Turn Left At Orion

2023

2023 has two solar eclipses. One is annular (in the western US, central America, Colombia, and Brazil) and the other is a hybrid eclipse that is mostly total (in Australia and Indonesia) but is annular for a while at its start and end. There are two lunar eclipses, both of which are visible in the eastern hemisphere. One of them is partial and the other is almost partial (a 96% penumbral eclipse). Saturn reaches opposition in late August, still down south in Aquarius. The rings are now getting noticeably narrower and less bright, making it easier to see the moons. Jupiter comes to opposition in early November, having made its way northward into Aries. We’re now about 3° north of the plane of its equator, so Callisto passes above and below the planet each orbit, but the other three Galilean satellites all pass behind and in front of Jupiter (and get eclipsed by it). Unlike last year, 2023 is not a very good time to see Mars. Of the three big meteor showers, only the Quadrantids are affected by moonlight: this is a good year for both the Perseids and the Geminids.

January
Follow Asteroid Pallas around opposition January 15 (mag. 7.7) in southern Canis Major.
3	19 H	Mars occulted by the Moon (visible in southern and eastern Africa).
4	03 H	Quadrantid Meteor Shower. Gibbous Moon provides annoying interference all night. The peak favors Europe.
30		Mercury at Greatest Morning Elongation (25°).
31	04 H	Mars occulted by the Moon (visible in Mexico and the southern US).
February
15	13 H	Neptune less than 1’ from Venus in Asian evening sky. Less close elsewhere (up to 35’), but worth seeing anyway.
March
Follow Asteroid Ceres as it glides past galaxies in Coma Berenices. It’s just 5’ from M91 on the 5th and 12’ from M100 when it’s at opposition (mag. 7.0) on the 20th.
20		Asteroid Ceres (mag. 7.0) at Opposition in Coma Berenices, passing just 12’ from mag. 9 galaxy M100 that evening.
24	10 H	Venus occulted by the Moon (daytime in east Africa and India, evening in east Asia).
April
11		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (19°).
20	04 H	Hybrid Solar Eclipse. Partial eclipse in Australia & Indonesia, total in New Guinea, annular at start and end.
May
5	17 H	96% Penumbral Lunar Eclipse (visible in Asia, Africa, Eastern Europe, Australia and New Zealand).
17	13 H	Jupiter occulted by the Moon (visible in North America, but a daytime event only 26° from the Sun).
29		Mercury at Greatest Morning Elongation (25°), but very unfavorable in the northern hemisphere.
June
2		Mars crosses the Beehive, in the west just after sunset.
4		Venus at Greatest Evening Elongation (45°)
August
1		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (27°).
13	07 H	Perseid Meteor Shower. Timing favors North America. The waning crescent Moon will not interfere, either on the night of the peak or for the whole week.
27		Saturn at Opposition (mag. 0.4). The rings look narrowly open: we’re looking from just 9° north of Saturn’s equator.
September
19		Neptune at Opposition (mag. 7.8, in Pisces).
22		Mercury at Greatest Morning Elongation (18°).
October
14	18 H	Annular Solar Eclipse (visible across the Americas; annular in western US, central America, Colombia, and Brazil).
23		Venus at Greatest Morning Elongation (46°).
28	20 H	Partial Lunar Eclipse (visible in Europe, Africa, and Asia
November
3		Jupiter at Opposition (mag. -2.9).
9	09 H	Venus occulted by the Moon (a daytime event in Europe).
13		Uranus at Opposition (mag. 5.6, in Aries). It’s visible with the naked eye in a dark place near New Moon (the 13th).
December
Follow Asteroid Vesta as it approaches opposition (mag. 6.4) on the 22nd, in northernmost Orion near M35 and M1.
1		Mercury at Greatest Evening Elongation (21°).
14	18 H	Geminid Meteor Shower. Timing favors east Asia, but the moonless sky makes conditions favorable everywhere.

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