Celestial events & rocket launches

Season

September Equinox

Day and night are nearly equal as the Sun crosses the celestial equator.

Planet

Neptune at opposition

Neptune is opposite the Sun and visible for most of the night through a telescope.

Moon

Full Moon

The Moon reaches full illumination and dominates the night sky.

Planet

Saturn at opposition

Saturn is opposite the Sun, making this one of the best nights of the year to view it through a telescope.

Meteor shower

Draconids peak

An evening shower that is usually modest but can occasionally produce bursts of activity.

Moon

New Moon

The Moon is dark from Earth, making this one of the better nights for faint objects.

Planet

Mercury at greatest evening elongation

Mercury reaches its widest apparent separation from the Sun and is best viewed in the evening sky.

Meteor shower

Orionids peak

Fast meteors from Halley's Comet debris, usually strongest after midnight.

Moon

Full Moon

The Moon reaches full illumination and dominates the night sky.

Moon

New Moon

The Moon is dark from Earth, making this one of the better nights for faint objects.

Meteor shower

Leonids peak

A fast annual shower radiating from Leo, best viewed late at night through dawn.

Planet

Mercury at greatest morning elongation

Mercury reaches its widest apparent separation from the Sun and is best viewed in the morning sky.

Moon

Full Moon

The Moon reaches full illumination and dominates the night sky.

Planet

Uranus at opposition

Uranus is opposite the Sun and visible for most of the night; binoculars or a telescope are recommended.

Moon

New Moon

The Moon is dark from Earth, making this one of the better nights for faint objects.

Meteor shower

Geminids peak

One of the strongest annual showers, often producing bright meteors from evening through dawn.

Season

December Solstice

The December solstice marks the longest night in the Northern Hemisphere.

Meteor shower

Ursids peak

A northern-sky shower that closes the annual meteor calendar near the December solstice.

Moon

Full Moon

The Moon reaches full illumination and dominates the night sky.

Meteor shower

Quadrantids peak

A brief but active annual shower. The best viewing is usually after midnight under a dark sky.

Planet

Venus at greatest morning elongation

Venus reaches its widest apparent separation from the Sun and is best viewed in the morning sky.

Moon

New Moon

The Moon is dark from Earth, making this one of the better nights for faint objects.

Moon

Full Moon

The Moon reaches full illumination and dominates the night sky.

Planet

Mercury at greatest evening elongation

Mercury reaches its widest apparent separation from the Sun and is best viewed in the evening sky.

Eclipse

Annular Solar Eclipse

This eclipse is visible only along parts of its path; use local safety and visibility guidance.

Planet

Jupiter at opposition

Jupiter is opposite the Sun, rising around sunset and remaining visible for most of the night.

Planet

Mars at opposition

Mars is opposite the Sun in Earth's sky, appearing near its brightest and visible for most of the night.

Eclipse

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse

Visibility depends on your location and whether the Moon is above the horizon.

Moon

New Moon

The Moon is dark from Earth, making this one of the better nights for faint objects.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

3 high-throughput communications satellites in Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) built by Boeing and operated by SES.

Go for Launch

Avio S.p.A

Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana

Sentinel-3C is the third satellite in the Sentinel-3 constellation, which provides high-accuracy optical, radar and altimetry data for marine and land services. The Fluorescence Explorer (FLEX) satellite is a part of ESA's Earth Explorer program. The satellite will map vegetation fluorescence to quantify photosynthetic activity.

Go for Launch

LandSpace

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Possibly launch of a batch of SpaceSail LEO communication satellites. Details TBD.

Go for Launch

Orienspace Technology

Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Possibly launch of a batch of SpaceSail LEO communication satellites. Details TBD.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

USSF-259 is a classified mission for the United States Space Force. It is possibly a batch of classified LEO satellites based on SpaceX’s Starshield satellite bus, based on locations of ascent rocket stage drop zones being fits with previous SDA Transport Layer launches.

Go for Launch

Russian Federal Space Agency (ROSCOSMOS)

Baikonur Cosmodrome, Republic of Kazakhstan

Progress resupply mission to the International Space Station.

Go for Launch

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Details TBD.

Go for Launch

ExPace

Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Details TBD.

To Be Confirmed

SpaceX

SpaceX Starbase, TX, USA

14th test flight of the two-stage Starship launch vehicle. 3rd flight of Starship V3 and the first Starship flight to deploy satellites (a group of Starlink satellites) into stable Low Earth Orbit.

Go for Launch

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Details TBD.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 27 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

To Be Determined

United Launch Alliance

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Amazon Leo, formerly known as Project Kuiper, is a mega constellation of satellites in Low Earth Orbit that will offer broadband internet access, this constellation will be managed by Kuiper Systems LLC, a subsidiary of Amazon. This constellation is planned to be composed of 3,276 satellites. The satellites are projected to be placed in 98 orbital planes in three orbital layers, one at 590 km, 610 km and 630 km altitude. 45 satellites will be carried on each Vulcan launch.

To Be Determined

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Artemis III is the second crew mission as part of the Artemis program. Artemis III will send a crew of 4 on a Low Earth Orbit mission, with the Orion rendezvous and dock with one or both commercial lunar landers in development by SpaceX and Blue Origin, performing in-space tests of the docked vehicles, integrated checkout of life support, communications, and propulsion systems, as well as tests of the new Extravehicular Activity (xEVA) suits.

To Be Determined

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Artemis IV is planned to be the first human lunar landing mission since the Apollo Program.

To Be Determined

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

Artemis V is planned to be the second human lunar landing mission since the Apollo Program.

To Be Determined

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

To Be Determined

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA