April 2025
03 Apr Jupiter 5.5 degrees South of a waxing crescent Moon (00:23)
05 Apr Moon in its first quarter
Mars 2.0 degrees South of the Moon (19:04)
10 Apr Mercury 2.1 degrees North of Saturn (12:00)
PADAS meeting 7.30pm at Penwortham Golf Club, Blundell Lane, Penwortham
PR1 0AX. New members always welcome.
13 Apr Full Moon, known as the Milk or Bright Moon
Moon at apogee, furthest from the Sun (22:48)
16 Apr Mars at aphelion, the point in its orbit when it is furthest from the Sun (22:00)
Start of the Lyrids meteor shower.
19 Apr Start of the Eta Aquariids meteor shower, these peak next month on 5th May
21 Apr Moon in its last quarter
22 Apr Lyrids meteor shower maximum. These appear to radiate near the bright star Vega in
the constellation Lyra.
25 Apr Venus 2.4 degrees North of waning crescent Moon (01:21)
Saturn 2.3 degrees South of the Moon (04:15)
26 Apr Mercury 4.4 degrees South of the Moon (01:15)
27 Apr Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth.
New Moon
28 Apr Venus 3.7 degrees North of Saturn (19:00)
30 Apr Jupiter 5.4 degrees South of a thin crescent Moon(17:33)
March 2025
01 Mar Mercury 0.4 degrees North of the Moon (04:03)
Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth (21:18)
04 Mar Mars at perihelion, closest position to the Sun (14:00)
06 Mar Jupiter 5.5 degrees South of the Moon (11:31)
Moon in its first quarter (16:32)
08 Mar Mercury at greatest elongation, 18.2 degrees East of the Sun
13 Mar PADAS meeting 7.30pm at a NEW VENUE, Penwortham Golf Club, Blundell Lane,
Penwortham PR1 0AX. New members always welcome.
14 Mar Full Moon (06:55) known as the Worm Moon
Total Lunar Eclipse (06:20)
17 Mar Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth (16:37)
20 Mar Vernal Equinox marks the Sun’s crossing above the Earth’s equator (09:02)
22 Mar Moon in its last quarter (11:29)
29 Mar Partial Solar Eclipse (11:04)
New Moon (10:58) This is a Super New Moon.
30 Mar Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth. British Summer Time BST, clocks go forward
one hour over night.
February 2025
01 Feb Saturn 1.0 degrees South of the Moon (04:46)
Venus 2.3 degrees North of the Moon (20:27)
02 Feb Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth (02:43)
05 Feb Moon in its first quarter
07 Feb Jupiter 5.5 degrees south of the moon (03:35)
09 Feb Mars 0.8 degrees South of the Moon (19:36)
12 Feb Full Moon, known as the Snow or Storm Moon
13 Feb PADAS Meeting, Deepdale Labour Club 7.30pm New members always welcome.
Our speaker this evening will be Professor Ian Robson with ‘The Story of Pluto.’
18 Feb Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth (01:11)
19 Feb Venus at perihelion, the point in its orbit when it is closest to the Sun
20 Feb Moon in its last quarter
28 New Moon
January 2025
03 Jan Venus 1.4 degrees North of the Moon
04 Jan Earth at perihelion, the point in its orbit at which it is closest to the Sun.
Saturn 0.7 degrees South of the Moon. An occultation will be visible form the UK, about 28
degrees above the horizon in the South-southwest.
06 Jan Moon in its first quarter.
07 Jan Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
09 Jan PADAS Meeting Deepdale Labour Club, 7.30pm new members always welcome
10 Jan Venus at greatest elongation
Jupiter 5.5 degrees South of the Moon
13 Jan Full Moon, known as the Wolf Moon
14 Jan Mars 0.2 degrees South of the Moon
16 Jan Mars at opposition, the best time to observe it as it is at its brightest.
18 Jan Venus 2.2 degrees North of Saturn
19 Jan Mercury at aphelion, the point in its orbit when it is farthest from the Sun
21 Jan Moon at apogee, farthest from the Earth
Moon in its last quarter
Planetary alignment visible from around this time for the next four weeks.
