* Tue., Feb. 4, 12:04 a.m. EST / 5:04 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (First actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Winter season: ~Feb. 4).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

*Thur., March 20, 12:57 p.m. EDT / 16:57 UTC - Vernal Equinox - Season of Spring begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere: beginning of New Year (solar calendar) in Afghanistan and Iran. (~March 20)

* Wed., May 1 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day ( Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Spring season: April 30 Eve - May 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Mon., May 5, 9:54 p.m. EDT / May 6, 1:54 UTC- Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (Second actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Spring season: ~May 5).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sat., June 21, 6:51 a.m. EDT / 10:51 UTC - Summer Solstice - Season of Summer begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. (~June 21)
Also see 1985-1991: Summer "Solstice Day," Annual Free Day at Buhl Planetarium.

* Fri., Aug. 1 - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day, also known as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland). Considered approximate date of First Harvest (third traditional cross-quarter day of the year), approximately between the Midsummer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox (July 31 Eve - Aug. 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Thur., Aug. 7, 2:40 a.m. EDT / 6:40 UTC - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (halfway between the June Solstice and September Equinox: ~Aug. 7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Mon., Sept. 22, 10:29 p.m. EDT / Sept. 23, 2:29 UTC - Autumnal Equinox - Season of Autumn begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. (~Sept. 22)
Also see: Harvest Moon.

* Tue., Sept. 23 - Falls Prevention Awareness Day (First day of Fall: ~Sept. 22-23).

* Fri., Oct. 31 / Sat., Nov. 1 / Sun., Nov. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Samhain or "All-Hallowsmas", better known as Halloween (Oct. 31 - "All Hallows Eve"), All-Saints Day (Nov. 1), All-Souls Day (Nov. 2) (fourth and last traditional cross-quarter day of year).

* Thur., Nov. 6, 7:46 p.m. EST / Nov. 7, 0:46 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sun., Dec. 21 - Homeless Persons' Memorial Day. (First day of Winter; longest night of the year: ~Dec. 21)

* Sun., Dec. 21, 6:03 p.m. EST / 23:03 UTC - Winter Solstice - Season of Winter begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. (~Dec. 21)
Also see: "The Stars of Winter" and "The Star of Bethlehem" Planetarium Sky Dramas (web sites include entire planetarium show scripts), performed each Winter in the Theater of the Stars of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

Byzantine Year 7523 Begins Sept. 14.
Jewish Year (A.M.) 5775 Begins at Sunset, Sept. 24.
Chinese Year of the Horse 4712 Begins Jan. 31.
Roman A.U.C. (Dates from the founding of the City of Rome) Year 2767 Begins Jan. 14.
Nabonassar Year 2763 Begins April 23.
Japanese (Heisei) Period or Era 26 Begins January 1.
Grecian Year (Selucidae) 2326 Begins Sept. 14 (or Oct. 14).
Indian Year (Saka) 1936 Begins March 22.
Diocletian Era (Era of the Martyrs) Year 1731 Begins Sept. 11.
Islamic (Hegira) Year 1436 Begins at first viewing of lunar crescent (New Moon) on evening of Oct. 25.

* Tue., 2013 Dec. 31 - Eve of New Year's Day (Traditional). (Dec. 31)

* Tue., 2013 Dec. 31, 7:00:00 p.m. EST - 00:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time marking the beginning of the New Year (A.D. 2014) by the Coordinated Universal Time scale, the time scale used by many scientists (Dec. 31).

* 2014: 75th Year of Pittsburgh's Buhl Planetarium.

* Wed., 2014 Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight (00:00:00) Prevailing Time (5:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time which correlates with 12:00:00 Midnight EST) - New Year's Day: Calendar Year A.D. 2014 begins. (Jan. 1)

* Wed., Jan. 1 - Feast of the Circumcision of Christ - Eighth day of the 12 days of Christmas: Dec. 25 to Jan. 5. During the Gregorian Calendar reform, Pope Gregory XIII, chose the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ as the beginning of the New Year in the Roman Catholic Church's Liturgical Year; previously, the Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 (also the Vernal Equinox in the "original" Julian Calendar adopted by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, in the 7th century B.C.) had been considered the beginning of the New Year. (Jan. 1)

* Wed., Jan. 1 - Last day of Kwanzaa - Week-long holiday observance honoring African-American heritage. (Dec. 26 to Jan. 1)

* Wed., Jan. 1 (1863) - Anniversary - Emancipation Proclamation issued by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln during the American Civil War, which decreed that slaves in the rebellious states are free forever. (Jan. 1)

* Wed., Jan. 1 - First Day Hikes in America’s State Parks. (Jan. 1)

* Wed., Jan. 1, 6:14 a.m. EST - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1126.

* Wed., Jan. 1, 4:00 p.m. EST - Moon at perigee: 356,923 kilometers.
Large tides predicted due to New Moon phase 10 hours earlier.

* Fri., Jan. 3, 3:00 p.m. EST (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Quadrantid Meteor Shower. (Jan. 3 to 4)

* Sat., Jan. 4, 6:59 a.m. EST - Earth at perihelion (closest Earth approach to the Sun in New Year): 147,104,781 kilometers.

* Sun., Jan. 5, 4:00 p.m. EST - Jupiter at opposition (Jupiter visible approx. from local sunset to local sunrise).

* Sun., Jan. 5, Evening - "12th Night" of Christmas; end of the 12 days of Christmas, which began on Christmas Day. (Jan. 5)

* Mon., Jan. 6 - Feast of the Epiphany; the day after the "12th Night" of Christmas. Tradition celebrates Epiphany as day the Magi arrived in Bethlehem to present gifts to the Christ child. (Jan. 6)

* Tue., Jan. 7 - Orthodox Christmas - As determined by Julian Calendar. (Jan. 7)

* Tue., Jan. 7, 10:39 p.m. EST - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* .Sat, Jan. 11 - National Human Trafficking Awareness Day. (Jan. 11)

* .Sat, Jan. 11, 7:00 a.m. EST - Venus in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Venus not visible, even with a telescope).

* Jan. 12 to 18 - Winter Driving Awareness Week.

* Wed., Jan. 15 (1929) - Anniversary of the Birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. (Observed - USA: Third Monday in January): Birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.. (Jan. 15)

* Wed., Jan. 15, 1:00 a.m. EST - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Jan. 15, 9:00 p.m. EST - Moon at apogee: 406,532 kilometers.

* Wed., Jan. 15, 11:52 p.m. EST - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Wolf Moon).
Smallest Full Moon in 2014 due to lunar apogee 3 hours earlier.

* Mon., Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Observed - USA: Third Monday in January): Birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: 1929 Jan. 15. (Jan. 20)

* Jan. 20 to 29, - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Tue., Jan. 21 - Squirrel Appreciation Day. (Jan. 21)

* Thur., Jan. 23, 1:00 a.m. EST - Mars 4 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 23, 5:00 a.m. EST - Star Spica 1.3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., Jan. 24 - Venus at perihelion.

* Fri., Jan. 24, 12:19 a.m. EST - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Sat., Jan. 25, 9:00 a.m. EST - Saturn 0.6 degree north of the Moon; occultation: French Polynesia, New Zealand, southern tip of South America, Antarctic Peninsula.

* Jan. 27 to Feb. 2 - National Drug Facts Week.

* Mon., Jan. 27 - Holocaust Remembrance Day (UN). (Jan. 27)

* Mon., Jan. 27 (1967) - Anniversary of Apollo 1 fire; three astronauts perished: Gus Grissom, Ed White, Roger Chaffee. (Jan. 27)

* Tue., Jan. 28 (1986) - Anniversary of STS Space Shuttle Challenger explosion; seven astronauts perished: Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Elison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe (Teacher-in-Space). (Jan. 28)
Viewed at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (a.k.a. Buhl Science Center).

* Tue., Jan. 28 - Data Privacy Day. (Jan. 28)

* Tue., Jan. 28, 3:00 p.m. EST - Mars 5 degrees north of Star Spica.

* Tue., Jan. 28, 10:00 p.m. EST - Venus 2 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 30, 5:00 a.m. EST - Moon at perigee: 357,080 kilometers.
Large tides predicted due to New Moon phase 11 hours later.

* Thur., Jan. 30, 4:38 p.m. EST - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1127.

* Fri., Jan. 31 (1958) - Anniversary of the first successful launch, by the USA, of an artificial satellite: Explorer 1. (Jan. 31)

* Sat., Feb. 1 (2003) - Anniversary of STS Space Shuttle Columbia disintegration during re-entry; seven astronauts perished: Rick Husband, William McCool, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, Laurel Clark, Ilan Ramon. (Feb. 1)

* Sat., Feb. 1, 2:00 a.m. EST / 7:00 UTC - Mercury 4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sun., Feb. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Imbolc, and also Candlemas, better known as Groundhog Day. (First traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Winter season: Feb. 1 Eve - Feb. 2).
(Groundhog Day at Gobler's Knob, Punxsutawney PA 15767, home of Punxsutawney Phil: - Sunrise: 7:25 a.m. EST) .
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Mon., Feb. 3 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Tue., Feb. 4, 12:04 a.m. EST / 5:04 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (First actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Winter season: ~Feb. 4).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Tue., Feb. 4 - Lichun - Beginning of first Solar term (of 24 Solar terms in one year) of traditional East Asia calendars (begins when the Sun reaches the celestial longitude of 315° and ends when it reaches the longitude of 330°); also known as the start of Spring. (Occurs each year around Feb.4)

* Wed., Feb. 5 - National Weatherperson's Day - Birth of one of America's first weather observers, John Jeffries: 1744 February 5. (Feb. 5)

* Thur., Feb. 6, 5:23 a.m. EST / 10:23 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Thur., Feb. 6, 2:22 p.m. EST / 19:22 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Fri., Feb. 7 - National Wear Red Day - Go Red for Women movement to heart disease in women (American Heart Association). (First Friday in Feb.)

