Are you interested in what are the astronomical phenomena of 2019? Unfortunately, we will not see all of them from Slovenia, but we will be able to admire some of the celestial activities here as well. What is "written in the stars" for Slovenia in 2019 and what no one should miss, read below.
Which one astronomical phenomena await us in 2019 and should not be missed?
January 3 and 4, Quadrantids
Quadrantids are meteors that belong to the annual meteor shower. They appear in early January and reach their peak on the night of January 3-4. When the shower reaches its peak, we can see 120 to 200 meteors per hour.
January 21, Full Moon, Supermoon
This full moon was known to the original Indian tribes as the full wolf moon, as it was the time of year when hungry packs of wolves howled in front of their dwellings. This Moon is also known as the Old Moon or Yule Moon. It will also be the first of three Supermoons this year. It will be closest to Earth and may therefore appear slightly larger and brighter than usual.
January 21, Total Lunar Eclipse
The moon will darken on January 21, and then it will take on a rusty or red color. This phenomenon can be seen in most of North and South America, in the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean, in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean, in the extreme west of Europe and in the extreme east of Asia.
February 19, Full Moon, Supermoon
This moon was known to the original Native American tribes as the Full Snow Moon, as it snowed the heaviest at that time. This made it difficult to hunt, so some flames also called this Moon the Full Hungry Moon. This will be the second Supermoon of 2019.
March 21, Full Moon, Supermoon
The original Native American tribes called this Moon the Full Earthworm Moon because at this time of year the earth began to soften and earthworms appeared. This moon is also known as the Full Moon of Crows and as the Full Moon of Vitality. This is the last Supermoon of 2019.
April 22 and 23, Lyrids
Lyrids are meteors that belong to the annual meteor shower. They appear from April 15th to April 28th and reach their peak on April 22nd.
May 6 and 7, Eta Akvaridis
Eta Aquarids are meteors that belong to one of the annual meteor showers. They appear from April 19 to May 28, and reach their peak on May 6. The swarm is not particularly strong. An observer sees about 20 meteors per hour in the Northern Hemisphere and about 50 in the Southern Hemisphere.
May 18, Full Moon, Blue Moon
The original Native American tribes also called this Moon the Full Flower Moon, as this was the time when flowers bloomed virtually everywhere. But it is also a blue moon. This rare astronomical phenomenon only happens every few years (on average every 2.7 years), hence the English term “once in a blue moon (once in a blue moon)”.
July 2nd, Total Solar Eclipse
The total solar eclipse will be visible in the southern Pacific Ocean, central Chile and central Argentina. A partial eclipse will be visible in much of the South Pacific Ocean and in the western part of South America.
July 16, partial lunar eclipse
A partial lunar eclipse will be visible in much of Europe, Africa, Central Asia and the Indian Ocean.
July 28, South Delta Aquariums
The Southern Delta Aquarids are meteors from the annual meteor shower. They appear from July 12 to August 19, and reach their peak on July 28. At their peak, they reach around 10 to 15 flashes per hour.
August 12 and 13, Perseids
Don't miss one of the most beautiful astronomical phenomena in the night sky again this year. The Perseids, or meteor shower 2019, will reach its peak this year on the night of August 12 to 13, when the meteor shower will be most visible. At that time, we can expect up to 150 flashes per hour.
October 8, Draconids
Draconids or Giacobinids are meteors that belong to one of the annual meteor showers. They appear from October 6th to October 10th, and reach their peak on October 8th. The best time to observe is before dawn.
October 21, Orionids
Orionids are meteors that belong to the annual meteor shower. They appear from October 16th to October 27th and reach their peak on October 21st. The Orionids are among the strongest and most observed meteor showers. Since Halley's comet has a retrograde orbit, the dust particles from the comet have a relatively high speed relative to the Earth, hitting it at speeds of up to 66 km/s. An observer sees about 10 meteors per hour on a clear and dark night.
November 5 and 6, Taurids
Taurids are meteors that belong to two meteor showers called the North Taurids and the South Taurids. They appear from October 1st to November 25th, and reach their peak on November 5th. About 7 flashes per hour are usually observed, and fireballs are often seen.
November 11, a rare transit of Mercury across the face of the Sun
The highlight of the year for astronomers and lovers of nature and space: Mercury will cross the surface of the Sun. This is an astronomical phenomenon that only happens 13 times a century. The next such phenomenon will not be until November 13, 2023. It will be best seen from the eastern part of the United States, Central America and South America. It will also be seen in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.
November 17 and 18, Leonidas
The Leonids are a meteor shower associated with Comet Tempel-Tuttle. They are visible every year around November 17, when Earth travels through a cloud of particles left behind by a comet.
December 13 and 14, Geminids
Gemidni were considered the king of meteor showers. They claim to be the best meteor shower in the sky, as up to 120 multi-colored meteors can be seen per hour. They appear from December 7th to 17th and reach their peak on December 14th.
December 21 and 22, Ursidi
Ursids are meteors that belong to the annual meteor shower. They appear from December 17th to December 26th and reach their peak on December 22nd.
December 26, circular or annular solar eclipse
Circular or An annular solar eclipse occurs when the Moon is so far from Earth that it does not completely cover the Sun. At the peak of such an eclipse, the dark Moon's orb is surrounded by a narrow ring of light. It will be visible to Saudi Arabia, southern India, northern Sri Lanka, parts of the Indian Ocean and Indonesia. A partial eclipse will be visible in most of Asia and northern Australia.
