SPACE.com -- Major Astronomical Events


	Major Astronomical Events By SPACE.com Staff

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.

**Time Zone Convertion Table**
Time Zone	Standard Time	Daylight Savings

Eastern Standard Time (EST)	-5 hours	-4 hours
Central Standard Time (CST)	-6 hours	-5 hours
Mountain Standard Time (MST)	-7 hours	-6 hours
Pacific Standard Time (PST)	-8 hours	-7 hours

**2007 Events**
Date	Time (UT)	Event

January

3	20	Earth at perihelion (closest to sun) at 147 million km.
4		Quadrantids meteor shower peaks. Up to 120 per hour
6	18	Saturn occultation in NE Russia, N Scandinavia, NW Canada, Alaska
7	5	Regulus occultation in E. Europe, W. Russia
11	20	Spica occultation in SE Indian Ocean, Antarctica
15	13	Antares occultation in S tip of South America and Africa
20	17	Venus occultation in SW Africa, S tip of South America
27	17	Moon about a degree north of the Pleiades (M45)

February

2	23	Saturn occultation in Central Asia, Scandinavia, Arctic
3	14	Regulus occultation NW North America
7	13	Venus 0.7 degrees S of Uranus
7	17	Mercury greatest elongation east. Visible after sunset
8	4	Spica occultation south of South America
10	19	Saturn at Opposition
11	22	Antares occultation southern oceans, Antarctica
23	23	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)

March

2	2	Saturn occultation in central, northern and eastern Europe
2	21	Regulus occultation E. Central Asia
3	23	Total eclipse of moon. Best in Europe and Africa. Partially visible in the Americas and Asia and western Australia
11	6	Antares occultation in southern South America
17	3	Mercury occultation southern Ocean south of New Zealand
19	3	Partial eclipse of the sun. Eastern Asia
21	0	Spring Equinox in Northern Hemisphere, Autumn Equinox in Southern Hemisphere
22	2	Mercury greatest elongation west. Visible before sunrise
23	6	Moon passes about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
29	4	Saturn occultation Northern Europe, North Atlantic
30	3	Regulus occultation Western and Northern Europe

April

7	13	Antares occultation in southern Southern America
11	13	Venus passes 3 degrees south of Pleiades (M45)
14	2	Mars occultation in south and east Asia
14	20	Uranus occultation in east Siberia, Japan, Alaska, NW Canada
19	16	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
22		Lyrid meteor shower peaks
24		Pi-Puppids meteor shower peaks (Southern hemisphere)
25	10	Saturn occultation NW Canada, Alaska, far eastern Siberia
26	9	Regulus occultation NW North America, Arctic
28	19	Mars 0.7 degrees south of Uranus

May

4	18	Antares occultation New Zealand, Tasmania, SE Africa
5		Eta-Aquarid meteor shower peaks
12	7	Uranus occultation in N Atlantic and most of British Isles
22	19	Saturn occultation Europe, NE Africa, NW Asia, NW Canada, Arctic
23	16	Regulus occultation in most of Asia, NE Europe, Greenland, NE Canada
30		Vesta at Opposition

June

1	1	Antares occultation in southern half of South America, SW Indian Ocean
2	10	Mercury greatest elongation east. Visible after sunset
5	23	Jupiter at Opposition
9	3	Venus at greatest elongation East (45 degrees). Visible in the evening
13	5	Venus 0.6 degrees north of Beehive (M44)
13	13	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
18	15	Venus occultation in western Asia, most of Europe, Greenland, northern Canada
19	8	Saturn occultation Japan, central Asia, eastern Europe
20	0	Regulus occultation in most of North America, NW South America, eastern Siberia
21	18	Summer Solstice in Northern Hemisphere, Winter Solstice in Southern Hemisphere
28	8	Antares occultation in western Oceania, southern South America

July

2	1	Venus 0.8 degree south of Saturn
7	0	Earth at aphelion (furthest from sun) at 152 million km.
10	21	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
12	14	Venus at greatest brilliancy in evening sky (magnitude -4.4)
16	23	Saturn occultation Hawaii, W South America
17	9	Regulus Occultation in Europe, S and W Asia, NW Australia
20	15	Mercury greatest elongation west. Visible in the morning
25	16	Antares occultation in South Africa, south parts of Australia, New Zealand
28		South Delta-Aquarids meteor shower peak

August

7	2	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
13		Perseid meteor shower peaks
13	18	Neptune at opposition
18	4	Venus at inferior conjunction, 8 degrees south of Sun
22	1	Antares occultation in New Zealand and southern oceans
28	11	Total eclipse of the moon. Best from Pacific ocean, W North America, E Australia
		Partially visible throughout the Americas, eastern Asia, Australia

September

1		Aurigids meteor shower peaks. Possible enhanced activity
3		Pallas at opposition
3	8	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
9	19	Uranus at opposition
10	1	Regulus occultation in Polynesia, Japan, central Asia
10	4	Saturn occultation in S Indian Ocean, west tip of Australia
11	13	Partial eclipse of the sun. Southern South America
18	8	Antares occultation in southern oceans, Antarctica
22	9	Mercury passes about 5 minutes of arc north of Spica
23	10	Autumn Equinox in Northern Hemisphere, Spring Equinox in Southern Hemisphere
23	23	Venus at greatest brilliancy in morning sky (magnitude -4.4)
29	16	Mercury greatest elongation east. Visible after sunset
30	15	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)

October

3	20	Mars about a degree south of M35
7	7	Regulus occultation in Europe, North Africa, Middle East
7	16	Saturn occultation south of Polynesia
8		Draconids meteor shower peaks
15	15	Antares occultation in southern South America
21		Orionid meteor shower peaks
28	1	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
28	15	Venus at greatest elongation West (46 degrees). Visible in the morning

November

3	13	Regulus occultation in southern North America, Caribbean
5		S. Taurid meteor shower peaks
8	21	Mercury greatest elongation west. Visible before sunrise
9		Ceres at opposition
11	21	Antares occultation in southern South America, New Zealand, Polynesia
12		N. Taurid meteor shower peaks
17	11	Neptune occultation in New Zealand and southern Australia
18		Leonid meteor shower peaks
22		Alpha-Monocerotids meteor shower peaks
24	12	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
27	6	Mars less than 2 degrees south of Moon
30	20	Regulus occultation in SE Asia, NE Australia, New Zealand

December

6		Dec Phoenicids meteor shower peaks (southern hemisphere)
7		Puppid/Velid meteor shower peaks (southern hemisphere)
12	21	Vesta occultation in New Zealand and most of South America
14		Geminid meteor shower peaks
14	18	Neptune occultation in South Africa, southern tip of South America
16	1	Pallas occultation in NW Canada, Alaska, Hawaii
19		Mars closest to earth
21	23	Moon about a degree north of Pleiades (M45)
22	6	Winter Solstice in Northern Hemisphere, Summer Solstice in Southern Hemisphere
23		Ursid meteor shower peaks
24	3	Mars occultation in NW Canada, Alaska, northern Russia, eastern Europe, NE British Isles
24	20	Mars at opposition. Magnitude -1.6.
26	3	Mars 2 degrees north of M35.
28	5	Regulus occultation in most of South America and S Atlantic ocean