjunction between the 2 brightest planets within the photo voltaic system. Look east an hour earlier than dawn to see Jupiter at magnitude -2 and Venus at magnitude -4; they’ll seem nearly as one.
11. A second partial photo voltaic eclipse: Sept. 21, 2025 (daytime)
This yr’s second partial photo voltaic eclipse will probably be greatest seen from New Zealand, the place 58% to 73% of the solar will probably be blocked by the moon, relying on the precise location. An 80% partial eclipse will probably be seen from the Southern Ocean halfway between New Zealand and a distant a part of Antarctica; the more-visited Antarctic Peninsula will see solely a 12% partial eclipse shortly earlier than sundown.
12. Saturn at opposition: Sept. 21, 2025 (all night time)
Saturn will seem at its brightest as Earth passes between the ringed planet and the solar in late September. This is the most effective time to view Saturn by a small telescope, although 2025 is arguably the least-impressive yr for over a decade to do this. Every 13.5 years, the rings line up with our line of sight to Saturn, so we see them side-on. That occurs in March 2025, successfully making the rings near-invisible for the remainder of the yr.
13. Draconid meteor bathe: Oct. 8-9, 2025 (after sundown)
The Draconids — the one annual meteor bathe to peak not at midnight however within the early hours after sundown — will get a lift in 2025. First, the moon will probably be a waning gibbous rising over an hour after sundown, so absent from the post-sunset night time sky. Plus, the comet that causes the Draconids — Comet 21P/Giacobini-Zinner — will loop across the solar on its 6.6-year orbit. Expect about 10 taking pictures stars per hour.
14. A spectacular supermoon: Nov. 5, 2025 (nightfall)
Supermoons occur as a result of the moon’s orbit is elliptical, so some full moons are nearer than others, making them seem larger and brighter from Earth. There will probably be three supermoons in 2025 — on Oct. 7, Nov. 5 and Dec. 4 — with November’s being the most important and brightest since 2019. Catch it at moonrise for the total “massive moon” impact.
15. Leonid meteor bathe: Nov. 17-18, 2025 (midnight)
This annual meteor bathe tends to go berserk each 33 years, however sadly, the subsequent bonanza is not due till 2032-33, based on Sky At Night. This yr, the height of the Leonid meteor bathe coincides with a slim waning crescent moon, which suggests darkish, moonless skies that might yield about 15 taking pictures stars per hour near the height. They’re brought on by Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which can subsequent revisit the inside photo voltaic system in 2031.