23 Jan Mars 2.3 degrees South of Pollux
29 Jan New Moon
December 2024
01 Dec New Moon
02 Dec Mercury 5 degrees North of the Moon
04- 20 Dec Geminid Meteor Shower
04 Dec Venus 2.3 degrees North of the Moon, look to the South-west in the early evening.
07 Dec Jupiter at opposition
08 Dec Moon in its first quarter
Saturn 0.3 degrees South of the Moon
09 Dec Neptune 0.8 degrees South of the Moon
12 Dec Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
13 Dec Uranus 4.4 degrees South of the Moon
14 Dec Geminid Meteor Shower maximum
Jupiter 5.5 degrees South of the Moon
15 Dec Full Moon known as the Oak or Cold Moon
17-26 Dec Ursid Meteor Shower
18 Dec Mars 0.9 degrees South of the Moon
21 Dec Northern Winter Solstice, start of the astronomical winter
22 Dec Moon in its last quarter
23 Dec Ursid Meteor Shower maximum
24 Dec Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
25 Dec Mercury at greatest elongation
29 Dec Mercury 6.4 degrees North of the Moon
30 Dec New Moon
November 2024
01 Nov New Moon
03 Nov Mercury 2.1 degrees North of the Moon
05 Nov Venus 0.1 degrees North of the Moon
06-30 Nov Leonid meteor shower
09 Nov Moon in its first quarter
11 Nov Saturn 0.1 degrees South of the Moon
12-13 Nov Northern Taurid meteor shower maximum
12 Nov Neptune 0.6 degrees South of the Moon
14 Nov Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
PADAS meeting Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome. Our guest speaker
will be Dr Sue Bowler from the Royal Astronomical Society.
15 Nov Full Moon, known as the Darkest Depths or Mourning Moon. This will be the last super-moon
this year.
16 Nov Uranus 4.4 degrees South of the Moon
Mercury at greatest elongation
17 Nov Jupiter 5.5 degrees South of the Moon
18 Nov Leonid meteor shower maximum.
20 Nov Mars 2.4 degrees South of the Moon
23 Nov Moon in its last quarter
26 Nov Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth.
October 2024
02 Oct Annular solar eclipse visible in the Pacific.
New Moon. The moon is at apogee, furthest from the Earth
02 Oct-07 Nov Orionids meteor shower
03 Oct Mercury 1.8 degrees North of the Moon
05 Oct Venus 3.0 degrees North of the Moon
Preston Astro Show at Deepdale Labour Club £5 for more information email grahamantye@hotmail.co.uk
06-10 Oct Draconid meteor shower, with the maximum on the 8th/9th
10-11 Oct Southern Taurid meteor shower maximum
10 Oct Moon and its first quarter
PADAS Meeting Deepdale Labour Club 7.30pm. New members always welcome.
12 Oct Comet Tsuchinshan-ATLAS at its brighest
14 Oct Saturn 0.1 degrees South of the Moon
15 Oct Neptune 0.6 degrees South of the Moon
17 Oct Full Moon known as the Hunter or Blood Moon. As it is at perigee, this will be a supermoon.
This is the closest the Moon will be to the Earth this year.
19 Oct Uranus 4.5 degrees South of the Moon
21-22 Oct Orionid Meteor shower maximum
21 Oct Jupiter 5.8 degrees South of the Moon
23 Oct Mars 3.9 degrees South of the Moon
24 Oct Moon in its last quarter
27 Oct British summertime ends, and the UK revert to Greenwich Mean Time
29 Oct Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
September 2024
01 Sept alpha-Aurigid meteor shower maximum
Mercury 5.0 degrees South of the Moon
03 Sept New Moon
05 Sept Mercury at greatest elongation
Venus 1.2 degrees North of the Moon
Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
08 Sept Saturn at opposition
10 Sept-20 Nov Southern Taurid meteor shower
11 Sept Moon in its first quarter
12 Sept PADAS Meeting Deepdale Labour Club, 7.30pm. New members always welcome. The
speaker will be Alexia Lopez from UCLAN on her recent discovery with a talk
entitled ‘A Big Ring on the Sky’
17 Sept Saturn 0.3 degrees South of the Moon
18 Sept Full Moon, known as the Harvest Moon
Partial lunar eclipse
Neptune 0.7 degrees South of the Moon
Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth. This is the first of three super moons this year, where
the Moon appears closer and brighter.
