Turn Left At Orion

2021

2021 has two solar eclipses, neither of which is well placed to be widely observed: an annular eclipse best seen in the Canadian arctic and a total eclipse visible only in Antarctica. There are two lunar eclipses, one total and one partial. Each favors places not far from the Pacific Ocean. Jupiter and Saturn are both in Capricornus, reaching opposition a couple of weeks apart, in August. 2021 is a good year for mutual events of the four Galilean satellites of Jupiter, when one moon eclipses or occults another. Use this link to find a table of the best of these events. This is not a good year to observe Mars. Of the three big meteor showers, only the Perseids escape interference from the Moon.

January
3	15 H	Quadrantid Meteor Shower. The waning gibbous Moon interferes with the show.
24		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (19°).
March
Follow Asteroid Vesta as it reaches opposition March 2 (mag. 6.0) in Leo, just 2° north of the galaxies of the Leo Trio.
5		Mercury only 0.3° from Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky.
6		Mercury at Greatest Morning Elongation (27°). Due to the ecliptic angle, much better in the southern hemisphere.
April
17	12 H	Mars occulted by the Moon. Visible in southern southeast Asia.
26		Mars is within half a degree of M35.
May
14	04 H	In North America, look for Mercury 3° to the right of the tiny crescent Moon on the evening of the 13th.
17		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (22°). This is the best opportunity to see it this year for northern observers.
26	11 H	Total Lunar Eclipse, visible in the Americas and east Asia but best seen in Australia, New Zealand, and Hawaii.
June
10	10 H	Annular Solar Eclipse. Annular in the Canadian Arctic. Partial in Europe, most of Asia, eastern Canada and US.
23		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (24°).
July
4		Mercury at Greatest Morning Elongation (22°).
August
Follow long-period variable Mira (omicron Ceti) as it peaks at about mag. 3 around the 18th. It rises before midnight.
2		Saturn at Opposition (mag. 0.2), in Capricornus. The rings are open a wide 18° (we see their north side).
12	19 H	Perseid Meteor Shower. The 4-day moon does not interfere at all with viewing, either on the night of the peak or for the weeks before and after when there should also be a decent number of meteors.
15	15 H	Jupiter appears “moonless” for a few minutes. Visible in Australia, New Zealand, and east Asia.
19		Jupiter at Opposition (mag. -2.9), in Capricornus.
September
14		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (27°). Due to the ecliptic angle, favorable only in the southern hemisphere.
14		Neptune at Opposition (mag. 7.8, in Aquarius).
October
25		Mercury at Greatest Morning Elongation (18°). The angle of the ecliptic favors the northern hemisphere.
29		Venus at Greatest Evening Elongation (47°).
November
Follow asteroid Ceres as it moves across the Hyades in Taurus over the first three weeks of this month, passing just 13’ from Aldebaran on the 1st and reaching opposition (mag. 7.0) on the 26th.
5		Uranus at Opposition (mag. 5.6, in Aries). It’s visible with the naked eye in dark skies (New Moon is on the 4th).
19	09 H	97% Partial Lunar Eclipse. Visible in North America (best in the west) and in Australia, New Zealand, and east Asia.
December
4	07 H	Total Solar Eclipse visible only in Antarctica.
14	07 H	Geminid Meteor Shower. The peak favors North America, but the 10-day gibbous Moon will interfere with the view.

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