Astronomical Events.
2022
Partial Solar eclipse, 25 October 2022.
(International observe the Moon night on the 1st October 2022.
https://moon.nasa.gov/observe-the-moon-night/about/overview/
On the 25th October the second partial solar eclipse event in 2022 will be visible over parts of Greenland, all of Iceland, northeast Africa, parts of Asia and much of Europe, with the exception of Portugal and the western and southern portions of Spain.
Wakefield, England, United Kingdom
Partial solar eclipse visible (17.27% coverage of Sun)
Magnitude: 0.2832
Duration:1 hour, 44 minutes, 52 seconds
Partial begins:25 Oct, 10:05:51
Maximum:25 Oct, 10:57:23
Partial ends:25 Oct, 11:50:43
Times shown in local time (BST)
Please ensure you do not look at the Sun directly and wear specialist viewing glasses to view the eclipse, these can be purchased online or at specialist shops dealing in astronomical equipment.
Meteor Showers 2022
You don't need any special equipment or a lot of skills to view a meteor shower. Even though all you really need is a clear sky, lots of patience, and our handy Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map with a visibility conditions meter to see a meteor shower, the following tips can help maximize your shooting star viewing experience.
Find a secluded viewing spot, away from the city lights. Once at the venue, your eyes may take 15 to 20 minutes to get used to the dark.
Dress for the weather, and make sure you are comfortable, especially if you plan to stay out long. Bring a blanket or a comfortable chair with you—meteor watching can be a waiting game.
Once you have found your viewing spot, lie down on the ground and look at the sky. You can use our Interactive Meteor Shower Sky Map or the table above to find the direction of the radiant; the higher the radiant is above the horizon, the more meteors you are likely to see.
Meteor showers appear to originate from the radiant, but meteors can appear in any part of the sky.
Perseids - its peak will occur between August 11 and 12, it is one of the most popular meteor showers to watch in the Northern Hemisphere
Orionids - peaks on the night of October 20-21, it may feature 20 meteors per hour
Geminiids - one of the most anticipated of the year, peaking during the second full week of December. Under ideal conditions, there can be over 100 meteors per hour.
Supermoons 2022
2022 will have 3 supermoon events! A supermoon happens when a full Moon occurs near perigee, the point in the Moon's orbit that is closest to Earth, making the full Moon appear slightly larger and brighter. The first supermoon will occur in mid-June, followed by the others on July 13 and August 12.
A supermoon occurs when the Moon’s orbit is closest (perigee) to Earth at the same time the Moon is full.
So what's so special about a supermoon? For the interested observer, there's plenty to see and learn.
The Moon orbits Earth in an ellipse, an oval that brings it closer to and farther from Earth as it goes around.
The farthest point in this ellipse is called the apogee and is about 253,000 miles (405,500 kilometers) from Earth on average.
Its closest point is the perigee, which is an average distance of about 226,000 miles (363,300 kilometers) from Earth.
When a full moon appears at perigee it is slightly brighter and larger than a regular full moon – and that's where we get a "supermoon.
Winter Solstice
There are two solstices every year: one in December and one in June. The December solstice marks the shortest day north of the equator and the longest day in the south.
The term solstice comes from the Latin word solstitium, meaning 'the Sun stands still.' This is because on this day, the Sun reaches its southern-most position as seen from the Earth. The Sun seems to stand still at the Tropic of Capricorn and then reverses its direction. It's also common to call it the day the Sun turns around.