21 Sept Neptune at opposition
22 Sept Uranus 4.5 degrees South of the Moon
22 Sept autumn equinox, start of the astronomical autumn.
23 Sept Jupiter 5.7 degrees South of the Moon
24 Sept Moon in its last quarter
25 Sept Mars 4.9 South of the Moon
August 2024
04 Aug New Moon
05 Aug Venus 1.7 degrees South of the Moon
06 Aug Mercury 7.5 South of the Moon
Venus 5.9 degrees North of Mercury, these planets appear close together for an extended
period around this time
09 Aug Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
PADAS meeting Deepdale Labour Club, 7.30pm. New members always welcome.
12-13 Aug Perseid meteor shower maximum
12 Aug Moon in its first quarter
19 Aug Full Moon known as the Grain or Lynx Moon
21 Aug Saturn 0.5 degrees North of the Moon
Moon, at perigee, closest to the Earth
Neptune 0.7 degrees North of the Moon
26 Aug Uranus 4.4 degrees South of the Moon
27 Aug Jupiter 5.7 degrees South of the Moon
28 Aug-05 Sep Alpha Aurigid meteor shower
28 Aug Mars 5.3 degrees South of the Moon
July 2024
01 Jul Mars 4.1 degrees South of the Moon
02 Jul Uranus 4.0 degrees South of the Moon
03 Jul-15 Aug alpha Capricorn and meteor shower
Jupiter 5.0 degrees South of the Moon
05 Jul Earth at aphelion, it’s furthest point from the Sun in its imperfect orbit.
New Moon
06 Jul Venus 3.9 degrees South of the Moon
07 Jul Mercury 3.2 degrees South of the Moon
11 Jul PADAS meeting Deepdale Labour Club 7.30pm, new members always welcome.
12 Jul-23 Aug Southern Delta Aquariid, meteor shower maximum
12 Aug Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
13 Aug Moon in its first quarter
17 Jul -24 Aug Perseid meteor shower
21 Jul Full Moon known as the Hay or Mead Moon
22 Jul Mercury at greatest elongation
24 Jul Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
Saturn 0.4 degrees South of the Moon
25 Jul Neptune 0.6 degrees South of the Moon
28 Jul Moon in its last quarter
29 Jul Uranus 4.2 degrees South of the Moon
30 Jul Southern Delta Aquariid, meteor shower maximum
Mars 5.0 degrees South of the Moon
Jupiter 5.4 degrees South of the Moon
June 2024
01 Jun Neptune passes very close to the Moon, but there is no occultation.
02 Jun Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
Mars 2.4 degrees South of the Moon
04 Jun Jupiter 0.1 degree North of Mercury, these planets appear together for an extended period
around this time.
05 Jun Uranus 3.7 degrees South of the Moon
Mercury 4.7 degrees South of the Moon
06 Jun New Moon
13 Jun PADAS Meeting 7.30pm Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome. Our speaker
will be Dr Keith Robertson, PADAS Vice President with a talk entitled “The Road to Imaging
the Brightest Object in the Universe”
14 Jun Moon in its first quarter
Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
21 Jun Summer solstice
22 Jun Full Moon known as the Rose or Dyad Moon
27 Jun Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
Saturn 0.1 degree South of the Moon, an occultation will be visible from parts of Eastern