* Sat., Feb. 8 (1910) - Anniversary of founding of the Boy Scouts of America. (Feb. 8)

* Tue., Feb. 11 (1732) - Anniversary of birth of first American President, George Washington, according to Julian Calendar (also known as "Old Style Calendar"), at use at that time; according to Gregorian Calendar, which we use today, George Washington's birthday occurred on Feb. 22. (Feb. 11)
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed/Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.

* Tue., Feb. 11 - National Inventors' Day. (Feb. 11)

* Tue., Feb. 11, 1:00 a.m. EST / 6:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Feb. 12 (1809) - Anniversary of birth of 16th American President, Abraham Lincoln. (Feb. 12)
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed/Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.

* Wed., Feb. 12 (1809) - Anniversary of birth of English naturalist, Charles Darwin; Darwin Day. (Feb. 12)

* Wed., Feb. 12, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,231 kilometers.

* Fri. through Mon., Feb. 14, 15, 16, 17 - CITIZEN SCIENCE: The Great Backyard Bird Count weekend.

* Fri., Feb. 14 - St. Valentine's Day. (Feb. 14)

* Fri., Feb. 14, 6:53 p.m. EST / 23:53 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Snow Moon).

* Sat., Feb. 15 - 450th Anniversary of the birth of Italian Astronomer Galileo Galilei.

* Sat., Feb. 15, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Feb. 16 to 22 - National Engineers Week. (Third week of Feb.)

* Mon., Feb. 17 - Zodiacal Light visible, with difficulty, after evening twilight in the western sky of the Northern Hemisphere, for the next two weeks.

* Mon., Feb. 17 - Washington's Birthday Observed / Presidents' Day (USA Federal Holiday: Third Monday in Feb.)
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed/Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.
Also see: The Astronomy President.

* Tue., Feb. 18 (1930) - Anniversary date of Planet Pluto (now designated Dwarf Planet 134340 Pluto) discovered by Clyde Tombaugh working at Lowell Observatory in Flagstaff, Arizona. (Feb. 18)

* Feb. 19 to 28, 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. Prevailing Time - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Wed., Feb. 19, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Star Spica 1.6 degrees south of the Moon.

* Wed., Feb. 19, 7:00 p.m. EST / Feb. 20, 0:00 UTC - Mars 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Feb. 20 (1491) - Anniversary of the "Comet of 1491" which came within 1,406,219 kilometers (873,784 miles) of the Earth, the closest in recorded history. (Feb. 20)

* Thur., Feb. 20 - Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Thursday of National Engineering Week).

* Fri., Feb. 21, 5:00 p.m. EST / 22:00 UTC - Saturn 0.3 degree north of the Moon; occultation: Madagascar, majority of Australia, New Zealand.

* Sat., Feb. 22 (1732) - Anniversary of birth of first American President, George Washington, according to Gregorian Calendar, which we use today; according to Julian Calendar (also known as "Old Style Calendar") at use at that time, George Washington's birthday occurred on Feb. 11 (Feb. 22).
See also: Washington's Birthday Observed/Presidents' Day * Washington's Birthday Actual (Julian Calendar) * Washington's Birthday Actual (Gregorian Calendar) * Lincoln's Birthday.

* Sat., Feb. 22, 4:00 a.m. EST / 9:00 UTC - Asteroid Pallas at opposition (Pallas visible, with difficulty in a telescope, approx. local sunset to sunrise).

* Sat., Feb. 22, 12:15 p.m. EST / 17:15 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Feb. 23 to March 1 - Montessori Education Week. (Last week of February)

* Sun., Feb. 23, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Neptune in conjunction with the Sun (Neptune not visible, even with a telescope).

* Mon., Feb. 24 (1914) - Centennial: Planetarium Concept Born.

* Feb. 24 to March 1 - America Saves Week.

* Wed., Feb. 26, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC - Venus 0.4 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Western and central sections of Africa, India, Southeast Asia.

* Thur., Feb. 27 - International Polar Bear Day. (Feb. 27)

* Thur., Feb. 27, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 360,440 kilometers.

* Thur., Feb. 27, 4:00 p.m. EST / 21:00 UTC - Mercury 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat. March 1 (1504 Feb. 29 to March 1) - Anniversary of total lunar eclipse used by Christopher Columbus, to scare the natives of Jamaica into providing food and other provisions for his sailors. (Feb. 29 to March 1)
Also see first recorded lunar eclipse in continental North America.

* Feb. 24 to March 1 - America Saves Week.

* Sat., March 1 - Beginning of Meteorological Spring Season in Northern Hemisphere (March 1).

* Sat., March 1 - Beginning of Autumn Season in Australia (March 1).

* Sat., March 1 - St. David's Day (March 1).

* Sat. March 1 (1504 Feb. 29 to March 1) - Anniversary of total lunar eclipse used by Christopher Columbus, to scare the natives of Jamaica into providing food and other provisions for his sailors. (Feb. 29 to March 1)
Also see first recorded lunar eclipse in continental North America.

* Sat. March 1, 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1128.

* March 2 to 8 - National Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

* March 2 to 8 - National Consumer Protection Week (First full week of March).

* March 2 to 9 - National Sleep Awareness Week® (last day of week coincides, each year, with conversion to Daylight Saving Time).

* Mon., March 3 - Read Across America sponsored by the National Education Association to motivate children to read, in addition to helping them master basic skills. (Annual--on or near March 2, birthday of Dr. Seuss).

* Tue., March 4 (1681) - Pennsylvania Charter Day - William Penn received charter, for what became the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, from Great Britain's King Charles II on 1681 March 4. (March 4)

* Tue., March 4 - Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday (Day before Ash Wednesday).

* Tue., March 4 - National Grammar Day. (March 4)

* Wed., March 5 - Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent (46 days before Easter Sunday).

* Fri., March 7 - Employee Appreciation Day. (First Friday of March)

* Sat., March 8 - International Women's Day (March 8).

* Sat. March 8, 8:27 a.m. EST / 13:27 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* March 9 to 15 - Teen Tech Week.

* Sun., March 9 - Good Deeds Day.

* Sun., March 9, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time (Standard Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME BEGINS - Beginning in 2007, EARLY DUE TO NEW FEDERAL LAW. Civil Time changes from 2:00 a.m. Standard Time to 3:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (Second Sunday in March, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time).
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., March 9, 4:26 p.m. EDT / 20:26 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* March 10 to 15 - Open Education Week.

* Mon. March 10, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Tue. March 11, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,364 kilometers.

* Wed., March 12 (1912) - Anniversary of the founding of the Girl Scouts of the United States of America (March 12).

* Wed., March 12 (1989) - 25th Anniversary of the original proposal founding the World Wide Web on the Internet.

* Thur., March 13 (1781) - Anniversary of the Planet Uranus discovery announced by Sir Frederick William Herschel (March 13).

* Thur., March 13 (1938) - Anniversary of beginning of the CBS World News Roundup, the longest-running, network news broadcast in America. (March 13).

* Fri., March 14 - Pi Day, a holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi) (March 14: 3.14).

* Sat., March 15 - "Ides of March" (March 15).

* Sat., March 15 - Buzzards return to Hinckley, Ohio (Cleveland suburb) (March 15).

* March 16 to 22 - Wildfire Prevention Week [Pennsylvania: Spring, Autumn].

* Sun., March 16 - Freedom of Information Day, the birthday of James Madison, who is widely regarded as the Father of the Constitution and as the foremost advocate for openness in government (March 16).

* Sun., March 16, 1:08 p.m. EDT / 17:08 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Worm Moon).

* Sun., March 16, 6:21 p.m. EDT / 22:21 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* March 17 to 21 - Flood Safety Awareness Week.

* March 17 to 23 - Fix-a-Leak Week (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

* Mon., March 17 - St. Patrick's Day (March 17).

* Tue., March 18 - Zodiacal Light visible, with difficulty, after evening twilight in the western sky of the Northern Hemisphere, for the next two weeks.

* Tue., March 18, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Star Spica 1.7 degrees north of the Moon.

* Tue., March 18, 11:00 p.m. EDT / March 19, 3:00 UTC - Mars 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., March 19 - St. Joseph's Day - Swallows return to Mission San Juan Capistrano, California (March 19).

* March 20 to April 13 - Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC.

* Thur., March 20, 2:07 a.m. EDT / 6:07 UTC - Unusual and rare occultation of the Star Regulus by Asteroid (163) Erigone: western Bermuda, New York City, Stamford CT, Utica NY, Ontario (~half-way between Toronto and Montreal).

* Thur., March 20, 12:57 p.m. EDT / 16:57 UTC - Vernal Equinox - Spring Season begins in Northern Hemisphere of Earth: beginning of New Year (Solar Calendar) in Afghanistan and Iran.

* Thur., March 20, 11:00 p.m. EDT / March 21, 3:00 UTC - Saturn 0.2 degree north of the Moon; occultation: northeast portion of South America, southern portion of Africa, Madagascar..

