Embedded Files
August 2025
August 2025
Aug. 12: The Perseid meteor shower peaks. The Moon will be almost full, which could make it much harder to see many of these meteors.
Aug. 31: Juice makes a gravity assist maneuver at Venus. The European Space Agency’s Jupiter Icy Moons Explorer (Juice) spacecraft will pass near Venus to set itself up for two more flybys in the future, both past Earth. These flybys will ultimately send the mission on its way to arrive at the Jupiter system in 2031.
September 2025
September 2025
Sept. 7: Total lunar eclipse. The lunar eclipse will be visible in its entirety from most of Asia, Russia, Australia, and eastern Africa. People in certain regions of the Middle East and central Africa will also be able to see it, but to a lesser extent.
Sept. 21: Partial solar eclipse. This eclipse will only be visible to those in New Zealand, Antarctica, and the south Pacific Ocean.
Sept. 21: Saturn at opposition. Saturn will be at its brightest and most visible of the entire year, so this will be the best time to see it.
Sept. 22: September equinox
Sept. 23: Neptune at opposition. Neptune will be at its brightest and most visible of the entire year. It will still be relatively dim and difficult to see, but with the right equipment (like a capable telescope), this will be the best time to try to see it.
Sometime this month: End of Juno’s extended mission. NASA’s Juno spacecraft completed its primary mission — orbiting Jupiter 37 times — back in 2018. Since then, Juno has been operating on an extended mission that is set to wrap up in 2025. If the mission is concluded, the spacecraft may be deliberately crashed into Jupiter.
Half-Jupiter from Juno Juno captured this view of Jupiter during its fifth perijove flyby on March 27, 2017.Image: NASA / JPL-Caltech / SwRI / MSSS / Gabriel Fiset
October 2025
October 2025
Oct. 4-10: World Space Week. The world’s largest annual space event, World Space Week is the United Nations’ official celebration of space and the use of technology to help humanity. This year’s theme is “Living in Space.”
Oct. 21: The Orionid meteor shower peaks. This shower will peak during a new Moon, making for excellent viewing.
November 2025
November 2025
Nov. 9: Sagan Day. Our co-founder Carl Sagan’s birthday. A day to celebrate an amazing science communicator’s achievements, pay tribute to his legacy, and offer appreciation for the countless lives he touched.
Nov. 17: The Leonid meteor shower peaks. The Moon will be a slightly illuminated crescent and should not interfere much with the display.
Nov. 21: Uranus at opposition. Uranus will be at its brightest and most visible of the entire year. It will still be relatively dim and so only visible to most naked-eye stargazers under a very dark sky, but easier to spot with binoculars or a telescope.
Sometime this month: Saturn’s rings “disappear.” The rings aren’t actually going anywhere, but will be oriented edge-on toward Earth, making them difficult to see.
December 2025
December 2025
Dec. 14: The Geminid meteor shower peaks. The Moon will be about one-third illuminated, which could partially reduce the visibility of this shower, but there will still be plenty to see.
Dec. 21: December solstice
Dec. 22: The Ursid meteor shower peaks. The Moon will be a barely illuminated crescent and should not affect meteor viewing.
https://www.planetary.org/articles/calendar-of-space-events-2025
Report abuse