Australia
28 Jun Neptune 0.3 degrees South of the Moon
Moon in its last quarter
May 2024
01 May Moon in its last quarter
03 May Saturn 0.8 degrees North of the Moon
04 May Neptune 0.3 degrees North of the Moon
05 May Mars 0.2 degrees South of the Moon
Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
06 May Eta Aquariids meteor shower maximum
Mercury 3.8 degrees South of the Moon
07 May Venus 3.5 degrees South of the Moon
08 May New Moon
Uranus 3.6 degrees South of the Moon
Jupiter 4.3 degrees South of the Moon
09 May PADAS Meeting 7.30 pm Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome.
Mercury at greatest elongation
15 May Moon in its first quarter
17 May Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
23 May Full Moon known as the Milk or Bright Moon
30 May Moon in its last quarter
31 May Saturn 0.4 degrees North of the Moon
April 2024
02 April Moon in its last quarter
06 April Mars 2.0 degrees North of the Moon
Saturn 1.2 degrees North of the Moon
07 April Neptune 0.4 degrees North of the Moon
Venus 0.4 degrees South of the Moon
Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
08 April Total Solar Eclipse, Mexico and the United States of America
New Moon
09 April Mercury 2.2 degrees North of the Moon
10 April Jupiter 4.0 degrees South of the Moon
Uranus 3.6 degrees South of the Moon
11 April PADAS Meeting 7.30pm Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome.
14 April Lyrid meteor shower
15 April Moon in its first quarter
18 April Venus 2.0 degrees South of Mercury, these objects are close together for an extended period
around this time
19 April to 28 May Eta-Aquarids meteor shower
20 April Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
20/23 April Lyrid meteor shower maximum, around 20 per hour.
23 April Full Moon known as the Budding or Seed Moon.
March 2024
03 Mar Moon in its last quarter
08 Mar Mars 3.5 degrees North of the Moon
Neptune 0.5 degrees South Mercury, for a prolonged period around this time.
Venus 3.3 degrees North of the Moon
09 Mar Saturn 1.5 degrees North of the Moon
10 Mar Moon at perigee, the closest it will be to the Earth this year
Neptune 0.5 degrees North of the Moon
11 Mar Mercury 1.0 degrees North of the Moon
New Moon
14 Mar Jupiter 4.0 degrees South of the Moon
Uranus 3.4 degrees South of the Moon
17 Mar Moon in its first quarter
23 Mar Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
24 Mar Mercury at greatest elongation, look to the western horizon around dusk.
25 Mar Full Moon, known as the Plough Moon
Penumbral lunar eclipse, visible from the USA
31 Mar British Summer Time begins, clocks go forward one hour.
February 2024
02 Feb Moon in its last quarter
07 Feb Venus 4.5 degrees North of the Moon
08 Feb Mars 4.2 degrees North of the Moon
Mercury 3.2 degrees North of the Moon
PADAS meeting 7.30pm Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome.
09 Feb New Moon
10 Feb Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
11 Feb Saturn 1.8 degrees North of the Moon
12 Feb Neptune 0.7 degrees North of the Moon.
15 Feb Jupiter 3.2 degrees South of the Moon
16 Feb Uranus 3.2 degrees South of the Moon
Moon in its first quarter
24 Feb New Moon, known as the Snow or Storm Moon
25 Feb Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
28 Feb Saturn 0.2 degrees North of Mercury, these objects are close together for an extended period around this time.
January 2024
28 Dec-12 Jan Quadrantid meteor shower
03 Jan Earth at perihelion, closest to the Sun
03/04 Jan Quadrantid meteor shower maximum, around 100 per hour
04 Jan Moon in its last quarter
Venus 5.7 degrees North of the Moon
09 Jan Mercury 6.6 degrees North of the Moon
10 Jan Mars 4.2 degrees North of the Moon
11 Jan PADAS Meeting Deepdale labour club, new members always welcome
New Moon
12 Jan Mercury at greatest elongation
13 Jan Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
14 Jan Saturn 2.1 degrees North of the Moon
15 Jan Neptune 1.0 degrees North of the Moon
18 Jan Public night sky observing at the Jeremiah Horrocks observatory,
Moor Park 7.30-9.30pm. Weather dependent.
Moon in its first quarter
Jupiter 1.8 degrees South of the Moon
19 Jan Uranus 3.0 degrees South of the Moon.
25 Jan Full Moon, known as the Wolf Moon, named after the howling of hungry wolves in mid-winter.
27 Jan Mars 0.2 degrees South of Mercury, these will be close for an extended period around this
time.