* March 21 to 30, - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Fri., March 21 - Sun-Earth Day (NASA: Day of, or near, the Vernal Equinox, the first day of Spring).

* Sat., March 22 - World Water Day (March 22).

* Sat., March 22, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Mercury 1.2 degrees south of Neptune.

* March 23 to 29 - Tsunami Preparedness Week.

* Sun., March 23 (1989) - Apollo Asteroid 1989FC, with a diameter of 300 meters, comes within 690,000 kilometers of the Earth in 1989 (March 23).

* Sun., March 23, 9:46 p.m. EDT / March 24, 1:46 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Sun., March 23, 10:08 p.m. EDT / March 24, 2:08 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Tue., March 25 - Feast of the Annunciation observed nine full months before Christmas Day. The Feast of the Annunciation on March 25 (also the Vernal Equinox in the "original" Julian Calendar adopted by the second king of Rome, Numa Pompilius, in the 7th century B.C.) had been considered the beginning of the New Year, until the Gregorian Calendar reform, when Pope Gregory XIII chose the Feast of the Circumcision of Christ (Jan. 1) as the beginning of the New Year in the Roman Catholic Church's Liturgical Year.(March 25)

* Tue., March 25 - Lady Day in England, the first of the four traditional English quarter days, was New Year's Day up to 1752 when, following the move from the Julian Calendar to the Gregorian Calendar, January 1 became the start of the year. Lady Day (for the Virgin Mary) is the traditional name of the Feast of the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin (March 25) in some English-speaking countries. (March 25)

* Thur., March 27, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Venus 4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., March 27, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 365,703 kilometers.

* March 29 to May 4 - National Kite Month.

* Sat., March 29, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Prevailing Time - Earth Hour annual environmental observance (Saturday Late in March, 8:30 to 9:30 p.m. Prevailing Time).

* Sat., March 29, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Mercury 6 degrees south of the Moon.

* March 30 to April 5 - National Week of the Ocean.

* Sun., March 30, 2:45 p.m. EDT / 18:45 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1129.

* Mon., March 31 - Last day of Calendar Year First Quarter (March 31).

* Mon., March 31, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Mars 5 degrees north of Spica.

* March 20 to April 13 - Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC.

* March 29 to May 4 - National Kite Month.

* Tue., April 1 - First day of calendar year Second Quarter (April 1).

* Tue., April 1 - April Fool's Day (April 1).

* Tue., April 1 (1960) - Anniversary of launch of first successful weather satellite, TIROS-1 (April 1).
Also see: Space Race To Create Quantum Satellite.

* Tue., April 1 (1954) - 60th Anniversary of first broadcast of educational television station WQED-TV 13 in Pittsburgh, the nation's first community-supported television station (April 1).

* Wed., April 2 - Light It Up Blue, in North America, is dedicated to raising awareness of autism (April 2) / World Autism Awareness Day (April 2).

* Wed., April 2 - National Walking Day. (First Wednesday of April)

* Wed., April 2, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Uranus in conjunction with the Sun (Uranus not visible, even with a telescope).

* Thur., April 3 - Anniversary of the Discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon (April 3).

* Fri., April 4, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 2.0 degrees south of the Moon.

* April 5 to 12 - Money Smart Week®.

* April 5 to 13 - National Robotics Week.

* April 6 to 12 - National Volunteer Week.

* April 6 to 12 - The Week of the Young Child™.

* April 6 to 12 - National Crime Victims' Rights Week (Week in April).

* Sun., April 6, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME CONTINUES - Change in Federal law, thus that change from Standard Time to Daylight Saving Time occured the second Sunday in March: 2:00 a.m. Standard Time then became 3:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time on the second Sunday in March (previously, first Sunday in April).
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., April 6, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* April 7 to 13 - National Public Health Week.

* Mon., April 7, 4:31 a.m. EDT / 8:31 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Tue., April 8, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,500 kilometers.

* Tue., April 8, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Mars at opposition (Mars visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Fri., April 11, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Asteroid Juno in conjunction with the Sun (Juno not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sat., April 12 (1961) - Anniversary of when Russia launched first human into space and orbit of the Earth, Yuri Gagarin (April 12).

* Sat., April 12 (1981) - First launch of American Space Shuttle (STS), Columbia (April 12).

* Sat., April 12 (1861) - The American Civil War began (April 12).
See the Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall in Carnegie, Pennsylvania.

* Sat., April 12, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Venus 0.7 degree north of Neptune.

* April 13 to 19 - National Library Week.

* April 13 to 19 - National Environmental Education Week (EE Week: Week before Earth Day).

* April 13 to 19 - Pan American Week (Week of April 14, Pan American Day).

* Sun., April 13 - Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter Sunday).

* Sun., April 13, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Asteroid Vesta at opposition (Vesta visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* April 14 to 20 - National Minority Cancer Awareness Week (Third week of April).

* Mon., April 14 - Pan American Day (April 14).

* Mon., April 14 (1912), 11:40 p.m. (Ship Time) Anniversary of the sinking of the RMS Titanic on the ship's maiden voyage.
Also see: Titanic Sunk by the Moon?

* Mon., April 14, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Mars at closest approach to the Earth for the next two years.

* Mon., April 14, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Mars 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* April 14, local sunset to April 22, local sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh - April 14: 7:58 p.m. EDT / 23:58 UTC; April 22: 8:06 p.m. EDT / April 23, 0:06 UTC) - Jewish festival of Passover.

* Tue., April 15 - Tax Day (USA) - Individual Federal tax returns due or postmarked by end of day (Each April 15, unless delayed by a holiday).

* Tue., April 15 - National Library Workers Day (Tuesday of National Library Week).

* Tue., April 15, 12:00 Midnight / 4:00 UTC - Star Spica 1.7 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., April 15, 2:00 a.m. / 6:00 UTC - Asteroid and Dwarf Planet Ceres at opposition (Ceres visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Tue., April 15, 3:42 a.m. EDT / 7:42 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Pink Moon).

* Tue., April 15, 3:45:39.8 a.m. EDT / 7:45:39.8 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for the Total Eclipse of the Moon / Lunar Eclipse, visible throughout the Western Hemisphere, as well as parts of the eclipse visible in western Europe, western Africa, Australia, New Zealand, eastern Asia, and the Pacific Islands.
Also see: U.S. to See 4 Total Lunar Eclipses in Year & A-Half.
SPECIAL NOTE: A Lunar Eclipse or Eclipse of the Moon is the type of eclipse that is safe to look at with the naked-eye, binoculars, or a telescope.

* April 16 to 22 - Earth Week (Week leading to and including Earth Day, April 22).

* Wed., April 16 - National Healthcare Decisions Day (April 16).

* Wed., April 16 - National Stress Awareness Day (April 16).

* Wed., April 16 - National Bookmobile Day (Wednesday of National Library Week).

* Thur., April 17 - Maundy Thursday / Holy Thursday (Thursday before Easter Sunday).

* Thur., April 17 - Support Teen Literature Day (Thursday of National Library Week).

* Thur., April 17 - World Hemophilia Day (April 17).

* Thur., April 17 - Blah, Blah, Blah Day (April 17).

* Thur., April 17, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Saturn 0.4 degree north of the Moon; occultation: French Polynesia and southern portion of South America.

* Fri., April 18 - Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday).

* April 19 to 27 - National Park Week.

* Sat., April 19 - Holy Saturday (Saturday before Easter Sunday).

* Sat., April 19 - National Junior Ranger Day (Saturday in National Park Week).

* April 20 to 29, - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* April 20 to 26 - International Dark-Sky Week (Week of the New Moon in April).

* Sun., April 20, Evening - World Night in Defence of the Starlight (April 20, Evening).

* April 20 to 26 - National Sky Awareness Week (SAW), a week set-aside to “look up” and to see the myriad of cloud patterns and formations that grace the sky. (Last week of April).

* April 20 to 26 - Administrative Professionals Week (Last full week of April).

* Sun., April 20 (Sunrise in Pittsburgh: 6:34 a.m. EDT / 10:34 UTC) - Easter Sunday [46 days after Ash Wednesday; the first Sunday after the full moon (the Paschal Full Moon) following the March equinox (ecclesiastically, the equinox is reckoned to be on March 21, even though the equinox occurs, astronomically speaking, on March 20 in most years)].

* Mon., April 21 - Easter Monday (Monday after Easter Sunday).

* Mon., April 21 - Patriots' Day (Third Monday in April).

* Tur., April 22 - Earth Day (April 22).

* Tue., April 22, 3:52 a.m. EDT / 7:52 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Tue., April 22, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Lyrid Meteor Shower. (April 22)

* Tue., April 22, 8:00 p.m. EDT / April 23, 0:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 369,765 kilometers.

* Wed., April 23 - World Book and Copyright Day / World Book Night (April 23).

* Wed., April 23 - Teach Children to Save Day (April 23).

* Wed., April 23 - Administrative Professionals Day (Wednesday of last full week of April).

* Thur., April 24 - National Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day (Fourth Thursday in April).

* Fri., April 25 - Arbor Day - National Arbor Day Foundation (Last Friday of April).

* Fri., April 25, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Venus 4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., April 25, 11:00 p.m. EDT / April 26, 3:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* April 26 to May 3 - National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW).

* Sat., April 26 - World Intellectual Property Day (April 26).

