2012 Night Sky Guide: The Year's Best Astronomical Events

Skywatcher Charles R. Jones II took this photo of the total lunar eclipse Dec. 10 from Phoenix, Ariz. CREDIT: Charles R. Jones II View full size image

The coming year should be chock full of fantastic skywatching opportunities, inlcuding chances to catch eclipses, stars and planets in notable arrangements, and more. Here are some of the highlights.

Occultations of planets and bright stars are by the moon unless noted otherwise. General locations are given for these occultations. For observers outside these locations, close conjunctions of the moon and objects may be observed.

All times are given in Universal Time (UT). To calculate the time for your location, use the following table. Take the UT time and add the time in the table for your time zone. [See also our complete Night Sky events and information page, updated monthly. ]