A celestial event is a predicted phenomenon that happens in the sky involving objects in space, such as stars, planets, comets, asteroids, and moons. Some examples of these types of events include eclipses, meteor showers, and conjunctions.
Many of these events can be observed with the naked eye and binoculars or photographed with a telescope. Some of the most noteworthy celestial events we have covered include photographing a comet and a total lunar eclipse.
For many amateur astronomy enthusiasts, the ultimate celestial event actually takes place in the daytime, which is a total solar eclipse.
October gets off to a busy start, with several of the month’s best astronomy events packed into the first ten days. Saturn reaches opposition on October 4, the Moon passes Mars and Jupiter over the following two mornings, and the Draconid meteor shower arrives just before the October 10 New Moon. That New Moon also…
September is a month when you start to notice the change in observing season. The nights are getting longer, darkness arrives a little earlier, and we still have plenty of summer targets hanging around while the fall sky starts moving into a better position. There’s a good mix of things happening this month too. We…
Last updated: August 21, 2026. If you find this helpful and buy through my links, I may receive a small commission. A total lunar eclipse is a celestial event that anyone can appreciate. Amateur photographers and astrophotographers alike are preparing to photograph a lunar eclipse using a wide range of camera equipment. The best part?…
Originally published March 1, 2024. Last updated August 9, 2026. Photographing a solar eclipse can be a life-changing experience. You may only get a few chances in your lifetime to view or photograph this celestial event, so you want to make sure you are well-prepared and practiced ahead of time. If your first run with…
August is always one of my favorite months for astronomy. The Milky Way is still on display, the warm nights make it easy to stay outside for hours, and some of the best deep-sky objects of the year are riding high in the sky. In 2026, the month is especially exciting. We have a six-planet…
There’s a lot to look forward to in the night sky, and this astronomy calendar 2026 highlights the best astronomical events you won’t want to miss. From dramatic eclipses to rare planetary alignments, vibrant meteor showers, and potential comet appearances, 2026 is packed with opportunities for visual observers and astrophotographers alike. This guide walks you…
Last updated: August 8, 2026. The next total solar eclipse takes place on August 12, 2026. The path of totality crosses northern Russia, Greenland, Iceland, northern Spain, and a small corner of Portugal. Many other locations across Europe, northern Africa, Canada, and parts of the northern United States will see a partial solar eclipse. If…
November is a great month to see the Orion Nebula from your backyard, and you do not need a telescope to see it. To see the nebula, look just below Orion’s Belt, the 3 bright stars in a line rising on the eastern horizon around midnight. The Orion Nebula is located in ‘Orion’s Sword’, a…
You have likely heard about the “green comet” that’s all over the news. It is known as Comet C/2022 E3 ZTF, and it is currently visible in the night sky. This particular comet only comes around approximately every 50,000 years, so I set up my camera and telescope to photograph it while it is still…
The night of August 11th-12th 2016 is expected to produce an outburst of Perseid’s not seen in 10 years. The Perseid Meteor Shower is considered to be the best showing of meteors in the night sky for the entire year. The warm August nights make the event extra enjoyable, as you can comfortably sit…
The Delta Aquarid meteor shower is heading towards it’s peak at the end of this month. But let me make one thing clear right away, this is not going to be a dazzling show of constant meteors that light up the night sky. This meteor shower is not known to be a great performer, although these…
2015 Perseid Meteor Shower Above photo taken August 13th, 2015 – 12:22am I was not able to travel to a pretty location to shoot the Perseids last night, so I just set up shop in the backyard! I planted my Canon 7D firmly on my tripod and aimed above my house towards the constellation Perseus,…