Celestial events & rocket launches

Meteor shower

Southern Delta Aquariids & Alpha Capricornids peak

Two overlapping showers, with steady Southern Delta Aquariids and occasional bright Alpha Capricornid fireballs.

Planet

Mercury at greatest morning elongation

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

Eclipse

Total Solar Eclipse

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

Meteor shower

Perseids peak

One of the year's most active showers, with the best viewing after midnight under a dark sky.

Planet

Venus at greatest evening elongation

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

Eclipse

Partial 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.

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.

Launch Successful

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Tianlian is a Chinese data tracking and relay communications geostationary satellite series. The TL-3 (Tian Lian 3) satellites are the 3rd generation of China's geostationary orbit data relay satellite system. They will be used to support real-time communications between orbiting satellites/rockets in-flight and ground control stations. This system replaces/supplements the current network of ground-based space tracking and telemetry stations and space tracking ships.

Go for Launch

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Taiyuan Satellite Launch Center, People's Republic of China

Details TBD.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

Classified payload for the US National Reconnaissance Office.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

To Be Confirmed

China Rocket Co. Ltd.

Haiyang Oriental Spaceport

Details TBD.

Go for Launch

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Details TBD.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Cape Canaveral SFS, FL, USA

AST SpaceMobile’s Block 2 BlueBird satellites are designed to deliver up to 10 times the bandwidth capacity of the BlueBird Block 1 satellites, required to achieve 24/7 continuous cellular broadband service coverage in the United States, with beams designed to support a capacity of up to 40 MHz, enabling peak data transmission speeds up to 120 Mbps, supporting voice, full data and video applications. The Block 2 BlueBirds, featuring as large as 2400 square foot communications arrays, will be the largest satellites ever commercially deployed in Low Earth orbit once launched. This launch will feature 3 satellites.

To Be Determined

Isar Aerospace

Andøya Spaceport

Second test flight of the Isar Spectrum launch vehicle. This launch will carry 5 cubesats and 1 non-separable experiment as part of European Space Agency (ESA)'s “Boost!” program: * CyBEEsat (TU Berlin) * TriSat-S (University of Maribor) * Platform 6 (EnduroSat) * FramSat-1 (NTNU) * SpaceTeamSat1 (TU Wien Space Team) * Let It Go (Dcubed, non-separable experiment)

Go for Launch

Mitsubishi Heavy Industries

Tanegashima Space Center, Japan

QZSS (Quasi Zenith Satellite System) is a Japanese satellite navigation system operating from inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits to achieve optimal high-elevation visibility in urban canyons and mountainous areas. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation. The navigation system objective is to broadcast GPS-interoperable and augmentation signals as well as original Japanese (QZSS) signals from a three-spacecraft constellation in inclined, elliptical geosynchronous orbits.

Go for Launch

SpaceX

Vandenberg SFB, CA, USA

A batch of 24 satellites for the Starlink mega-constellation - SpaceX's project for space-based Internet communication system.

To Be Confirmed

China Aerospace Science and Technology Corporation

Wenchang Space Launch Site, People's Republic of China

Details TBD.

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