Calendar of Society & Celestial Events
A Dynamic Organization...
The Chester County Astronomical Society maintains an active calendar of meetings and events, most of which are open to the public. Members-only events are indicated below.
Please note: events may be cancelled or rescheduled at a moment's notice due to inclement weather, illness, or for other reasons outside the Society's control. All members are notified as quickly as possible if an adjustment is made to the calendar.
January 2024
1st • The Moon is at apogee (251,599 miles from Earth), 10:28 a.m. EST.
1st • Mercury is stationary, 11:00 p.m. EST.
2nd • Earth is at perihelion (91.4 million miles from the Sun), 8 p.m. EST.
3rd • THIRD QUARTER MOON (10:30 P.M. EST).
4th • Quadrantids Meteor Shower peaks. The Quadrantids is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Boötes, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
6th • Venus passes 6° north of Antares, 3 a.m. EST.
8th • The Moon passes 6° south of Venus, 3 p.m. EST.
9th • The Moon passes 7° south of Mercury, 2 p.m. EST.
9th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, Room 113, Merion Science Center (former Boucher Building), West Chester University & ONLINE via Zoom. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. CCAS Member Speaker: Dr. Don Miller, NASA Ambassador & CCAS Member, "Could Extraterrestrial Life Exist in the Universe?-Scientific & Philosophical Considerations (Part 1).”
10th • The Moon passes 4° south of Mars, 4 a.m. EST.
11th • NEW MOON (6:57 A.M. EST).
12th • Mercury is at greatest western elongation (24°), 10 a.m. EST.
12th • Winter Fireside Event at Tyler Arboretum, Media, PA; 5-8 pm. This will be a large, casual event. There will be a viewing area with a telescope set up. Attendees will stop by to ask questions and view the night sky.
13th • The Moon is at perigee (225,102 miles from Earth), 5:36 a.m. EST.
14th • The Moon passes 2° south of Saturn, 5 a.m. EST.
15th • The Moon passes 0.9° south of Neptune, 3 p.m. EST.
17th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (7:52 P.M. EST).
18th • The Moon passes 3° north of Jupiter, 4 p.m. EST.
19th • The Moon passes 3° north of Uranus, 3 p.m. EST.
19th • The von Kármán Lecture Series: How Do Missions Get Formed?, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech starting at 10:00 p.m. EST.
20th • Pluto is in conjunction with the Sun, 9 a.m. EST.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the February 2024 edition of Observations.
25th • FULL MOON, Wolf Moon (12:54 P.M. EST).
25th • The von Kármán Lecture Series: "Spirit Knocked, Opportunity Rocked: 20 Years of Rovers on Mars," Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech at 10:00 p.m. EST.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the February 2024 edition of Observations.
26th • Planetarium show at the Mather Planetarium at WCU, "Fire In The Sky,” in the Mather Planetarium." For more information, visit the WCU Public Planetarium Shows webpage.
27th • Uranus is stationary, 6 a.m. EST.
27th • Mercury passes 0.2° north of Mars, 11 a.m. EST.
29th • The Moon is at apogee (252,138 miles from Earth), 3:14 a.m. EST.
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February 2024
2nd • LAST QUARTER MOON (6:18 P.M. EST).
7th • The Moon passes 5° south of Venus, 2 p.m. EST.
7th • 2024 STEM Night at Kennett Middle School, Landenberg, PA 19350.
8th • The Moon passes 4° south of Mars, 2 a.m. EST.
9th • SUPER NEW MOON (5:59 P.M. EST).
10th • The Moon is at perigee (222,506 miles from Earth), 1:53 a.m. EST.
10th • The Moon passes 1.8° south of Saturn, 8 p.m. EST.
12th • The Moon passes 0.7° south of Neptune, 2 a.m. EST.
13th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, Room 112, Merion Science Center (former Boucher Building), West Chester University ONLINE with Zoom. Meet & Greet over coffee and refreshments for members and non-members alike from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting starts immediately after at 7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Dr. Ashley Spindler, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom, "Role of AI and Machine Learning (ML) Approaches in Astronomy—Studies of Galactic Evolution."
15th • The Moon passes 3° north of Jupiter, 3 a.m. EST.
15th • The Moon passes 3° north of Uranus, 9 p.m. EST.