29 Jan Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
December 2023
04-20 Dec Geminid meteor shower
04 Dec Mercury at greatest elongation, look low in western horizon soon after sunset.
Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
05 Dec Moon in its last quarter
09 Dec Venus 3.6 degrees North of the Moon, look East in the early morning before sunrise
12 Dec Mars 3.6 degrees North of the Moon
New Moon
14-15 Dec Geminid meteor shower maximum
14 Dec 4.4 degrees North of the Moon
16 Dec Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
17-26 Dec Ursid meteor shower
17 Dec Saturn, 2.5 degrees North of the Moon, look South from dusk
19 Dec Neptune 1.3 degrees North of the Moon
Moon in its first quarter
22-23 Dec Ursid meteor shower maximum
22 Dec Winter Solstice
Jupiter 2.6 degrees South of the Moon
Mercury at inferior conjunction,
23 Dec Uranus 2.8 degrees South of the Moon
27 Dec Full Moon, known as the Oak or Full Cold Moon
28 Dec Mercury 3.6 degrees North of Mars
November 2023
03 Nov Jupiter at opposition
05 Nov Moon in its last quarter
05-30 Nov Leonid meteor shower
06 Nov Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
09 Nov Venus 1.0 degrees South of the Moon
PADAS Meeting Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome.
12-13 Nov Northern Taurids Meteor shower maximum
13 Nov New Moon
Mars 2.5 degrees North of the Moon
Uranus at opposition
14 Nov Mercury 1.7 degrees North of the Moon
16 Nov Public night sky observing at the Jeremiah Horrocks, Observatory, Moor Park, 730 to 9:30 pm
17-18 Nov Leonids meteor shower maximum
18 Nov Mars at superior conjunction
20 Nov Moon and its first quarter
Saturn 2.7 degrees North of the Moon
21 Nov Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
22 Nov Neptune 1.5 degrees North of the Moon
25 Nov Jupiter 2.8 degrees South of the Moon
26 Nov Uranus 2.6 degrees South of the Moon
27 Nov Full moon, known as the Darkest Depths Moon or Mouring Moon.
OCTOBER 2023
02 Oct – 07 Nov Orionids meteor shower
Jupiter 3.4 degrees South of the Moon
Uranus 2.9 degrees South of the Moon
06-10 Oct Draconid meteor shower
06 Oct Moon in its last quarter
08-09 Oct Draconid meteor shower maximum
10-11 Oct Southern Taurid meteor shower maximum
10 Oct Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
Venus 6.5 degrees South of the Moon
12 Oct PADAS meeting Deepdale Labour Club, 7.30pm new members always welcome
14 Oct Mercury 0.7 degrees North of the Moon
New Moon
Annual solar eclipse, not visible from the UK
15 Oct Mars 1.0 degrees North of the Moon
19 Oct Public Night Sky Observing at the Jeremiah Horrocks Observatory, Moor Park 7.30-9.30pm
20 Oct- 10 Dec Northern Taurids meteor shower
20 Oct Mercury at superior conjunction
21-22 Oct Orionids meteor shower maximum
22 Oct Moon in its first quarter
23 Oct Venus at greatest elongation
24 Oct Saturn 2.8 degrees North of the Moon
26 Oct Neptune 1.5 degrees North of the Moon
Moon at perigee, closest to the Earth
28 Oct partial lunar eclipse
Full Moon, known as the Hunter’s or Blood Moon
29 Oct Jupiter 3.1 degrees South of the Moon
Mars 0.4 degrees North of Mercury, for an extended period around this time.
30 Oct Uranus 2.9 degrees South of the Moon
SEPTEMBER 2023
01 Sep alpha-Aurigid meteor shower maximum
Neptune 1.4 degrees North of the Moon
04 Sep Jupiter 3.3 degrees South of the Moon
05 Sep Uranus 2.8 degrees South of the Moon
06 Sep Mercury at inferior conjunction
Moon in its last quarter
10 Sep – 20 Nov Southern Taurid meteor shower
11 Sep Venus 11.4 degrees South of theMoon
11 Sep Moon at apogee, furthest from the Earth
14 Sep PADAS meeting 7.30pm, Deepdale Labour Club, new members always welcome.
13 Sep Mercury 6.0 degrees South of the Moon
15 Sep New Moon
16 Sep Mars 0.7° South of the Moon
19 Sep Neptune at opposition
22 Sep Mercury at greatest elongation
Moon in its first quarter
23 Sep autumnal equinox, start of the astronomical autumn.
27 Sep Saturn, 2.7 degrees North of the Moon
28 Sep Moon, at perigee, closest to the Earth
Neptune 1.4 degrees North of the Moon
29 Sep Full Moon, known as the Harvest Moon. This is the final super-moon of the year