NEW MEXICO (KRQE) – Events in the night sky can be exciting to see, but they are also easy to miss. Here are some of the upcoming sky-watching events in New Mexico to put on your calendar.
Supermoons
Four supermoons will be visible from Earth through the rest of this year. The blue moon that will occur at the end of August is especially rare, as they only occur about every two or three years.
Supermoons occur when the moon’s orbit passes at its closest point to Earth and the moon is full at that time. This causes the moon to appear both larger and brighter than it usually does.
- When? Monday, July 3, 2023. Tuesday, August 1. Thursday, August 30. Friday, September 29.
- What? Buck Supermoon. Sturgeon Supermoon. Blue Moon Supermoon. Harvest Supermoon.
Perseid Meteor Shower
A meteor shower occurs “when Earth’s orbit intersects the orbit of a meteor stream,” according to the American Meteor Society (AMS). The Perseid Meteor Shower will be visible during the night of August 12, 2023, as long as the sky has clear visibility.
The particles visible during this shower are released from the Swift-Tuttle Comet. When these particles meet with the Earth’s atmosphere, they burn up, creating bright streaks in the sky. The typical rate of meteor visibility is about 50 to 75 sightings per hour, breaking down to one to two per minute.
- When? Night of Saturday, August 12, 2023, to Sunday, August 13, 2023
- What? Meteor Shower
- Viewing tips: Watch for the shower when the sky is darkest, from midnight to before sunrise. Get far away from city lights.
Solar Eclipse Passing Over New Mexico
An annular eclipse, when the Moon passes between the Sun and Earth, will be visible from New Mexico this October. The eclipse will create a “ring of fire” effect that will only be visible for a few minutes.
To learn more about this eclipse, click here.
- When? Saturday, October 14, 2023, around 10:30 a.m
- What? Annular Eclipse
- Viewing tips: Do not look directly at the sun. When viewing a solar eclipse, be sure to wear solar viewing glasses – these are not the same as regular sunglasses.
Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminid Meteor Shower will be visible from Earth on the night of December 13, 2023, as long as the sky had clear visibility. Similarly to the Perseid Meteor Shower, the Geminid Meteor Shower will have a viewing rate of about one to two meteors per minute.
The meteors in the Geminid shower come from the 3200 Phaethon Asteroid. According to Nasa, this shower is different from most since the meteors come from an asteroid rather than a comet. This year, the meteor shower should be especially easy to see since the moon will be in its new moon phase.
- When? Night of Wednesday, December 13, 2023, to Thursday, December 14, 2023
- What? Meteor Shower
- Viewing tips: Watch for the shower when the sky is darkest, from midnight to before sunrise. Get far away from city lights.
