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The December solstice will take place at 15:59 UTC. The December Solstice is the shortest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere (winter solstice) and the longest in the Southern Hemisphere (summer solstice).
The total solar eclipse will only be visible in Antarctica. But a partial solar eclipse will be visible in parts of southern Africa, including South Africa and Namibia.
In December 2021, we'll have a Micromoon. This event occurs when the moon is closest to its apogee. This is also known as the Cold Moon.
The Micro Full Moon occurs when the Moon is closest to its apogee. This November Full Moon is also known as a Beaver Moon, after beavers that build their dams around this time of year.
The last meteor shower of the year will peak between December 22-23, 2021.
The Geminids will be visible from December 4 to 20, but will peak on the night of December 13 and the early morning hours of December 14.
Sources: (Time and Date AS) (National Geographic) (Smithsonian Magazine)
See also: The world's most spectacular astronomical observatories
These are visible between November 6 and 30, but peak of shooting stars per hour goes from the night of November 17 and to the early morning of November 18.
The October Full Moon is traditionally called the Hunter's Moon. With the name dating back to as early as 1710, this October moon traditionally signaled a time to start preparing for the coming winter by hunting animals and preserving meat, and on October 20 the bright Hunter's Moon shone in all its glory.
The best time to see this shooting stars spectacle is just after nightfall. They are named after the constellation Draco, the dragon, which is visible in the far northern sky.
The Fall or Autumnal equinox marks the first day of fall in the Northern Hemisphere and the beginning of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.
This is known as the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, and the winter solstice in the Southern Hemisphere. It's the longest and the shortest day of the year, depending on the hemisphere.
June saw the Strawberry Full Moon, which is colloquially named after the berries that grow in the Northern Hemisphere around this time.
The “Ring of Fire” solar eclipse, as it's known in northern Canada, parts of Greenland, and northeastern parts of Russia, started at 9:49 UTC. This event was only visible in northern regions.
July's full moon is also known as the Buck Moon because male deer lose their antlers around this time of the year. It is also known as the Thunder Moon, Hay Moon, and Wort Moon.
August's Full Moon is also known as the Grain Moon, Green Corn Moon, Fruit Moon, and Barley Moon.
These are the most prolific meteor showers of the year. They usually occur between July 17 and August 24. The Perseid Meteors are named after the constellation Perseus, from which they radiate.
The second meteor shower of the month peaked on October 21-22, but it usually remains active between October 2 and November 7. The best times to see it are just after midnight and before sunrise.
On the same day a total lunar eclipse also occurred! The Super Flower Moon eclipse was visible from Australia, parts of the western United States, western South America, and South-East Asia.
May 2021 saw the Flower Moon, named after the flowers that bloom around this time in the Northern Hemisphere. This is also a Super Moon, so it looked bigger and brighter than usual!
The Waxing and Waning Crescent Moon phases in April and May were the best time to see earthshine. The dull glow is also known as Da Vinci glow.
April was the month of the Pink Full Moon. In 2021, it was also a Super Moon, so it looked bigger than your average Full Moon.
The first meteor shower of the year peaked on April 22-23, depending on where you were on Earth. The Lyrids are named after the constellation of Lyra, as they appear to radiate from that point in the sky.
This was the first day of spring in the Northern Hemisphere, and the first day of fall in the Southern Hemisphere.
March's Full Moon is also known as the Worm Moon in the Northern Hemisphere. The name derives from the fact that earthworms tend to appear around this time in some locations.
In certain Northern Hemisphere cultures, this Full Moon is also known as the Snow Moon.
The shooting stars from the Eta Aquarids peaked on May 5-6.
This close encounter is not very easy to spot because it occurs close to sunset. Still, those with a clear view of the western horizon might have been able to catch it.
A crescent moon was accompanied by Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. If you used a telescope, you might've been able to spot some of Jupiter’s moons and Saturn’s rings.
The two planets appeared together in the night sky. Venus was particularly bright.
Venus and Jupiter came close and were visible to the naked eye. People in the Southern Hemisphere had better visibility.
September's Full Moon is known in some Native American cultures as the Full Corn Moon. This year, it's also the closest Full Moon to the September equinox, making it a Harvest Moon as well. It's pictured here setting behind the Statue of Liberty in New York, on the morning of September 20.
Astronomers and dark sky enthusiasts alike have been lucky this year. There were spectacular meteor showers, lunar and solar eclipses, planet conjunctions, and lots of special full moons. Indeed, 2021 was the year to stargaze and enjoy a number of fascinating celestial events.
The last full moon of the year is often called the “Cold Christmas Moon” and is seen just a few days before the winter solstice. It will be officially full on Saturday, December 18, but will be best viewed around dusk on Sunday, December 19.
Intrigued? Browse throughout the following gallery for a view of what happened in the skies in 2021, as well as heads up about the last few astronomical events of the year.
The most anticipated astronomical events of 2021
Witness the final full moon of 2021 on December 18 and 19
LIFESTYLE Celestial
Astronomers and dark sky enthusiasts alike have been lucky this year. There were spectacular meteor showers, lunar and solar eclipses, planet conjunctions, and lots of special full moons. Indeed, 2021 was the year to stargaze and enjoy a number of fascinating celestial events.
The last full moon of the year is often called the “Cold Christmas Moon” and is seen just a few days before the winter solstice. It will be officially full on Saturday, December 18, but will be best viewed around dusk on Sunday, December 19.
Intrigued? Browse throughout the following gallery for a view of what happened in the skies in 2021, as well as heads up about the last few astronomical events of the year.