* Sat., April 26 - Save the Frogs Day - Also see news article. (Last Saturday in April)

* Sat., April 26, 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Prevailing Time - National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day sponsored by the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. (Last Saturday in April)

* April 27 to May 3 - Preservation Week for library and archive materials.

* April 29 to May 8, - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Tue., April 29, 2:03:25.0 a.m. EDT / 6:03:25.0 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for the rare, non-central Annular Eclipse of the Sun or Solar Eclipse, visible in eastern Australia, a small part of Antarctica, and an area of the South Indian Ocean south of Africa. A Partial Eclipse of the Sun or Solar Eclipse is visible in a wide area of the South Indian Ocean including western and central Australia and the southern islands of Indonesia just to the north of Australia.
SAFE WAY TO VIEW SOLAR ECLIPSE OR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

* Tue., April 29, 2:14 a.m. EDT / 6:14 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1130.

* Thur., May 1 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day ( Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Spring season) (May 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Mon., May 5, 9:54 p.m. EDT / May 6, 1:54 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day ( Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Spring season).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* April 26 to May 3 - National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW).

* April 27 to May 3 - Preservation Week for library and archive materials.

* May 1 to 7 - Choose Privacy Week.

* Thur., May 1 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day ( Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; approximate mid-way point in Spring season) (May 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Thur., May 1 - Law Day (May 1).

* Thur., May 1 - Loyalty Day (May 1).

* Thur., May 1, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 2.0 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., May 2 - Space Day (First Friday in May).

* Fri., May 2 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Sat., May 3 - National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day. (First Saturday in May).

* Sat., May 3 - World Press Freedom Day (May 3).

* Sat., May 3 - National Scrapbooking Day (First Saturday in May).

* May 4 to 10 - National Travel and Tourism Week (First full week of May).

* May 4 to 10 - Arson Awareness Week.

* Sun., May 4 - Bird Day created in 1894 in the Western Pennsylvania community of Oil City. (May 4)

* Sun., May 4, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* May 5 to 9 - National PTA Teacher Appreciation Week (First full school-week of May).

* May 5 to 11 - International Astronomy Week (Begins on the Monday preceding the Saturday designated as Astronomy Day).

* Mon., May 5 - Cinco de Mayo - Mexico (May 5).

* Mon., May 5, 9:54 p.m. EDT / May 6, 1:54 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day ( Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; mid-way point in Spring season).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* May 6 to 12 - National Nurses Week (from May 6, also known as National Nurses Day, through May 12, the birthday of Florence Nightingale, the founder of modern nursing).

* Tue., May 6 - National Teacher Day (Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week).

* Tue., May 6 - National Nurses Day / National RN Recognition Day (May 6).

* Tue., May 6 - World Asthma Day (First Tuesday in May).

* Tue., May 6, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of n-Aquarid (Eta Aquarid) Meteor Shower - remnants from Halley's Comet. (May 5-6)

* Tue., May 6, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,318 kilometers.

* Tue., May 6, 11:15 p.m. EDT / May 7, 3:15 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Wed., May 7 - National School Nurse Day (Wednesday Of National Nurses Week).

* Wed., May 7 - Bike to School Day (First Wed. in May).

* Thur., May 8 - National Student Nurses Day (May 8).

* Thur., May 8 (1828) - World Red Cross and Red Crescent Day (May 8).

* Thur., May 8 (1945) - Victory in Europe Day (May 8).

* May 10 to 18 - Armed Forces Week (USA) - (Second Saturday to Sunday of following week in May).

* Sat., May 10 & Sat., Oct. 4 - International Astronomy Day [Saturdays in Spring (Saturday in Astronomy Week) and Autumn]: Link 1 *** Link 2

* Sat., May 10 - International Migratory Bird Day (Second Saturday in May).

* Sat., May 10 - National Train Day (celebrated on the Saturday closest to the anniversary of the driving of the Golden Spike for the completion of the First Transcontinental Railroad in the United States of America: 1869 May 10).

* Sat., May 10 - Stamp-Out Hunger Food Drive (Second Saturday of May).

* Sat., May 10, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Saturn at opposition (Saturn visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* May 11 to 17 - National Hospital Week: Link 1 *** Link 2.

* May 11 to 17 - National Transportation Week / National Defense Transportation Week. (Week in which National Defense Transportation Day falls)

* May 11 to 17 - National Police Week (Week including National Peace Officers' Memorial Day).

* May 11 to 17 - Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW).

* May 11 to 17 - Women's Health Week (Week that begins on Mothers' Day).

* Sun., May 11 - Mothers' Day (Second Sunday in May).

* Sun., May 11, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Mars 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* May 12 to 18 - Children's Book Week (Moved from 2007 Nov. 12 to 18).

* Mon., May 12 - National Lab Day (May 12).

* Mon., May 12 - International Nurses Day, the birth date of pioneering nurse Florence Nightingale, and the end of the annual Nurses Week. (May 12)

* Mon., May 12 - Women's Checkup Day (Monday of Women's Health Week / Monday after Mothers' Day).

* Mon., May 12 - Limerick Day (May 12).

* Mon., May 12, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Star Spica 1.7 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue, May 13 (1611) - “Galileo Confirmation Day,” anniversary of the day Jesuit priests held a banquet in honor of Galileo Galilei, for his discovery of four moons orbiting the planet Jupiter. (May 13)

* Tue, May 13, 5:24 a.m. EDT / 9:24 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., May 14, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Saturn 0.6 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern half of Australia, New Zealand, Victoria Land portion of Antarctica.

* Wed., May 14, 3:16 p.m. EDT / 19:16 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Flower Moon).

* Thur., May 15 - National Peace Officers' Memorial Day. (May 15)

* Thur., May 15 - International Day of Families (May 15).

* Thur., May 15, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Venus 1.3 degrees south of Uranus.

* Fri., May 16 - National Defense Transportation Day. (Third Friday in May)

* Fri., May 16 - Bike-to-Work Day. (Third Friday in May)

* Fri., May 16 - Venus at aphelion.

* May 17 to 23 - National Safe Boating Week. (First full week before Memorial Day Weekend)

* Sat., May 17 - Armed Forces Day. (USA - Third Saturday in May)

* Sat., May 17 - Food Revolution Day. (May 17)

* Sat., May 17, 5:22 p.m. EDT / 21:22 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* May 18 to 24 - National Dog-Bite Prevention Week.

* May 18 to 24 - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week.

* Sun., May 18 - International Museum Day (May 18).

* Sun., May 18 - Visit Your Relatives Day (May 18).

* Sun., May 18, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 367,102 kilometers.

* May 19 to 28, - CITIZEN SCIENCE - Annual Globe at Night campaign, to raise public awareness of the impact of light pollution by encouraging everyone everywhere to measure local levels of night sky brightness and contribute observations on-line to a world map.

* Mon., May 19 - Victoria Day - In Canada, informally considered the beginning of the Summer season. (Last Monday before May 25).

* Tue., May 20 - Weights and Measures Day (May 20).

* Tue., May 20, 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC to May 21, 0:00 UTC - Primary Election Day: Pennsylvania (Third Tuesday in May except during Presidential Election Years when it is held on the Fourth Tuesday in April).

* Tue., May 20, 7:59 a.m. EDT / 11:59 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., May 21 - Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day. (Wednesday of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week)

* Wed., May 21 (1881) - Founding of the American Red Cross (May 21).

* Wed., May 21, 8:59 a.m. EDT / 12:59 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Thur., May 22 - National Maritime Day (May 22). Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science displayed the largest Mercator's Projection Map of the World, originally produced by the U.S. Maritime Commission for display at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.

* Fri., May 23 - World Turtle Day (May 23).

* Sat., May 24, 3:00 to 4:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 to 8:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - NEW METEOR SHOWER / STORM PREDICTED from debris related to Comet 209P/LINEAR from a radiant in the faint, northern sky Constellation of Camelopardalis.
PREDICTED TO BE STRONGEST METEOR DISPLAY VISIBLE IN NORTH AMERICA IN 2014 !

* Sun., May 25 - National Missing Children's Day. (May 25)

* Sun., May 25 (1961) - Anniversary of when U.S. President John F. Kennedy, in a special speech before a joint session of the U.S. Congress, proposes a new national goal: "First, I believe that this nation should commit itself to achieving the goal, before this decade is out, of landing a man on the moon and returning him safely to the earth."

* Sun., May 25, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Venus 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., May 26 - Memorial Day - USA (Last Monday in May);
originally observed as Decoration Day - USA (May 30).

* Tue., May 27, 10:34 a.m. EDT /14:34 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., May 28, 2:40 p.m. EDT / 18:40 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1131.

* Fri., May 30 - Decoration Day - USA (May 30) - now observed as Memorial Day on last Monday in May.

* Fri., May 30, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Mercury 6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., May 31 - World No Tobacco Day (WNTD). (May 31)

* June 1 to 7 - National CPR and AED Awareness Week.

* Sun., June 1 - Beginning of Meteorological Season of Summer in Northern Hemisphere, Meteorological Season of Winter in Southern Hemisphere (June 1).

* Sun., June 1 - Beginning of Hurricane Season in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea (June 1).

* Sun., June 1 - International Children's Day (June 1).

* Sun., June 1 - Global Day of Parents (June 1).

* Sun., June 1, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Jupiter 6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Mon., June 2, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Mercury 0.2 degree north of M35 Open Star Cluster in the Constellation Gemini the Twins.

* Tue., June 3, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,954 kilometers.

