2024 Is going to be a packed year for exciting things to happen in our skies. The Total Solar Eclipse in April is the most anticipated, but there may be a comet that dazzles our skies in the coming year.
The first event in the new year will occur in February. That’s the Mars and Venus conjunction. A conjunction is when two distant bodies in our sky appear to get next to each other. A few years ago the Saturn and Jupiter conjunction was the headline, this February 22nd, look for Mars and Venus in the morning sky.
The Total Solar Eclipse is what many are excited for. Like the 2017 Total Solar Eclipse, this will go across the country from Texas to Maine.
The path of totality will not come through Hampton Roads, but I highly recommend making plans to see this one and driving/flying to the path of Totality. For us, Ohio or Pennsylvania is closest by car, but a trip to Arkansas or Texas may be better as skies tend to be a bit more clear in April in those zones.
Remember, your hotel doesn’t need to be in the path, just make sure you are in the path on April 8th to see the outer layers of the sun for a few minutes without any required eye protection. A final tip, order your camera solar filters and Solar glasses now, they’ll be sold out soon.
After the Eclipse, Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks could be a real treat in our April night skies. This comet was last visible in 1954. As it gets closer we will have more guidance on where and when to look.
The last two things on the list are the Northern Lights and the Geminids Meteor Shower. 2024 may be the year of Solar Maximum, or when the sun is the most active. During these periods, the northern lights tend to be more likely. This is something you’ll need to travel north for to have a much better chance to see. While the Northern Lights have been seen before in Hampton Roads, its an event that’s too rare to bet on. An Alaska or Iceland trip would be my recommendations to see the Northern Lights, but don’t go in the summer, because the nighttime can be too short in these latitudes.
The Geminids will conclude our year in December, like this year, they are usually the best Meteor shower of the year and will likely show off again next year.