16th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (10:01 A.M. EST).
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the March 2024 edition of Observations.
22nd • Venus passes 0.6° north of Mars, 11 a.m. EST.
22nd • The von Kármán Lecture Series: SPHEREx: Zooming Out to See the Big Picture at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech, starting at 8 p.m. EDT.
23rd • Planetarium show at the Mather Planetarium at WCU, "Raining Stars." For more information, visit the WCU Public Planetarium Shows webpage.
24th • MICRO FULL MOON (7:30 P.M. EST).
25th • The Moon is at apogee (252,470 miles from Earth), 4:00 a.m. EST.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the March 2024 edition of Observations.
28th • Mercury is in superior conjunction, 4 a.m. EST.
28th • Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun, 4 p.m. EST.
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March 2024
3rd • Asteroid Juno is at opposition, 1 p.m. EST.
7th • The Moon passes 4° south of Mars, midnight EST.
7th • 2024 STEM Night at Kennett Middle School, Landenberg, PA 19350. The event is scheduled 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. EST.
8th • The Moon passes 3° south of Venus, noon EST.
8th • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. The observing session is from 7:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EST.
10th • Start Daylight Saving Time - Set Clocks Ahead 1 Hour at 2:00 a.m. ET.
10th • NEW MOON (5:00 A.M. EDT).
12th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, Merion Science Center, Room 113. CCAS Member Speaker: Dr. Don Miller, NASA Ambassador & CCAS Member, "Could Extraterrestrial Life Exist in the Universe?-Scientific & Philosophical Considerations (Part 2)."
13th • The Moon passes 4° north of Jupiter, 9 p.m. EDT.
14th • The Moon passes 3° north of Uranus, 8 a.m. EDT.
17th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (12:10 P.M. EDT).
17th • Neptune is in conjunction with the Sun, 7 a.m. EDT.
19th • Vernal Equinox (northern spring/southern autumn begins), occurs at 11 p.m. EDT. The Sun will shine directly on the equator and there will be nearly equal amounts of day and night throughout the world.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the April 2024 edition of Observations.
21st • The von Kármán Lecture Series: The Mavericks of INGENUITY: How NASA Extended the Mission of the First Mars Helicopter, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech, 8:00 p.m. EDT.
21st • Venus passes 0.3° north of Saturn, 10 p.m. EDT.
22nd • Mather Planetarium at West Chester University Show: “An Eclipse of the Sun,” in the Schmucker Science Building. The show starts at 7 p.m. EDT and runs approximately one hour in length. For more information and reservations, visit the WCU Public Planetarium Shows webpage.
24th • Solar Observing & Pre-Eclipse Program, Exton Public Library, 450 Exton Square Parkway, Exton, PA 19341. The event is scheduled 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. EDT.
24th • Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (19°), 7 p.m. EDT.
25th • MICRO FULL MOON (3:00 A.M. EDT), Penumbral lunar eclipse.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the April 2024 edition of Observations.
29th • CCAS Special Observing Event: Star Party at Tyler Arboretum, Media, PA. The event is scheduled 8 p.m. to 10 p.m. EDT. Rain date: May 30th.
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April 2024
1st • LAST QUARTER MOON (11:14 p.m. EDT).
5th • The Moon passes 2° south of Mars, midnight EDT.
6th • The Moon passes 1.2° south of Saturn, 5 a.m. EDT.
7th • The Moon passes 0.4° south of Neptune, 4 a.m. EDT.
7th • The Moon passes 0.4° north of Venus, 1 p.m. EDT.
8th • Total solar eclipse, 2:00 p.m. EDT. Hibernia Park or Exton Park.
8th • SUPER NEW MOON (2:20 P.M. EDT).
10th • The Moon passes 4° north of Jupiter, 5 p.m. EDT.
10th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 8 p.m. EDT.
10th • Mars passes 0.5° north of Saturn, 11 p.m. EDT.
11th • Mercury is in inferior conjunction, 7 p.m. EDT.
12th • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, BRC. The observing session starts at sunset.
13th • Star Party, Beaver Creek Elementary School, Downingtown, PA. The event is scheduled 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. EDT.
14th • Observing Event at Sacred Heart Academy, 480 S Bryn Mawr Avenue, Bryn Mawr, PA 19010. The event is scheduled 7:15 to 9:15 p.m. EDT.