* Tue., June 3, 1:08 p.m. EDT / 17:08 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Tue., June 3, 2:08 p.m. EDT / 18:08 UTC - Triple-shadow (shadows of 3 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Thur., June 5 - United Nations World Environment Day - ( For 2010 United Nations World Environment Day Host City for North America: Pittsburgh) (June 5).

* Thur., June 5, 4:39 p.m. EDT / 20:39 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Fri., June 6 (1944) - 70th Anniversary of the D-Day Allied invasion of Normandy during World War II (June 6),

* Sat., June 7 - National Trails Day® (First Saturday in June).

* Sat., June 7, 9:00 p.m. EDT / June 8, 1:00 UTC - Mars 1.6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sun., June 8 - World Oceans Day (June 8).

* Sun., June 8 - National Children's Day (Second Sunday in June).

* Sun., June 8, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Star Spica, in the Constellation Virgo the Virgin, 1.8 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., June 9, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Arietid Meteor Shower (June 7 to 9).

* June 9 to 15 - Men's Health Week (Week leading to and including Father's Day).

* Tue., June 10, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Saturn 0.6 degree north of the Moon; occultation: South Georgia and South Sandwich Islands in the South Atlantic Ocean, Queen Maud Land in Antarctica, southern tip of South Africa.

* Tue., June 10, 6:07 p.m. EDT / 22:07 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., June 11 (1638; originally recorded as June 1 O.S. of the Julian Calendar) - First earthquake recorded in North America: New England / St. Lawrence Valley region. (June 11)

* Fri., June. 13 - "Friday the 13th" superstition; debunking this superstition, purpose of character King Friday the 13th on popular PBS children's television series, Mister Rogers' Neighborhood (originated at WQED-TV channel 13 in Pittsburgh) (Friday the 13th).

* Fri., June 13, 12:11 a.m. EDT / 4:11 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Strawberry Moon.

* Sat., June 14 - Flag Day - USA (June 14).

* Sat., June 14 - National Get Outdoors Day (Second Saturday in June).

* Sat., June 14, 11:00 p.m. EDT / June 15, 3:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 362,065 kilometers.

* Sun., June 15 - Fathers' Day (Third Sunday in June): Link 1 *** Link 2

* Sun., June 15 (1215) - Anniversary of the Magna Carta, also known as The Great Charter of the Liberties of England, originally issued (June 15).

* Sun., June 15 - Mercury at aphelion.

* June 16 to 23 - National Pollinator Week (June).

* Wed., June 18 (1812) - Anniversary of the day the United States of America declared war on the British Empire, beginning the War of 1812 (June 18).

* Wed., June 18 - Autistic Pride Day about shifting views of autism from "disease" to "difference" (June 18).

* Thur., June 19 - "Dump the Pump" Day (Third Thursday in June), sponsored by the American Public Transportation Association and local public transit agencies nationwide, including the Port Authority of Allegheny County.

* Thur., June 19 - Recess at Work Day (Third Thursday in June).

* Thur., June 19, 2:39 p.m. EDT / 18:39 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Thur., June 19, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Fri., June 20 - World Refugee Day (June 20).

* Sat., June 21 - National Aboriginal Day (Canada: June 21).

* Sat., June 21, 6:51 a.m. EDT / 10:51 UTC - Summer Solstice; Season of Summer begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere (Also see 1985-1991: Annual Free Day at Buhl Planetarium).

* Sat., June 21, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Jupiter 6 degrees south of Star Pollux.

* Sun., June 22 - International Sun-Day, a celebration of Astronomy and our planet's very important star, the Sun. (Sunday nearest the Summer Solstice)

* June 22 to 28 - National Lightning Safety Awareness Week; see article.

* Sun., June 22, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Venue 6 degrees south of the Pleiades Open Star Cluster in the Constellation Taurus the Bull.

* Tue., June 24 - Midsummer Day (Date of Summer Soltice in Roman times) and St. Jean Baptiste Day/Quebec National Holiday (June 24).

* Tue., June 24, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Venus 1.3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., June 25, late evening (1638) - The first astronomical event recorded by native Europeans in continental North America was a total lunar eclipse on 1638 June 25 to 26. (June 25)
Also see total lunar eclipse used by Christopher Columbus to scare natives into providing food and other provisions for his sailors.

* Wed., June 25, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran, in the Constellation Taurus the Bull, 2.0 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., June 27 - National HIV Testing Day (NHTD) (June 27).

* Fri., June 27, 4:08 a.m. EDT / 8:08 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1132.

* Fri., June 27 - At mid-northern latitudes (~40 degrees North Latitude, which is the latitude of Pittsburgh), latest sunset of the year (Pittsburgh - latest sunset: 8:54 p.m. EDT) (June 27).

* June 28, local sunset to July 28, local sunset - In Islam, the month of Ramadan, calculated by using the Islamic lunar calendar, begins at astronomical New Moon (Local Sunset for Pittsburgh - June 28: 8:54 p.m. EDT; July 28: 8:39 p.m. EDT).

* June 28 to 29 Ham Radio Field Day - When amateur radio operators test emergency radio operations (Always the fourth full weekend In June).

* Sat., June 28 - Tau Day - Day celebrating the value of 2Pi (~6.28), designated Tau, the ratio of a circle's circumference to its radius.
More on Tau Day (June 28).

* Sat., June 28, 11:00 p.m. EDT / June 29, 3:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Mon., June 30 [June 17 O.S. (Old Calendar System/Julian Calendar)] (1908) - Anniversary of the Tunguska Blast caused by an air blast of large meteoroid or comet fragment (June 30).

* Mon., June 30 - Last day of calendar year Second Quarter (June 30).

* Mon., June 30 - Last day of Fiscal Year (Pennsylvania: June 30).

* Mon., June 30, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,930 kilometers.

* Tue., July 1 - Dominion Day / Canada Day (Canada: 1867 July 1).

* Tue., July 1 - First day of Fiscal Year (Pennsylvania: July 1).

* Tue., July 1 - First day of calendar year Third Quarter (July 1).

* July 1 to 3 (1863) - Anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, Pennsylvania of the American Civil War.

* Wed., July 2, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Venus 4 degrees north of Star Aldebaran in the Constellation Taurus the Bull.

* July 3 to Aug. 11 (approx.) - " The Dog Days of Summer" (July 3 to Aug. 11).

* Thur., July 3, 8:00 p.m. EDT / July 4, 0:00 UTC - Earth at aphelion, furthest point in orbit from the Sun: 152,093,481 kilometers (Beginning of July).

* Fri., July 4 - Independence Day, traditionally celebrated with fireworks (U.S.A.: 1776 July 4).

* Fri., July 4 (1054) - 960th Anniversary of observation of a "Guest Star" (i.e. supernova), which created what today is known as the Crab Nebula. Supernova SN 1054 was observed in China, Japan, Baghdad, and by the Anasazi Pueblo Peoples in New Mexico. This was the first recorded observation of a major astronomical event in North America (July 4).

* Fri., July 4, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Dwarf Planet Pluto at opposition (when viewed with a telescope, with difficulty weather-permitting, visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Sat., July 5, 7:59 a.m. EDT / 11:59 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sat., July 5, 9:00 p.m. EDT / July 6, 1:00 UTC - Mars 0.2 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Hawaii, western coast of Central America, northern half of South America.

* Mon., July 7, 10:00 p.m. EDT / July 8, 2:00 UTC - Saturn 0.4 degree north of the Moon; occultation: French Polynesia, southern tip of South America, South Georgia Island, South Sandwich Island.

* Fri., July 11 - World Population Day: United Nations (July 11).

* Sat., July 12, 7:25 a.m. EDT / 11:25 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Buck Moon).

* Sat., July 12, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Mars 1.4 degrees north of Star Spica in the Constellation Virgo the Virgin.

* Sun., July 13, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 358,260 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coastlines.

* Tue., July 15 - St. Swithun's Day - According to tradition, the weather occurring on St. Swithun's Day will continue for forty days. This legend does have a scientific basis. At this time of year, for most years, the jet stream settles into a reasonably steady pattern until the end of August (July 15).

* Tue., July 15, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Mercury 3 degrees south of M35 open star cluster in the Constellation Gemini the Twins.

* Thur., July 17 - Military Consumer Protection Day (July 17).

* Fri., July 18, 10:08 p.m. EDT / July 19, 2:08 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* July 19 to 27 - National Moth Week - CITIZEN SCIENCE project where citizen scientists can help map moth distribution and provide needed information on other life history aspects around the globe (Last full week of July).

* Sun., July 20, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Venus 1.5 degrees south of M35 open star cluster in the Constellation Gemini the Twins.

* Sun., July 20 (1969) - 10:56:20 p.m. EDT / "Moonday", July 21, 2:56:20 UTC - "Moon Day" - 45th anniversary of the moment the first human (Neil Armstrong) set foot on the Earth's Moon, during the NASA mission of Apollo 11 (July 20).
Special Note: Neil Armstrong was originally scheduled to first step on the Moon during the early morning hours of Monday ("Moonday"), July 21. Although this historic moment actually occurred earlier than scheduled, during the July 20 television prime-time in America, it actually did occur on "Moonday," July 21 at 2:56:20 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), the time-scale used by many scientists.
Also see: personal remembrance of Apollo 11 mission.

* Tue., July 22 - Pi Approximation Day, a holiday commemorating the mathematical constant π (pi) (July 22: 22/7).

