The year 2024 promises to be an extraordinary year for astronomical observations in Ukraine and the world. The main attraction will be comets whose brightness exceeds 9th magnitude. Among them, comets Jijinshan-1 and Pons-Brooks, under favorable weather conditions, will be visible through telescopes and binoculars with a lens diameter of at least 80 mm. It will also be interesting to observe new bright comets that may be discovered at the beginning of the year.
Several astronomical events will coincide on some days in 2024, according to universemagazine.com. For example, on April 21, Jupiter will be at a distance of only 0.5° from Uranus, while the Lyrid meteor shower will peak and the perihelion of Comet Pons-Brooks will occur.
However, for the second time in a row, 2024 will be without a Mars opposition, and there will be no maximum elongation of Venus, which will make it difficult to observe this planet. Oppositions of the giant planets will begin with Saturn on September 8 and end with Jupiter on December 7.
As for eclipses, both solar eclipses of 2024 will be visible only in the Western Hemisphere. As for lunar eclipses, only a partial eclipse with a small shadow phase will be observed in Ukraine on September 18. Also on June 16, in the northeastern part of Ukraine, the Moon will be seen covering Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo. On the night of August 21-22, Neptune will hide behind the lunar disk for half an hour.
Below are the dates of Mercury’s elongations, oppositions of the outer planets and Ceres, planetary conjunctions (note the very close conjunction of Mars and Neptune), and phenomena related to the Moon and Sun. Among other events, the maximums of the most powerful meteor showers and occultations visible from the territory of Ukraine were mentioned.
- January 3 – Earth in perihelion
- January 4 – Maximum of the Quadrantides
- January 12 – Mercury in the greatest western elongation
- January 27 – Mercury is 0.3° north of Mars
- January 30 – Comet Jijinshan-1 (62P/Tsuchinshan) at 0.499 AU from Earth
- February 14 – Comet C/2021 S3 (PanSTARRS) at perihelion
- February 22 – Venus is 0.6° north of Mars
- March 10 – Moon closest to Earth in 2024 (356,893 km)
- March 15 – Comet C/2021 S3 (PanSTARRS) at 1,298 AU from Earth
- March 20 – Vernal Equinox
- March 21 – Venus is 0.3° north of Saturn
- March 24 – Mercury in the greatest eastern elongation
- March 25 – Penumbral lunar eclipse
- April 8 – Total solar eclipse (visible in the Pacific Ocean, North America and the North Atlantic)
- April 10 – Mars is 0.4° north of Saturn
- April 11 – Comet Pons-Brooks (12P/Pons-Brooks) at 3° west of Jupiter
- April 21 – Maximum of the Lyrids; Comet Pons-Brooks at perihelion; Jupiter 0.5° south of Uranus
- April 29 – Mars is 2′ south of Neptune
- May 5 – Maximum η-Aquarid
- May 9 – Mercury in the greatest western elongation
- June 16 – The Moon closes Spica (α Virgo)
- June 20 – Summer Solstice
- June 29 – Comet Olbers (13P/Olbers) at perihelion
- July 5 – Earth in the Aphelion
- July 6 – Dwarf planet Ceres in confrontation with the..
- July 20 – Comet Olbers 1,895 AU from Earth
- July 22 – Mercury in the greatest eastern elongation
- August 12 – Maximum Perseids
- August 21 – The Moon is covered by Neptune
- September 5 – Mercury in the greatest western elongation
- September 8 – Saturn in opposition to the Moon
- September 18 – Partial lunar eclipse (visible in Ukraine)
- September 21 – Neptune in opposition to the Moon
- September 22 – Autumnal Equinox
- September 28 – Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) at perihelion
- October 2 – An annular solar eclipse (visible in the Pacific Ocean and South America)
- October 9 – Maximum Dragonids
- October 12 – Comet C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS) at 0.472 AU from Earth
- October 17 – Supermoon of 2024
- October 21 – Orionid Maximum
- November 11 – Maximum of the Northern Taurids
- November 16 – Mercury in the greatest eastern elongation
- November 17 – Maximum Leonid; Uranus in confrontation
- December 7 – Jupiter in opposition to the Moon
- December 13 – Geminid Maximum
- December 21 – Winter Solstice
- December 25 – Mercury in the greatest western elongation