15th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (3:13 P.M. EDT).
18th • Mercury passes 2° north of Venus, 7 p.m. EDT.
19th • West Chester University Planetarium Show: “Citizen Science,” in the Schmucker Science Building. The show starts at 7 p.m. and run approximately one hour in length. For more information and reservations, visit the WCU Public Planetarium Shows webpage.
20th • Jupiter passes 0.5° south of Uranus, 4 a.m. EDT
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the May 2024 edition of Observations.
22nd • Lyrid Meteor Shower Peaks. These meteors can produce bright dust trails that last for several seconds. The shower usually peaks on April 21 & 22, although some meteors can be visible from April 16 - 25. Look for meteors radiating from the constellation of Lyra after midnight.
23rd • CCAS Monthly Meeting, Merion Science Center, Room 113. Meet & Greet over coffee and refreshments for members and non-members alike from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting starts immediately after at 7:30 p.m. Featured Speaker: CCAS Member Roger Kennedy will present "Bringing Solar Science to the General Public".
23rd • FULL MOON (7:48 P.M. EDT).
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the May 2024 edition of Observations.
26th • Observing Event with Atglen Public Library at Wolf's Hollow Park, 1399 Schoff Road, Atglen, PA 19310. The event is scheduled 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. EDT.
28th • Mars passes 0.04° south of Neptune, midnight EDT.
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May 2024
1st • LAST QUARTER MOON (7:23 a.m. EDT).
1st • Walk with the Third Quarter Moon at Paoli Battlefield Park, Malvern, PA. The event is scheduled 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. EDT.
3rd • The Moon passes 0.8° south of Saturn, 7 p.m. EDT.
4th • The Moon passes 0.3° south of Neptune, 3 p.m. EDT.
4th • The Moon passes 0.2° north of Mars, 10 p.m. EDT.
5th • Eta Aquarid meteor shower peaks. The shower's peak usually occurs around May 5th, however viewing should be good on any morning between May 4th and 7th. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight, far from city lights. Eta Aquarid meteors are known for their speed, with the meteors traveling at about 148,000 mph (66 km/s) into Earth's atmosphere. Fast meteors can leave glowing "trains" caused by incandescent bits of debris in the wake of the meteor. These trains can last for several seconds to minutes. In general, about 30 Eta Aquarid meteors can be seen per hour during their peak. The Eta Aquarids are particularly interesting because they are made up of particles that were shed by Halley's Comet several thousand years ago.
6th • The Moon passes 4° north of Mercury, 4 a.m. EDT.
7th • NEW MOON (11:21 p.m. EDT).
9th • Mercury is at greatest western elongation (26°), 6 p.m. EDT.
10th • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, BRC. The observing session starts at sunset.
13th • Uranus is in conjunction with the Sun, 5 a.m. EDT.
14th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, Room 112, Merion Science Center (former Boucher Building), West Chester University. Meet & Greet online for members from 7:00 to 7:30 p.m. The meeting starts immediately after at 7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: astrophysics engineer Erika Nesvold, Ph.D., “Off-Earth Ethics: Learning from History to Build
a Better Future in Space."
15th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (7:48 a.m. EDT).
16th • The von Kármán Lecture Series: Shake & Bake—How Spacecraft Are Tested to Handle the Harsh Environment of Space at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech, starting at 10 p.m. EDT.
18th • Jupiter is in conjunction with the Sun, 3 p.m. EDT.
19th • Asteroid Pallas is at opposition, 11 a.m. EDT.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the June 2024 edition of Observations.
23rd • FULL MOON (9:53 a.m. EDT).
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the June 2024 edition of Observations.
30th • LAST QUARTER MOON (1:12 p.m. EDT).
31st • The Moon passes 0.4° south of Saturn, 4 a.m. EDT.
31st • The Moon passes 0.02° south of Neptune, 11 p.m. EDT.
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June 2024
2nd • The Moon passes 2° north of Mars, 8 p.m. EDT.
4th • Mercury passes 0.1° south of Jupiter, 6 a.m. EDT.
4th • Venus is in superior conjunction, noon EDT.
4th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 9 p.m. EDT.
5th • The Moon passes 5° north of Jupiter, 10 a.m. EDT.