* Tue., July 22, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran, in the Constellation Taurus the Bull, 1.8 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., July 24, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Venus 4 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., July 24, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Jupiter in conjunction with the Sun (Jupiter not visible, even with a telescope).

* Fri., July 25, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Mercury 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., July 26 (1990) - Anniversary: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law by U.S. President George H.W. Bush (July 26).

* Sat., July 26, 6:42 p.m. EDT / 22:42 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1133.

* Sun., July 27, 11:00 p.m. EDT / July 28, 3:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,567 kilometers.

* Sun., July 27 - Parents' Day (fourth Sunday of July).

* Mon., July 28 - World Hepatitis Day (July 28).

* Tue., July 29 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Tue., July 29, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of S. Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower. (July 28)

* Tue., July 29 - Annual Rain Day in Waynesburg, Pennsylvania (July 29).

* Thur., July 31 - Dog Days of Summer: Rising of Sirius (the "Dog Star") ahead of the Sun (however, Sirius not visible until, at least, Aug. 7, due to glare of the Sun) (July 31).

* Fri., Aug. 1 - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day, also known as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland). Considered approximate date of First Harvest (third traditional cross-quarter day of the year), approximately between the Midsummer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox (July 31 Eve - Aug. 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Thur., Aug. 7, 2:40 a.m. EDT / 6:40 UTC - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (halfway between the June Solstice and September Equinox: ~Aug. 7). Traditionally observed August 1 as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day (~Aug. 7)..

* Aug. 1 to 7 - World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) (Aug. 1 to 7).

* Fri., Aug. 1 - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day, also known as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland). Considered approximate date of First Harvest (third traditional cross-quarter day of the year), approximately between the Midsummer Solstice and the Autumnal Equinox (July 31 Eve - Aug. 1).
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Fri., Aug. 1 (1818) - Anniversary of the birth of America's first professional woman astronomer, Maria Mitchell, who won a gold medal prize presented by the King of Denmark, for her discovery of a comet named in her honor: Miss Mitchell's Comet (Aug. 1).

* Aug. 3 to 9 - National Farmers Market Week (First week of August).

* Aug. 3 to 9 - National Stop on Red Week (First week of August).

* Sun., Aug. 3 - Friendship Day (First Sunday in August).

* Sun., Aug. 3, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Mars 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sun., Aug. 3, 8:50 p.m. EDT / Aug. 4, 0:50 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Mon., Aug. 4 - Civic Holiday in certain Canadian provinces (First Monday in August).

* Mon., Aug. 4, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Saturn 0.1 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern portion of India, Indian Ocean, Indonesia, Australia, Fiji, Samoa, portion of the western section of the Pacific Ocean.

* Tue., Aug. 5, evening - National Night Out (First Tuesday in August).

* Wed., Aug. 6 (1945), 8:15:43 a.m. Hiroshima Time - Anniversary of the first war-time use of Atomic Bomb over Hiroshima, Japan (Aug. 6).

* Thur., Aug. 7 - Dog Days of Summer: First visible (Sirius rises ahead of Sun at 7 degrees altitude) Heliacal rising of Sirius (~ Aug. 7).

* Thur., Aug. 7 - National Lighthouse Day (Aug. 7).

* Thur., Aug. 7, 2:40 a.m. EDT / 6:40 UTC - Astronomical Mid-Point of Summer - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (halfway between the June Solstice and September Equinox: ~Aug. 7). Traditionally observed August 1 as “Lammas” (in the United Kingdom) and “Lughnassad” (in Ireland) (~Aug. 7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Thur., Aug. 7, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Venus 7 degrees south of Star Pollux in the Constellation Gemini the Twins.

* Aug.8, 9, 10 weekend and September 5, 6, 7 weekend, 30 minutes before sunset - A Swift Night-Out - CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT to observe bird roosts of Chimney Swifts and Vaux's Swifts.
More on Citizen Science & Chimey Swifts (Second Weekend August and September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

* Fri., Aug. 8, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sat., Aug. 9, after sunset - International Starry Night (~Aug. 9 to 11, often a Saturday, coinciding with annual Perseid Meteor Shower).

* Aug. 10 to 16 - National Health Center Week (Second week of August).

* Sun., Aug. 10, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 356,896 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coastlines.

* Sun., Aug. 10, 2:09 p.m. EDT / 18:09 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Sturgeon Moon.
Largest Full Moon in 2014 - so-called "Super Moon."

* Tue., Aug. 12 - International Youth Day (Aug. 12).

* Tue., Aug. 12 - Middle Child's Day (Aug. 12).

* Tue., Aug. 12 - Public Housing Health Centers Day (Tuesday of National Health Center Week).

* Tue., Aug. 12, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Aug. 13, 0:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Perseid Meteor Shower, considered one of the best of the year! (Aug. 11 to 13).
Also see: NASA: Perseid Meteor Shower Has Most Fireballs.

* Wed., Aug. 13 - International Lefthanders Day (Aug. 13).

* Wed., Aug. 13 - Health Care for the Homeless Day (Wednesday of National Health Center Week).

* Thur., Aug. 14 - Farmworker Health Day (Thursday of National Health Center Week).

* Thur., Aug. 14, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Uranus 1.2 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: central part of Asia, Arctic Sea and environs.

* Fri., Aug. 15 (1945) - Victory Over Japan Day (United Kingdom) - Day of initial announcement of Japan surrender ending World War II (Aug. 15).
Celebrated on September 2 in USA, for formal surrender on Battleship USS Missouri.

* Fri., Aug. 15 - Relaxation Day (Aug. 15).

* Aug. 16 to 22 - National Book Week.

* Sun., Aug. 17, 8:26 a.m. EDT / 12:26 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quater.

* Mon., Aug. 18, 12:00 MIdnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Venus 0.2 degree north of Jupiiter.

* Mon., Aug. 18, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Venus 1.0 degree south of the Beehive Open Star Cluster (M44) in the Constellation Cancer the Crab.

* Mon., Aug. 18, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran, in the Constellation Taurus the Bull, 1.6 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., Aug. 19 - National Aviation Day, anniversary of the 1871 birth of Orville Wright, who with brother Wilbur, is credited with the first powered flight of a man (Aug. 19).

* Tue., Aug. 19 - World Photography Day - 175th Anniversary of the release of the first practical photographic process patent in 1839 (Aug. 19).

* Tue., Aug. 19 - World Humanitarian Day (Aug. 19).

* Wed., Aug. 20 - National Radio Day (Aug. 20).

* Wed., Aug. 20, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Jupiter 1.2 degrees south of the Beehive Open Star Cluster (M44) in the Constellation Cancer the Crab.

* Aug. 22 to 25 - Pledge to Fledge ! campaign for birders to share their love and information about the birding hobby with others (Last weekend in August).

* Sat., Aug. 23 (1991) - Internaut Day - Anniversary, in 1991, of the Internet's World Wide Web (www) (Aug. 23).

* Sat., Aug. 23 - International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition (Aug. 23).

* Sat., Aug. 23, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sun., Aug. 24, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Venus 6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sun., Aug. 24, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,523 kilometers.

* Mon., Aug. 25 - World Doctorates Day (Aug. 25).

* Mon., Aug. 25, 10:13 a.m. EDT / 14:13 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation No. 1134.

* Tue., Aug. 26 (1920) - Women's Equality Day - Anniversary: Certification of 19th Amendment to the United States Constitution, granting women the right to vote (Aug. 26).

* Wed., Aug. 27, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Mercury 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Aug. 27, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Mars 4 degrees south of Saturn.

* Thur., Aug. 28 (1912) - Anniversary: New Allegheny Observatory building dedicated (Aug. 28).

* Fri., Aug. 29, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Neptune at opposition (Neptune visible with difficulty, using a telescope, from approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Sun., Aug. 31, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Saturn 0.4 degree south of the Moon; occultation: eastern portion of United States of America, Mexico, Caribbean Sea, northeastern portion of South America, west-central portion of Africa.

* Sun., Aug. 31 (1991), 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Anniversary of the closing of The Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science as a public museum in Pittsburgh, which was dedicated as America's fifth major planetarium on 1939 October 24 (Aug. 31).

* Sun., Aug. 31, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 1, 0:00 UTC - Mars 4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., Sept. 1 (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Aurigid Meteor Shower (Sept. 1).

* Sept. 1 to 30, Each Evening - Vaux’s Swifts Watch at Chapman School, Portland, Oregon - Public can view a spectacular display of Vaux’s Swift birds as they gather to roost in the school’s chimney. Volunteers from Portland Audubon will be present each night with information about the swifts, binoculars and a spotting scope for viewing (Sept. 1 to 30).

* Mon., Sept. 1 - Beginning of Meteorological Season of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere (Sept. 1).

* Mon., Sept. 1 - Beginning of Spring Season in Australia (Sept. 1).

* Mon., Sept. 1 - Mid-point in Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season (Sept. 1).

* Mon., Sept. 1 (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Aurigid Meteor Shower (Sept. 1).

* Mon., Sept. 1 (1914) - Centennial Anniversary of the passing of Martha in the Cincinnati Zoo, the last Passenger Pigeon, marking the extinction of the species, due to hunting and habitat destruction. Also see Project Passenger Pigeon (Sept. 1).

* Mon., Sept. 1 (1939) - 75th Anniversary of the beginning of World War II (Sept. 1).

* Mon., Sept. 1 - Labor Day (Federal Holiday: U.S.A. - First Monday in September).

