13 Stargazing Events You Won’t Want to Miss in 2023

1. Quadrantids Meteor Shower

January 3-4, 2023

This shower runs annually from January 1-5, but peaks on the night of the 3rd with up to 40 meteors per hour. The best viewing will be after midnight. Unfortunately, the waning gibbous moon will block our faint meteors. This shower is believed to be dust grains left by the extinct comet 2003 EH1. The nearly full moon will make it harder to catch this year.

2. Lyrids Meteor Shower

April 22-23, 2023

The Lyrids are produced by dust particles left by comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher, and there are roughly 20 meteors per hour during its peak. It runs from April 16-25 with the peak on the night of the 22nd and the morning of the 23rd. The thin crescent moon will set early making for an excellent show this year.

3. Penunbral Lunar Eclipse

May 5, 2023

A penumbral lunar eclipse is when the moon passes through the Earth’s partial show. During this eclipse, the moon will darken slightly but not completely. It will be visible in Asia, Australia, parts of eastern Europe, and eastern Africa.

4. Eta Aquarids Meteor Shower

May 6-7, 2023

The most active portion of this shower will be seen in the Southern Hemisphere with up to 60 meteors per hour. In the Northern Hemisphere, there will be up to 60 meteors per hour. It runs annually from April 19 to May 28 but peaks the night of May 7. This shower is made of dust particles left by the Halley comet. The nearly full moon will block out all but the brightest meteors this year.

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5. Delta Aquarids Meteor Shower

July 28-29, 2023

Debris from the Marsden and Kracht comets create this annual shower that runs from July 12 to August 23. During its peak on the night of July 28th and the morning of the 29th, you can see up to 20 meteors per hour. The nearly full moon will make it fainter this year.

6. Perseids Meteor Shower

August 12-13, 2023

This is one of the best meteor showers and stargazing events to check out this year. It produces up to 60 bright meteors per hour from the Swift-Tuttle comet. It runs from July 17 to August 24 with its peak on the night of August 12 and the morning of the 13th. Skies will be dark enough for a good show.

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7. Draconids Meteor Shower

October 7, 2023

This is a smaller meteor shower but still has about 10 meteors per hour left by comet 21P Giacobini-Zinner. It’s best viewed in the early evening instead of the early morning and runs from Oct 6-10 with the peak on the 7th. The second quarter moon sets early so there should be a good show this year.

8. Annular SOlar Eclipse

October 14, 2023

The moon is too far to completely cover the Sun but it will still result in a ring of light around the darkened moon. This year, you can see it from the southwestern United States, Central America, Columbia, and Brazil. A partial eclipse will be visible from most of North and South America.

9. Orionids Meteor Shower

October 21-22, 2023

Running from October 2 to November 7, the dust grains left by comet Halley can produce up to 20 meteors per hour at its peak on the night of October 21. The first quarter moon will be bright but set after midnight leaving the skies clear for a good show.

10. Taurids Meteor Shower

November 4-5, 2023

This is a smaller shower made up of dust grains left by Asteroid 2004 TG10 and Comet 2P Encke. It runs from September 7 to December 10 but the peak happens the night of November 4th. The second quarter moon will block most of the dim meteors.

11. Leonids Meteor Shower

November 17-18, 2023

This annual shower runs from November 6-30 with 15 meteors per hour at its peak. The Tempel-Tuttle comet dust grains peak the night of November 17th, but the second quarter moon will block out most of the fainter meteors. The crescent moon will set before midnight leaving skies dark for the shower.

12. Geminids Meteor Shower

December 13-14, 2023

This is one of the best meteor showers with up to 120 multicolored meteors at its peak. The debris left from asteroid 3200 Phaethon runs from December 7-17 but peaks the night of December 13th. The nearly new moon means there will be a great show this year!

13. Ursid Meteor Shower

December 21-22, 2023

If you haven’t gotten enough meteor showers this year, catch the final shower the night of the 21st and the morning of the 22nd. The Ursids is a smaller shower producing about 5-10 meteors per hour left by the comet Tuttle. The waxing gibbous moon will block out most of the faint meteors this year.

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