5th-9th • York County Spring Star Party. Presented by Sky Shed Pod PA, York, PA.
6th • NEW MOON (8:37 a.m. EDT).
7th • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. The observing session starts at sunset.
14th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (1:18 a.m. EDT).
14th • Mercury is in superior conjunction, 1 p.m. EDT.
20th • Solstice (northern summer/southern winter begins), 5 p.m. EDT. The North Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its northernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Cancer at 23.44 degrees north latitude. This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the southern hemisphere.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the July 2024 edition of Observations.
21st • FULL MOON, Strawberry Moon, (9:07 p.m. EDT).
22nd • CCAS Special Observing Session "FamilyFest" at the American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA. from 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. EDT.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the July 2024 edition of Observations.
27th • The Moon passes 0.08° north of Saturn, 11 a.m. EDT.
28th • The Moon passes 0.3° north of Neptune, 5 a.m. EDT.
28th • LAST QUARTER MOON (5:53 p.m. EDT).
29th • Mercury passes 5° south of Pollux, 6 a.m. EDT.
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July 2024
1st • The Moon passes 4° north of Mars, 2 p.m. EDT.
2nd • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 6 a.m. EDT.
3rd • The Moon passes 5° north of Jupiter, 4 a.m. EDT.
3rd-6th • Green Bank Star Quest XVII. National Radio Observatory, Green Bank, West Virginia.
5th • NEW MOON (6:57 p.m. EDT).
5th • Dwarf planet Ceres is at opposition, 8 p.m. EDT.
5th • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, BRC. The observing session starts at sunset.
7th • The Moon passes 3° north of Mercury, 3 p.m. EDT.
12th • Friday Night Lights Star Party, 7:00-10:00 p.m. EDT, ChesLen Preserve, Coatesville, PA. This is a fundraiser for the Natural Lands Trust where music is provided. Several local astronomy clubs set up telescopes for the concert goers to view the night sky during the event. If you are not a member of CCAS you must purchase tickets from the Natural Lands Trust. CCAS members who want to assist with the astronomy portion of this event must bring a telescope or mounted astronomical binoculars to qualify for free admission.
13th • Jupiter passes 5° north of Aldebaran, 3 a.m. EDT.
13th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (6:48 p.m. EDT).
13th • CCAS Special Observing Session, West Goshen Park Star Party, West Chester, PA. The observing session starts at 9:00 p.m. EDT.
15th • Mars passes 0.6° south of Uranus, 5 a.m. EDT.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the August 2024 edition of Observations.
21st • FULL MOON, Buck Moon (6:17 a.m. EDT).
22nd • Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (27°), 3 a.m. EDT.
23rd • Pluto is at opposition, 2 a.m. EDT.
24th • The Moon passes 0.4° north of Saturn, 5 p.m. EDT.
25th • The Moon passes 0.6° north of Neptune, 11 a.m. EDT.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the August 2024 edition of Observations.
27th • Mercury passes 3° south of Regulus, 8 a.m. EDT.
27th • LAST QUARTER MOON (10:51 p.m. EDT).
29th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 2 p.m. EDT.
29th-30th • Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower Peaks - The Delta Aquarids can produce about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower usually peaks around the 29th, but some meteors can also be seen from July 18th through August 21st. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Aquarius. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight. On the night of the 29th-30th, the waning cresent moon will be 26% full.
30th • The Moon passes 5° north of Mars, 7 a.m. EDT.
30th • The Moon passes 5° north of Jupiter, 8 p.m. EDT.
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August 2024
2nd • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. The observing session starts at sunset.
4th • NEW MOON (7:13 a.m. EDT).
4th • Venus passes 1.1° north of Regulus, 6 p.m. EDT.
5th • Mars passes 5° north of Aldebaran, 3 p.m. EDT.
5th • The Moon passes 1.7° north of Venus, 6 p.m. EDT.
5th • The Moon passes 7° north of Mercury, 8 p.m. EDT.
6th • Mercury passes 6° south of Venus, 11 a.m. EDT.
11th • Mercury passes 6° south of Regulus, 6 p.m. EDT.
12th • Perseid Meteor Shower Peaks. The Perseids are one of the best meteor showers to observe, producing up to 60 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower's peak usually occurs on August 12th, but you may be able to see some meteors any time from July 23rd through August 22nd. The radiant point for this shower is in the constellation Perseus.