* Sept. 2 to 14 (1752) - Anniversary of adoption, by the British Empire including the American Colonies, of the Gregorian Calendar Reform: the Julian Calendar day of Wednesday, 1752 September 2 O.S. (Old System) was followed by the first day of the Gregorian Calendar, Thursday, 1752 September 14 N.S. (New System). The original Gregorian Calendar Reform occurred when Thursday,1582 October 4 O.S. was followed by Friday, 1582 October 15 N.S.. Gregorian Calendar enacted by the Roman Catholic Church to bring the calendar back into synchronization with the seasons (Sept. 2 to 14).

* Tue., Sept. 2 (1945) - Victory Over Japan Day / V-J Day (USA) - Day Japan formally surrendered, on Battleship USS Missouri, ending World War II (Sept. 2).
Celebrated on August 15 in the United Kingdom, for initial announcement of Japan's surrender (Sept. 2).

* Tue., Sept. 2, 7:11 a.m. EDT / 11:11 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Wed., Sept. 3 (1783) - Anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of Paris, which formally ended the American Revolutionary War (Sept. 3).

* Aug.8, 9, 10 weekend and September 5, 6, 7 weekend, 30 minutes before sunset - A Swift Night-Out - CITIZEN SCIENCE PROJECT to observe bird roosts of Chimney Swifts and Vaux's Swifts.
More on Citizen Science & Chimey Swifts (Second Weekend of August and of September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

* Fri., Sept. 5 - Venus at perihelion.

* Sat., Sept. 6 - International Vulture Awareness Day - Highlights an ecologically vital group of birds that face a range of threats, including possible extinction for certain species (First Saturday in September).

* Sat., Sept. 6, Evening - International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN).
More info.

* Sun., Sept. 7 - Grandparents Day (First Sunday after Labor Day).

* Mon., Sept. 8 - International Literacy Day (Sept. 8).

* Mon., Sept. 8 - Mid-Autumn Festival / Moon Festival - A popular harvest festival celebrated by Chinese and Vietnamese people, dating back over 3,000 years to Moon worship in China's Shang Dynasty. It is celebrated on the date close to the Autumnal Equinox of the Solar Calendar, as well as close to the Harvest Moon.

* Mon., Sept. 8, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 358,389 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coastlines.

* Mon., Sept. 8, 9:38 p.m. EDT / Sept. 9, 1:38 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Harvest Moon.
Some people consider the September Full Moon a so-called "Super Moon."

* Wed., Sept. 10 - Traditional peak in Atlantic Ocean Hurricane Season (Sept. 10).

* Wed., Sept. 10 - Swap Ideas Day (Sept. 10).

* Wed., Sept. 10 - World Suicide Prevention Day (Sept. 10).

* Wed., Sept. 10, 10:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 11, 2:00 UTC - Uranus 1.1 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: eastern region of Canada, Greenland, northern region of Siberia in Russia.

* Thur., Sept. 11 (2001) - Patriot Day - In commemoration of the 9/11 attacks in New York, Washington, and Shanksville, Pennsylvania in 2001 (Sept. 11).
Also 9 / 11 National Day of Service (Sept. 11).

* Thur., Sept. 11 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Sat., Sept. 13 - World First Aid Day (Second Saturday in September).

* Sept. 14 to 20 - International Book Week (third week of September).

* Sept. 14 to 20 - Child Passenger Safety Week (third week of September).

* Sun., Sept. 14 (1814) - Bicentennial Anniversary of the song, The Star Spangled Banner, which became America's National Anthem in 1931 (Sept.14).

* Sun., Sept. 14, 9:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 15, 1:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran, in the Constellation Taurus the Bull, 1.4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sept. 15 to 21 - Pollution Prevention Week.

* Mon., Sept. 15 - National Tell a Police Officer "Thank You!" Day (Sept. 15).

* Mon., Sept. 15, 10:05 p.m. EDT / Sept. 16, 2:05 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Sept. 16 to 18 - National Postal Customer Council Week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday of third week of September).

* Sept. 17 to 23 - Constitution Week promotes study and education about the U.S. Constitution which was originally adopted by the American Congress of the Confederation on September 17, 1787 (Sept. 17 to 23).

* Wed., Sept. 17 - Constitution Day or Citizenship Day - Commemorates the day of signing of the U.S. Constitution at the Constitutional Convention in 1787 (Sept. 17).

* Thur., Sept. 18 (1947) - Formation of the United States Air Force, as part of the National Security Act of 1947, which also included formation of the Department of Defense (DOD), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), National Security Council, and the Joint Chiefs of Staff (Sept. 18).

* Fri., Sept. 19 - 'No Text on Board' Pledge Day (TXTNG & DRIVNG...IT CAN WAIT) (Sept. 19).

* Sat., Sept. 20 - Software Freedom Day (Third Saturday in September).

* Sat., Sept. 20, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., Sept. 20, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,845 kilometers.

* Sat., Sept. 20, 9:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 21, 1:00 UTC - Mercury 0.6 degree south of Star Spica, in the Constellation Virgo the Virgin.

* Sept. 21 to 27 - Banned Books Week (BBW) - An annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment (Last week of September).

* Sun., Sept. 21 - World Alzheimer's Day (Sept. 21).

* Sun., Sept. 21 - International Day of Peace (Sept. 21).

* Sun., Sept. 21 - World Gratitude Day (Sept. 21).

* Sun., Sept. 21 - Zodiacal Light dimly visible in northern lattitudes in eastern sky, before morning twilight, for next two weeks (September, October).

* Mon., Sept. 22 - World Car-Free Day (Sept. 22).

* Mon., Sept. 22, 10:29 p.m. EDT / Sept. 23, 2:29 UTC - Autumnal Equinox; beginning of Season of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
Also see: Harvest Moon.

* Tue., Sept. 23 - Falls Prevention Awareness Day (First day of Fall: ~Sept. 22-23).

* Tue., Sept. 23 (1846) - Neptune first planet discovered by mathematical prediction (Sept. 23).

* Wed., Sept. 24, 2:14 a.m. EDT / 6:14 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation No. 1135.

* Wed., Sept. 24, Sunset - Rosh Hashanah - Jewish New Year (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 7:14 p.m. EDT): Link 1 *** Link 2.
Days in the Hebrew calendar begin at sunset. Although the Jewish calendar is based on the Lunar Cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a New Moon, since the Fourth Century it has been arranged so that Rosh Hashanah never falls on a Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday (although, by the Gregorian Calendar, it may look like the holiday begins on a Sunday, Wednesday, or Friday, by the Hebrew Calendar the next day actually begins at sunset).

* Thur., Sept. 25 - World Maritime Day (Last week in September).
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science displayed the largest Mercator's Projection Map of the World, originally produced by the U.S. Maritime Commission for display at the 1939 World's Fair in New York City.

* Thur., Sept. 25 - National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims (Sept. 25).

* Fri., Sept. 26 (1774) - Birth of pioneer nurseryman and conservationist Johnny Appleseed, who in his early years lived on Grant's Hill (near the present-day site of the 64-story U.S. Steel Building) in Downtown Pittsburgh (Sept. 26).

* Fri., Sept. 26, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Mercury 4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Sept. 27 - Museum Day Live! - Free admission to participating museums, with Museum Day ticket from the Smithsonian Magazine web site (Fourth Saturday in September).

* Sat., Sept. 27 - National Public Lands Day (Saturday in late September).

* Sat., Sept. 27, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Mars 3 degrees north of Star Antares, in the Constellation Scorpius the Scorpion.

* Sat., Sept. 27, 9:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 21, 1:00 UTC - Asteroid and Dwarf Planet 1 Ceres 0.1 degree north of the Moon; occultation: Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands, Fiji, Samoa, French Polynesia.

* Sun., Sept. 28 - World Rabies Day, marked on the anniversary of the death of Louis Pasteur (Sept. 28).

* Sun., Sept. 28 - The Right to Know Day (Sept. 28).

* Sun., Sept. 28 - World Heart Day (Last Sunday in September).

* Sun., Sept. 28 - Gold Star Mother's Day (Last Sunday in September).

* Sun., Sept. 28, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Saturn 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: East Asia, Japan, northeastern region of Russia, Hawaii.

* Sun., Sept. 28, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Asteroid 4 Vesta 0.5 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Portugal, Spain, North Africa, Middle East.

* Sun., Sept. 28, 6:39 p.m. EDT / 23:39 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Mon., Sept. 29, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Mars 6 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., Sept. 30 - Last day of U.S.A. Federal Fiscal Year (Sept. 30).

* Tue., Sept. 30 - Last day of calendar year Third Quarter (Sept. 30).

* Tue., Sept. 30 - National PrepareAthon ! Day - Day to emphasize preparation for disasters and emergencies (Sept. 30).

* Tue., Sept. 30 (1452) - Anniversary of the first publication of the Gutenberg Bible, the first major book published using movable type in the Western World (Sept. 30).

* Wed., Oct. 1 - First day of calendar year Fourth Quarter (Oct. 1).

* Wed., Oct. 1, 3:33 p.m. EDT / 19:33 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Fri., Oct. 3, Sunset - Yom Kippur the Hebrew Day of Atonement (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 6:59 p.m. EDT).
Days in the Hebrew calendar begin at sunset. The Jewish calendar is based on the Lunar Cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a New Moon.

