CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — As the new year approaches, a couple of lunar eclipses are on the horizon, although an awe-inspiring solar eclipse akin to the one that captivated North America last spring won’t occur until 2026. However, there are plenty of celestial events scheduled for 2025 that are certainly worth noting. One of the most exciting spectacles kicking off the year is a six-planet alignment in January, which will remain visible for several weeks. Moreover, February will feature the addition of Mercury, resulting in a remarkable seven-planet procession.
Currently, five planets adorn our evening sky, including Venus and Jupiter. However, both Mars and Mercury are absent from this visible tableau. While some planets can be seen with the naked eye shortly after sunset, others may require binoculars or telescopes for a clearer view. “I encourage everyone to step outside and witness these celestial marvels in the coming weeks. I’ll certainly be doing the same,” said chief scientist Bruce Betts of the Planetary Society.
Looking ahead, there are some noteworthy eclipse events. On March 14, North and South America will experience a total lunar eclipse, with the moon disappearing for over an hour. This will be followed by a partial solar eclipse two weeks later, which can be viewed from areas including Maine, eastern Canada, Greenland, Europe, Siberia, and northwestern Africa. The celestial excitement will return in September, featuring another total lunar eclipse—this time visible from Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia—along with another partial solar eclipse occurring two weeks later.
This year will also host three supermoons in October, November, and December, where the full moon appears particularly large and bright due to its closer proximity to Earth. November’s supermoon will be the closest, coming within approximately 221,817 miles (or 356,980 kilometers). Last year featured a remarkable four supermoons, concluding in November.
Mid-January will showcase a planetary parade where six of our seven nearest planets will align to form a stunning arc. All planets except for Neptune and Uranus should be visible to the naked eye shortly after sunset, weather permitting. This event promises to continue for several weeks, with some planets appearing to cluster together. By late February, Mercury will join in the alignment before the planets gradually drift away as spring approaches.
The auroras also promise to dazzle this year. Following an exciting year of solar activity that lit up the sky with beautiful displays, space weather experts are predicting additional geomagnetic storms that could result in even more vivid northern and southern lights. The sun is currently at its solar maximum during an 11-year cycle, expected to last throughout this year. Shawn Dahl from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration encourages everyone to stay informed about space weather to catch any unannounced spectacular displays.
For meteor enthusiasts, the Perseids and Geminids are perennial favorites, peaking in August and December, respectively. However, lesser-known meteor showers, including the Lyrids in April, Orionids in October, and Leonids in November, also provide impressive viewing opportunities. The best conditions for watching meteor showers occur in dark areas with minimal moonlight. Meteor showers derive their names from the constellations in which they seem to originate and result when Earth passes through trails of debris left by comets and sometimes asteroids.
