2013 Celestial Events Calendar

Hamilton Amateur Astronomers

January

2: Earth at Perihelion - closest to the Sun for the year
3-4: Meteor Shower Quadrantids - moderate shower up to 40 per hour
4: Moon Last Quarter
11: Moon New Moon
18: Moon First Quarter
21: Moon within 2 deg of Jupiter in evening
26: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Wolf Moon"

February

3: Moon Last Quarter
8: Mercury within 0.3 deg of Mars very low in West after sunset - challenging
10: Moon New Moon
16: Mercury Maximum elongation East (18 deg) Good evening view
17: Moon First Quarter
25: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Snow Moon"

March

4: Moon Last Quarter
10: Clock Daylight Savings Time begins
11: Moon New Moon
16: Sun Spring Equilux - day and night the same length of time for our region.
19: Moon First Quarter
20: Sun Vernal Equinox. Spring begins at 7:02am
27: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Worm Moon"
30: Earth Earth Hour
31: Mercury Maximum elongation West (28 deg) Good morning view

April

3: Moon Last Quarter
10: Moon New Moon
18: Moon First Quarter
21-22: Meteor Shower Lyrids - light shower up to 20 per hour
25: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Pink Moon"
25: Moon Partial Lunar Eclipse - not visible from North America, occurs before moonrise.
28: Saturn at Opposition (magnitude 0.8). Closest to Earth for the year

May

2: Moon Last Quarter
5-6: Meteor Shower Eta Aquarids - light shower up to 10 per hour
9: Moon New Moon
9: Sun Annular Solar Eclipse (Ring). Visible in Australia (May 10). Not visible from North America.
11: Moon between Jupiter and Hyades at evening twilight
18: Moon First Quarter
24/25: Moon Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - very shallow penumbral from our area so not likely visible. Near midnight.
24/25: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Flower Moon".
25-27: Conjunction Triple conjunction with Mercury, Venus and Jupiter low in West after sunset.
28: Conjunction Venus within 1 deg of Jupiter after sunset
31: Moon Last Quarter

June

8: Moon New Moon
12: Mercury Maximum elongation East (24 deg) Good evening view
16: Moon First Quarter
21: Sun Summer Solstice. Summer begins at 12:04am
23: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Strawberry Moon". Largest Full Moon for the year - at Perigee (356,989km)
30: Moon Last Quarter

July

1: Pluto at Opposition (magnitude 14) Closest for year but will still require large telescope.
3: Venus Venus within 0.5 deg of M44 Beehive cluster at dusk
5: Earth at Aphelion - furthest from Sun for the year
8: Moon New Moon
15: Moon First Quarter
22: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Buck Moon"
22: Conjunction Mars 0.8 deg from Jupiter
28: Meteor Shower Delta Aquarids - moderately light shower up to 20 per hour
29: Moon Last Quarter
30: Meteor Shower Capricornids - light shower up to 10 per hour
30: Mercury Maximum elongation West (19 deg) Good morning view

August

4: Conjunction Crescent Moon with lineup of Mercury, Mars and Jupiter at dawn.
6: Moon New Moon
11-12: Meteor Shower Perseids - one of the best each year up to 60 per hour
14: Moon First Quarter
20: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Sturgeon Moon"
26: Neptune at Opposition (magnitude 7.8) closest to Earth for the year
28: Moon Last Quarter

September

5: Moon New Moon
8: Mars Located in M44 (Beehive cluster) before dawn
12: Moon First Quarter
19: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Harvest Moon"
22: Sun Autumnal Equinox. Fall begins at 4:44pm
25: Sun Fall Equilux - day and night the same length of time for our region.
26: Moon Last Quarter

October

3: Uranus at Opposition (magnitude 5.7) closest to Earth for the year
4: Moon New Moon
9: Meteor Shower Draconids - weak shower up to 5-10 per hour
9: Mercury Maximum elongation East(25 deg) Good evening view
11: Moon First Quarter
18: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Hunter's Moon"
18: Moon Penumbral Lunar Eclipse - visible from our location, but very faint.
20-21: Meteor Shower Orionids - moderately light shower up to 20 per hour
26: Moon Last Quarter
27-29: Jupiter within 1 deg of Eskimo Nebula

November

1: Venus Maximum elongation East (47 deg) Good evening viewing
3: Clock Daylight Savings Time ends
3: Moon New Moon
3: Sun Hybrid Solar Eclipse - Annular in part of path, total in other part of path. Mostly visible over Atlantic and Africa. May see partial briefly at sunrise from our location.
5: Meteor Shower South Taurid - light shower up to 10 per hour
10: Moon First Quarter
12: Meteor Shower North Taurid - light shower up to 15 per hour
13: Mercury Maximum elongation West (19 deg) Best morning view of the year
17: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Beaver Moon".
17-18: Meteor Shower Leonids - moderate shower up to 40 per hour
25: Moon Last Quarter

December

2: Moon New Moon
9: Moon First Quarter
13-14: Meteor Shower Geminids - one of the best each year up to 60 per hour
17: Moon Full Moon - also known as "Cold Moon". Smallest full moon of the year
21: Sun Winter Solstice. Winter begins at 12:11pm
22: Meteor Shower Ursid - light shower up to 10 per hour
25: Moon Last Quarter

2012 Celestial Events Calandar