The year 2015 is packed full of amazing astronomical sights in the daytime and nighttime sky, from solar and lunar eclipses to dazzlingly bright planets. At Space.com, we've looked at the night sky events in 2015 to make our annual list of the best astronomy sights of the year.
If you are a casual stargazer or die-hard amateur astronomer, there is likely something here that will make you look up:
March 20: Total Eclipse of the Sun
Northerners will get quite the view as the dark shadow of the moon traces a curved path primarily over the North Atlantic and Arctic oceans. LIVE ECLIPSE WEBCASTS
Solar Eclipses: An Observer's Guide (Infographic)
Safely See the Sun – Build a Shoebox Pinhole Camera | Video
How to Safely Observe the Sun (Infographic)
Solar Eclipses: What is a Total Solar Eclipse & When is the Next One?
April 4: Total Eclipse of the Moon
This will be the shortest eclipse since Oct. 13, 1856. The entire disk of the moon will be in the Earth’s shadow for only 9 minutes, and will be best seen from the Pacific coast, Alaska and Hawaii.
Lunar Eclipse Beauty: How to Photograph the Moon (Gallery)
How Lunar Eclipses Work (Infographic)
June 30: A Brilliant Double Planet
Venus and Jupiter will be close together in the west-southwest sky shortly after sunset for a spectacular view.
August 12: Perseid Meteor Shower
This year the moon shouldn't interfere with the best meteor shower of the year, which can viewers can see up to 90 meteors an hour.
The Perseid Meteor Shower of 2014: Photo Gallery
Top 10 Perseid Meteor Shower Facts
Sept. 4: Last Quarter Moon
Look up to see the last quarter moon pass in front of Aldebaran, one of the brightest stars in the sky and the eye of the constellation Taurus the Bull.
How to Observe the Moon (Infographic)
Sept. 27-28: Lunar Eclipse
Central and eastern North America gets a treat with a total lunar eclipse visible from start to finish. The farther west you are the more likely the eclipse will begin before moonrise. Western and central Europe will see it before the moon sets in the morning on Sept. 28.
'Blood Moons' Explained: What Causes a Lunar Eclipse Tetrad? (Infographic)
The Moon: 10 Surprising Lunar Facts
Oct. 26: Another brilliant double planet
Venus and Jupiter engage in their second close conjunction of 2015.
Amazing Photos of Jupiter and Venus Together by Stargazers
Nov. 5- 12: Taurid meteor shower peak
This annual display should involve "fireball meteors" this year. Watch for them from mid-October to mid-November, peaking from Nov. 5 through 12.
Dec. 13-14: Geminid Meteor Shower
The king of meteor showers will light up the sky Dec. 13 and 14, as the narrow crescent moon sets early, providing ideal viewing conditions. At peak, watchers can see up to 2 meteors per minute.
Awesome Geminid Meteor Showers of 2014
Editor's note: If you take an amazing skywatching photo that you'd like to share for a possible story or image gallery, please contact managing editor Tariq Malik at spacephotos@space.com.
Follow us @Spacedotcom, Facebook and Google+.
Join our Space Forums to keep talking space on the latest missions, night sky and more! And if you have a news tip, correction or comment, let us know at: community@space.com.