12th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (11:18 a.m. EDT).
14th • Mars passes 0.3° north of Jupiter, 1 p.m. EDT.
18th • Mercury is in inferior conjunction, 10 p.m. EDT.
19th • FULL MOON, Sturgeon Moon, Blue Moon (2:25 p.m. EDT).
20th • Saturn is at opposition, 4 a.m. EDT.
20th • The Moon passes 0.5° north of Saturn, 11 p.m. EDT.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the September 2024 edition of Observations.
21st • The Moon passes 0.7° north of Neptune, 6 p.m. EDT.
23rd • CCAS Special Observing Session: Starr Farm Park, Downingtown PA. 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. EDT (Rain date: August 24th). For more information, contact our Observing Chair, Michael Manigly.
25th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 8 p.m. EDT.
26th • THIRD QUARTER MOON (5:25 a.m. EDT).
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the September 2024 edition of Observations.
27th • The Moon passes 6° north of Jupiter, 9 a.m. EDT.
27th • The Moon passes 5° north of Mars, 8 p.m. EDT.
27th-30th • CCAS Special Camping Trip & Observing Session at Cherry Springs State Park, Coudersport, PA. For more information, contact our Observing Chair, Michael Manigly.
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September 2024
1st • The Moon passes 5° north of Mercury, 5 a.m. EDT.
2nd • NEW MOON (9:55 P.M. EDT).
4th • Mercury is at greatest western elongation (18°), 11 p.m. EDT.
5th • The Moon passes 1.2° south of Venus, 6 a.m. EDT.
8th • Saturn is at opposition, 1 a.m. EDT.
9th • Mercury passes 0.5° north of Regulus, 3 a.m. EDT.
11th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (2:05 a.m. EDT).
14th • CCAS Special Observing Session: International Observe the Moon Night 2024 & and Walk When the Moon is Full w/Malvern Arts Paoli Battlefield Historical Park, Malvern PA. For more information, contact our Observing Chair, Michael Manigly.
17th • The Moon passes 0.3° north of Saturn, 6 a.m. EDT.
17th • Venus passes 3° north of Spica, 9 a.m. EDT.
17th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, in person (as well as via Zoom) at West Chester University’s Merion Science Center, Room 112. Speaker: John Conrad NASA Solar System Ambassador and CCAS Member, “Spaceships for the 21st Century (aka SpaceX and the 7 Little Dwarfs”).”
17th • FULL MOON, the Harvest Moon, Super Full Moon (10:34 p.m. EDT).
17th • Partial lunar eclipse, 10:44 p.m. EDT.
18th • The Moon passes 0.7° north of Neptune, 4 a.m. EDT.
20th • Neptune is at opposition, 8 p.m. EDT.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the October 20234 edition of Observations.
21st • CCAS Special Observing Event with Malvern Area Public Library, Bacton Hill Park, Malvern PA. For more information, contact our Observing Chair, Mike Manigly.
22nd • The Moon passes 5° north of Uranus, 3 a.m. EDT.
22nd • Equinox (northern autumn/southern spring begins), 9 a.m. EDT.
23rd • The Moon passes 6° north of Jupiter, 7 p.m. EDT.
24th • LAST QUARTER MOON (2:49 p.m. EDT).
25th • Beginner Astronomy Class: Spaceship Earth—the Sun and its effects on the Earth. In partnership with Chester County Lifelong Learning, the one-hour class is at Pierce Middle School, West Chester, PA, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
25th • The Moon passes 5° north of Mars, 8 a.m. EDT.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the October 2024 edition of Observations.
30th • Mercury is in superior conjunction, 5 p.m. EDT.
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October 2024
2nd • NEW MOON (2:49 p.m. EDT).
2nd • Annular solar eclipse, 3 p.m. EDT.
2nd • Beginner Astronomy Class: Our Moon—Phases and Faces. In partnership with Chester County Lifelong Learning, the one-hour class is at Pierce Middle School, West Chester, PA, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
3rd-6th • York County Star Party #2, Susquehannock State Park, 1880 Park Dr, Drumore, PA 17518.
4th • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. The observing session starts at sunset.
5th • The Moon passes 3° south of Venus, 4 p.m. EDT.
