This article may contain affiliate/compensated links. For full information, please see our disclaimer here.
Incredible Space Events to See in 2018
Watching the Super Blue Blood Moon Eclipse in January from our apartment rooftop in Phnom Penh, Cambodia was an amazing experience. Stevo and I brought our dinner upstairs and sat for over an hour chatting and watching as the Earth’s shadow slowly passed over the surface of the full moon until it was entirely covered and appeared a deep red color. It was amazing to witness this event, and we started wondering if there are any other space events to see in 2018. It turns out that there’s a lot to look forward to! Whether you are traveling or at home, making time to see these space events will remind you just how vast and incredible our universe is.
This guest post was shared by Juliet, a space lover, and telescope expert. Read on to find out about the best space events to see in 2018!
Don’t miss a space event in 2018! Pin this post for later!
This year, there are innumerable events happening in space that you must keep an eye out for. We have listed down the most notable of these events for you, so dust off your telescope and get ready!
Super Blue Blood Moon + Eclipse: January the 31st
Easily one of the most exciting events in 2018 is the eclipsing of the blood moon as we say goodbye to January. The blood moon is the Supermoon that the world hypes so much every year. It happens when the moon is slightly closer to the Earth than usual, which makes it appear bigger and brighter. It will be the second Supermoon of January which makes it a blue moon as well. See pictures of the Super Blue Blood Moon from around the world!
Planet Lineup: March 7-8
At the break of dawn in the southeastern areas, we will be able to observe a planetary alignment. We will be able to see Saturn, Mars, and Jupiter in a sort of alignment at this time. On March 8th, the Moon will also settle itself between Mars and Jupiter and we will be observing quite a show.
Complete Lunar Eclipse: July 27th
Another dark moon will be observed on the 27th of July. It will be the smallest moon of the cycle so, a slightly less amazing event than January 31st, but spectacular nonetheless.
Mars Becomes Visible: July 27th
What really makes July the 27th a great day for space-lovers is that Mars will be at its best on the same day as the Lunar Eclipse. You might want to set up your telescope for this because you will easily be able to see the terrain on Mars at this time.
The Perseids Meteor Shower: August 12-13
The Perseids Meteor shower is so brilliant that I believe that people who are not really into space and its happenings should also watch it at least once in their lives. You will be able to see shooting stars at the rate of 60 stars per hour. It will be particularly brilliant this year since it will be contrasting with a totally dark, moonless sky.
Venus Becomes Visible: August 17th
In the Western skies after the sun has set, you can look at Venus which will appear as a bright planet. Another great find for your telescope!
Mercury Becomes Visible: August 26th
Above the horizon in the western morning skies, you can view mercury just before the sun has risen.
Uranus Becomes Visible: October 23rd
Uranus is a beautiful, blue-green planet, and you can view it all night long on October 24th. It will be completely brightened by the sun so it will be on its maximum visibility. Unfortunately, unless you have an access to an especially powerful telescope, you can only view it as a really bright dot since it is so far away.
The Geminids Meteor Shower: December 13-14
If you did miss the Perseids in August, know that the Geminids is an even more spectacular annual shower and it is exactly what one needs before the year bids us farewell. You can view around 120 multicolored meteors per hour and it is one of the best things we can view.
A small telescope or even binoculars with front lenses can greatly improve your space viewing experience! If you’re flying with a telescope, be sure to find out your airline’s luggage restrictions in advance.
Don’t miss these awesome space events. Pin this post for later!
Disclaimer: This article contains affiliate links to our partners.
Author Bio
Juliet is a part of a Student Astronomical Society. She is an avid reader and science lover. She is an astronomy geek with a keen interest in new technology and gadgets for looking into space.
noel says
How fantastic that there are so many wonderful space and star events happening almost monthly. I’m going to place a few of these on my calendar of things to look out for at night time in the skies.
Jennifer Joslin says
It is fantastic! Definitely worth making time to see these!
Paige W says
So many cool astrological events are happening in 2018! I wish I was going to be in the path of totality again this year. I saw the total eclipse last year and it was one of the most moving experiences of my life. Great post!
Jennifer Joslin says
So cool that you were in the path of totality last year! That must have been incredible!!
Jessica says
Thanks for the guide. I think I am one of the few people who missed the whole blood moon thing! This time I am going to make notes in my calendar not to miss the other cosmic events! Great guide.
Jennifer Joslin says
Thanks Jessica! It can be hard to catch these kind of events depending on where you are. We’ve missed quite a few space events because of light pollution in the city!
Mike says
Very cool post. We saw the full lunar eclipse (in the path of totality) last year and we are hooked now. Do you know if all of the events you mentioned can be seen from anywhere on earth, or are some specific to certain regions?
Jennifer Joslin says
That must have been awesome! Most seem to be region specific. NASA has info about where you can view eclipses from. https://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/SEdecade/SEdecade2011.html
Christopher says
Haha. What a cool post. As a child I was crazy about astronomy. Planets, solar systems, stars, space shuttles. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times Astronomy was the motivation for my science fair projects. I even had a telescope and my mom would drive me up north to view the stars and planets. If I am able to see any of these events from Toronto I hope I’ll be able to get out and see them.
Jennifer Joslin says
That’s awesome, Christopher! Sounds like you have a great mom! 🙂 Hope you can catch some of these this year!
Cathy says
Cool list of space events. I missed the super moon in January and I think there was one last year that I got to see and I was super glad that I witnessed it my own eyes. And if I could watch any of these I would really love to choose The Perseids Meteor shower, watching shooting stars and making a wish is beautiful and a once in a lifetime experience!
Jennifer Joslin says
Agreed Cathy, the Perseids Meteor shower sounds epic!!
Nisha says
An amazing calendar of events for those who are into astronomy and others too. These are free to experience events brought to us by the universe 🙂 I am marking these in my calendar to see if I can make it to the celestial appointments.
Siddhartha says
Loved this post and I wish I had it before I missed the blue moon here in India! Bookmarking it for the rest of the year…especially for the full lunar eclipse 🙂
Vanessa says
This is going to be so fantastic for our summer camping trips. We always have the most amazing clear skies but we’re never quite sure what we’re looking at.
Ami Bhat says
Bookmarked and ready to spot the next celestial event. Thanks for sharing the calendar and telling us what to expect at each of these dates. Makes it so much more easier to plan the best spots for seeing them. Cheers