2011 Celestial Calendar

January 3-4: Quadrantids Meteor Shower with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak.January 4: New Moon and partial solar eclipse which will be visible in most parts of northern Africa, Europe, and Asia.January 19: Full MoonFebruary 3: New MoonFebruary 18: Full MoonMarch 4: New MoonMarch 19: Full MoonMarch 20: The Vernal Equinox (equal amounts of day and night) occurs in the northern hemisphere.April 3: New Moon and Saturn in opposition as the ringed planet is at its closest to Earth.April 18: Full MoonApril 21-22: Lyrids Meteor Shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at its peak.May 3: New MoonMay 5-6: Eta Aquarids Meter Shower producing about 10 meteors per hour at its peak.May 17: Full MoonJune 1: New Moon and partial solar eclipse which will be most visible iin parts of eastern Asia, Alaska, northern Canada and Greenland.June 15: Full Moon and total lunar eclipse visible throughout most of South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Australia.June 21: The Summer Solstice where the sun is at its highest point in the sky and will result in the longest day of the year.July 1: New Moon and partial solar eclipse that will only be visible off the coast of Antarctica.July 15: Full MoonJuly 28-29: Southern Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower which will produce about 20 meteors per hour at its peak.July 30: New MoonAugust 12-13: Perseids Meteor Shower is considered one of the best to observe since it produces up to 60 meteors per hour at its peak.August 13: Full MoonAugust 22: Neptune at opposition where the planet will be at its closest approach to Earth.August 29: New MoonSeptember 12: Full MoonSeptember 23: The Autumnal Equinox where there are equal amounts of day and night and will also be the first day of fall.September 25: Uranus at opposition where the planet will be at its closest approach to earth.September 27: New MoonOctober 12: Full MoonOctober 21-22: Orionids Meteor Shower is an average shower and will produce about 20 meteors per hour at its peak.October 26: New MoonOctober 29: Jupiter at opposition where the planet will be at its closest approach to earth.November 10: Full MoonNovember 17-18: Leonids Meteor Shower is considered one of the better meteor showers and will produce an average of 40 meteors per hour.November 25: New Moon and partial solar eclipse which will be visible over Antarctica and parts of Soouth Africa and Tasmania.December 10: Full Moon and total lunar eclipse which will be visible throughout mostof Europe, eastern Africa, Asia, Australia, the Pacific Ocean and North America.December 13-14: Geminids Meteor Shower is considered by many to be the “best” meteor shower and has been known to produce up to 60 multi-colored meteors per hour at its peak.December 21: The Winter Solstice will occur in the northern hemisphere where the sun is at its lowest point in the sky resulting in the shortest day of the year.December 24: New Moon