8th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, in Room 112, Merion Science Center, WCU. The meeting starts at 7:30 p.m. Guest Speaker: Dr. Scott Engle, Villanova University, "Recent Findings of the "Living with a Red Dwarf Program": How do M Dwarf Stars Evolve, and Can they Host Habitable Planets?".
9th • Beginner Astronomy Class: Other Kids on the Block—the Planets. In partnership with Chester County Lifelong Learning, the one-hour class is at Pierce Middle School, West Chester, PA, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
10th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (2:55 p.m. EDT).
11th • West Chester University Planetarium Show: “Mars,” in the Schmucker Science Building. The show starts at 7 p.m. and runs approximately one hour in length. For more information and reservations, visit the WCU Public Planetarium Shows webpage.
11th • Special Observing Session with Atglen Public Library at Wolf's Hollow Park in Atglen, PA, from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. EDT. For more information, contact our Observing Chair, Michael Manigly.
12th • Fall International Astronomy Day.
14th • The Moon passes 0.1° north of Saturn, 2 p.m. EDT.
15th • The Moon passes 0.6° north of Neptune, 2 p.m. EDT.
16th • Asteroid Juno is in conjunction with the Sun, 11 a.m. EDT.
16th • Beginner Astronomy Class: Observing Basics, Star Charts and Planetarium Software. In partnership with Chester County Lifelong Learning, the one-hour class is at Pierce Middle School, West Chester, PA, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
17th • FULL MOON, the Hunter's Moon, Falling Leaves Moon, Drying Rice Moon, Migrating Moon, and sometimes called the Blood Moon or Sanguine Moon, Super Full Moon (7:26 a.m. EDT).
17th • The von Kármán Lecture Series: Lasers in Space! How NASA’s New Technology Could Revolutionize Deep Space Comms, 8:00 pm EDT. Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech.
19th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, noon EDT.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the November 2024 edition of Observations.
21st • Mars passes 6° south of Pollux, 2 a.m. EDT.
21st • The Moon passes 6° north of Jupiter, 4 a.m. EDT.
21st-22nd • Orionids Meteor Shower Peaks. The Orionids is an average shower producing about 20 meteors per hour at their peak. This shower usually peaks on the 21st, but it is highly irregular. A good show could be experienced on any morning from October 20 - 24, and some meteors may be seen any time from October 17 - 25. Best viewing will be to the east after midnight. Be sure to find a dark location far from city lights. This is another meteor shower that is produced by very old particles shed by Halley's Comet.
23rd • The Moon passes 4° north of Mars, 4 p.m. EDT.
23rd • Beginner Astronomy Class: Observing Basics, Star Charts and Planetarium Software. In partnership with Chester County Lifelong Learning, the one-hour class is at Pierce Middle School, West Chester, PA, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
24th • THIRD QUARTER MOON (4:03 a.m. EDT).
25th • Venus passes 3° north of Antares, 3 p.m. EDT.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the November 2024 edition of Observations.
30th • Beginner Astronomy Class: Beyond Naked Eye Observing (deep sky stuff). In partnership with Chester County Lifelong Learning, the one-hour class is at Pierce Middle School, West Chester, PA, starting at 7:00 p.m. ET.
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November 2024
1st • NEW MOON (8:47 a.m. EDT).
1st • CCAS Monthly Observing Session, Myrick Conservancy Center, Brandywine Red Clay Alliance. The observing session starts at sunset. Last regularly scheduled monthly session until March 2024.
2nd • CCAS Special Observing Session, Astronomy STEM Workshop at the American Helicopter Museum, West Chester, PA. The observing session is scheduled from 6:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. EDT.
3rd • Daylight Saving Time ends, 2:00 a.m. ET. Turn clocks back one hour.
3rd • The Moon passes 2° south of Mercury, 3 a.m. EST.
4th • The Moon passes 3° south of Venus, 7 p.m. EST.
9th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (12:55 a.m. EST).
9th • Mercury passes 2° north of Antares, 11 p.m. EST.
10th • The Moon passes 0.09° north of Saturn, 9 p.m. EST.
11st • The Moon passes 0.6° north of Neptune, 9 p.m. EST.
12th • CCAS Monthly Meeting, in person (as well as via Zoom) at West Chester University’s Merion Science Center, Room 112. Guest Speaker: Dr. Ravi Sheth, Dept of Astronomy and Astrophysics, University of Pennsylvania, “Making Black Holes out of…..Light? – New Perspectives.”
15th • FULL MOON, The Beaver Moon, (4:28 p.m. EST). It is also called Frost Moon and Mourning Moon, depending on the December solstice.
15th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 8 p.m. EST.
16th • Mercury is at greatest eastern elongation (23°), 3 a.m. EST.
16th • Uranus is at opposition, 10 p.m. EST.
17th • Leonid Meteor Shower Peaks. The Leonids are one of the better meteor showers to observe, producing an average of 40 meteors per hour at their peak. The shower itself has a cyclic peak year every 33 years where hundreds of meteors can be seen each hour. The last of these occurred in 2001. The shower usually peaks around November 17th, but you may see some meteors from November 13 - 20. Look for the shower radiating from the constellation Leo after midnight.
17th • The Moon passes 6° north of Jupiter, 10 a.m. EST.
20th • The Moon passes 2° north of Mars, 4 p.m. EST.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the December 2024 edition of Observations.
21st • The von Kármán Lecture Series: Fixing Voyager: How NASA Restored Communications with Voyager 1 from Across the Solar System, 10:00 p.m. EST, Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, California. Live stream of free lecture presented by NASA & Caltech.
22nd • THIRD QUARTER MOON (8:27 p.m. EDT).
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the December 2024 edition of Observations.
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December 2024
1st • NEW MOON (1:21 a.m. EST).
4th • The Moon passes 2° south of Venus, 6 p.m. EST.
5th • Mercury is in inferior conjunction, 9 p.m. EST.
7th • Jupiter is at opposition, 4 p.m. EST.
8th • The Moon passes 0.3° north of Saturn, 4 a.m. EST.
8th • FIRST QUARTER MOON (10:26 a.m. EST).
9th • The Moon passes 0.8° north of Neptune, 4 a.m. EST.
10th • Mercury passes 7° north of Antares, 6 a.m. EST.
10th • CCAS Annual Holiday Party, Iron Hill Brewery & Restaurant, West Chester, PA. The gathering starts at 6:00 p.m. EST.
12th-14th • Northern Taurid Meteor Shower Peaks. Active from October 20th to December 10th, the northern Taurids generally produce rates of only 5-10 per hour. They are notorious for spectacular fireballs that have led many astronomers to believe the meteor stream contains a large percentage of large pieces generally not present in other showers.
13th • The Moon passes 4° north of Uranus, 5 a.m. EST.
13th-14th • Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks. Considered by many to be the best meteor shower in the heavens, the Geminids are known for producing up to 60 multicolored meteors per hour at their peak. The peak of the shower usually occurs around December 13 & 14, although some meteors should be visible from December 6th through the 19th. The radiant point for this shower will be in the constellation Gemini. Best viewing is usually to the east after midnight from a dark location.
14th • The Moon passes 5° north of Jupiter, 3 p.m. EST.
15th • FULL MOON (4:01 a.m. EST).
18th • The Moon passes 0.9° north of Mars, 4 a.m. EST.
20th • Open call for articles and photographs for the January 2025 edition of Observations.
21st • Winter Solstice (4 a.m. EST) - The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude. This is the first day of winter (winter solstice) in the northern hemisphere and the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the southern hemisphere.
21st • Mercury passes 7° north of Antares, 7 p.m. EST.
21st-22nd • Ursid Meteor Shower Peaks. The point from where the Ursid meteors appear to come from is located within the constellation Ursa Minor, also known as the "Little Dipper." This meteor shower is active during the period spanning December 17 to 26, but it peaks on December 21st-22nd. At maximum, rates can normally reach 10 per hour. The meteor shower is produced by the periodic comet 8P/Tuttle and can occasionally experience short-lived outbursts of up to 100 meteors per hour.
22nd • THIRD QUARTER MOON (5:18 p.m. EST).
24th • Mercury is at greatest western elongation (22°), 10 p.m. EST.
26th • Deadline for newsletter submissions for the January 2025 edition of Observations.
28th • The Moon passes 6° south of Mercury, 11 p.m. EST.
30th • NEW MOON (5:26 p.m. EST).
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