* Oct. 4 to 15 (1582) - Anniversary of original Gregorian Calendar Reform: the Julian Calendar day Thursday,1582 October 4 O.S. (Old System) was followed by the first day of the Gregorian Calendar, Friday, 1582 October 15 N.S. (New System). The British Empire, including the American Colonies, adopted the Gregorian Calendar when Wednesday, 1752 September 2 O.S. was followed by Thursday, 1752 September 14. N.S. Gregorian Calendar enacted by Roman Catholic Church to bring the calendar back into synchronization with the seasons. (Oct. 4 to 15)

* Oct. 4 to 10 - World Space Week (Oct. 4 to 10).

* Sat., Oct. 4 (1957) - Anniversary of the beginning of the Space Age with the first successful launch and orbit of an artificial satellite, Sputnik 1, by the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (the country today known by their traditional name, Russia) (Oct. 4).

* Sat., May 10 & Sat., Oct. 4 - International Astronomy Day [Saturdays in Spring (Saturday in Astronomy Week) and Autumn]: Link 1 *** Link 2

* Oct. 5 to 11 - Fire Prevention Week (Week, from Sunday to Saturday, which includes October 9).

* Oct. 5 to 11 - National Metric Week [Week containing Oct. 10 (10-10)].

* Oct. 5 to 11 - Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) / Mental Health Awareness Week (First Full Week of October).

* Sun., Oct. 5 - World Teachers' Day (Oct. 5).

* Oct. 6 to 12 - Financial Planning Week (First week of October).

* Mon., Oct. 6 - U.S. Supreme Court begins new term (First Monday in October).

* Mon., Oct. 6, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 362,476 kilometers.

* Tue., Oct. 7, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Uranus at opposition (Uranus visible, with difficulty from a telescope, appox. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Wed., Oct. 8 - International Walk to School Day (Second Wed. in October).

* Wed., Oct. 8, 6:51 a.m. EDT / 10:51 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Hunter's Moon.

* Wed., Oct. 8, 6:54:36 a.m. EDT / 10:54:36 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for the second Total Eclipse of the Moon or Lunar Eclipse in 2014. This eclipse is visible in most of the world except Europe, Middle East, and Africa. In North America, the western portion will see the entire eclipse while sunlight brightens before the eclipse ends in the eastern portion of North America.
A lunar eclipse is completely safe to view with the naked-eyes, binoculars, or a telescope.
More Info ---
Blog of James Mullaney, former Buhl Planetarium Curator of Exhibits and Astronomy
Colorful Lunar Eclipse.

* Wed., Oct. 8, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Uranus 1.2 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: northeastern part of Asia, northern portion of Greenland, Arctic Ocean.

* Tue., Oct. 8, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of October Draconid Meteor Shower. (Oct. 8)

* Wed., Oct. 8, Sunset (to Wed., Oct. 15, Sunset) - Sukkot - Feast of Tabernacles of the Jewish faith begins Sunset Oct. 8 in Pittsburgh: 6:51 p.m. EDT).
Days in the Hebrew calendar begin at sunset. The Jewish calendar is based on the Lunar Cycle, so that the first day of each month originally began with the first sighting of a New Moon.

* Thur., Oct. 9 - Leif Erikson Day honors the Norse explorer who brought the first Europeans known to have set foot in North America (Oct. 9).

* Thur., Oct. 9 - Fire Prevention Day (Oct. 9).

* Fri., Oct. 10 - National Metric Day (10-10).

* Fri., Oct. 10 - World Mental Health Day (Oct. 10).

* Fri., Oct. 10 - National Depression Screening Day® (NDSD) (During Mental Illness Awareness Week).

* Fri., Oct. 10 - World Egg Day (Second Friday in October).
Also see: Embryology "Chick Hatching" Exhibit at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Oct. 12 to 18 - Earth Science Week (Second full week of October).

* Oct. 12 to 18 - Teen Read Week (Third Week of October).

* Sun., Oct. 12 - Chistopher Columbus Day (Oct. 12).

* Sun., Oct. 12 - Clergy Appreciation National Day of Honoring (Second Sunday in October).

* Sun., Oct. 12, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1.4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Mon., Oct. 13 - Chistopher Columbus Day Observed: Federal Holiday in U.S.A. (Second Monday in October).

* Mon., Oct. 13 - Thanksgiving Day: Federal Holiday in Canada (Second Monday in October).

* Tue., Oct. 14 - World Standards Day (Oct. 14).

* Tue., Oct. 14 - National Fossil Day.

* Tue., Oct. 14 (1947) - Chuck Yeager officially broke the sound barrier (Oct. 14).
In 2012, At Age 89, Chuck Yeager AGAIN Breaks Sound Barrier..

* Wed., Oct. 15 - Global Handwashing Day (Oct. 15).

* Wed., Oct. 15, 3:12 p.m. EDT / 19:12 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Thur., Oct. 16 - World Food Day / Food Engineer Day (Oct. 16).

* Thur., Oct. 16 - National Boss Day (Oct. 16, unless date falls on weekend, then closest working day to Oct. 16).

* Thur., Oct. 16 - Get Smart About Credit Day (Third Thursday in October).

* Thur., Oct. 16, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Oct. 17 to 31 - Great World Wide Star Count.

* Sat., Oct. 18 - Sweetest Day (Third Saturday in October).

* Sat., Oct. 18, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., Oct. 18, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,897 kilometers.

* Oct. 19 to 25 - National Chemistry Week (NCW).

* Oct. 19 to 25 - Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week (Third full week of October).

* Oct. 19 to 25 - National Teen Driver Safety Week (Third full week of October).

* Oct. 19 to 25 - National Legal Pro-Bono Celebration Week

* Oct. 19 to 25 - Open Access Week (Last full week of October).

* Oct. 20 to 24 - National School Bus Safety Week (Third Week in October).

* Mon., Oct. 20 - Zodiacal Light dimly visible in northern lattitudes in eastern sky, before morning twilight, for next two weeks (September, October).

* Mon., Oct. 20 - Average end of the Growing Season for the Pittsburgh Quad-State Region (Western Pennsylvania, Eastern Ohio, Northern West Virginia, and Western Maryland, except at the higher altitudes in the Allegheny Mountains) (Oct. 20).

* Tue., Oct. 21, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Orionid Meteor Shower - remnants from Halley's Comet. (Oct. 21)

* Wed., Oct. 22 - Diwali or Deepavali - Religious holiday of India; on the Hindu calendar, the five-day festival of Deepavali is centered on the New Moon day that ends the month of Ashwin and begins the month of Kartika.

* Thur., Oct. 23 - Day of San Juan - Swallows leave Mission San Juan Capistano, California (Oct. 23).

* Thur., Oct. 23, 5:44:31.4 p.m. EDT / 21:44:31.4 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for a Partial Eclipse of the Sun or Solar Eclipse, visible in most of North America and the eastern portion of the Pacific Ocean.
PERMANENT EYE DAMAGE CAN RESULT FROM LOOKING AT A SOLAR ECLIPSE WITHOUT PROPER PROTECTION:
SAFE WAY TO VIEW SOLAR ECLIPSE OR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN
More info: Blog of James Mullaney, former Buhl Planetarium Curator of Exhibits and Astronomy
SAFE PUBLIC VIEWING OF SOLAR ECLIPSE AT MT. LEBANON PUBLIC LIBRARY, ON EVE OF 75TH ANNIV. OF BUHL PLANETARIUM

* Thur., Oct. 23, 5:57 p.m. EDT / 21:57 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation No. 1136.

* Fri., Oct. 24 (1945) - Anniversary of the founding of United Nations (Oct. 24).

* Fri., Oct. 24, Sunset - Islamic New Year ( Muharram): Based on lunar calendar, but the New Moon must be observable ( astronomical considerations).

* Fri., Oct. 24 (1939), 8:30 p.m. EST / Oct. 25, 1:30 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1939) - 75th Anniversary of the dedication of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, with the historic Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, the oldest operable major planetarium projector in the world ! (presently on display as a non-working exhibit) (Oct. 24).

* Sat., Oct. 25 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Sat., Oct. 25, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Venus in superior conjunction with the Sun (Venus not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sat., Oct. 25 (1939), 10:00 a.m. EST / 15;00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1939) - 75th Anniversary of the public opening of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, with the historic Zeiss II Planetarium Projector, the oldest operable major planetarium projector in the world ! (presently on display as a non-working exhibit) (Oct. 25).

* Sat., Oct. 25, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Saturn 1.0 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northeastern part of Canada, southern portion of Greenland, central and western portions of Europe.

* Oct. 26 to Nov. 1 - National Bat Week.

* Sun., Oct. 26 - Mother-in-Law Day (Fourth Sunday in October).

* Sun., Oct. 26, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME CONTINUES - Change in Federal law, thus that return to Standard Time occurs 2:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (which becomes 1:00 a.m. Standard Time) on the first Sunday in November (previously, last Sunday in October).
Science of Daylight Saving Time (Last Sunday in October, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time).

* Sun., Oct. 26, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Asteroid 2 Pallas in conjunction with the Sun (Pallas not visible, even with a telescope).

* Tue., Oct. 28, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Mars 7 degrees south of the Moon.

* Wed., Oct. 29 (1969) - 45th Anniversary of the connection of the first two nodes of the ARPANET, which led to the formation of the Internet (Oct. 29).

* Thur., Oct. 30 (1938), 9:00 p.m. EDT (8:00 p.m. EST in 1938) - Anniversary of the CBS Radio Network broadcast of Orson Welles' radio adaptation of the H.G. Wells science-fiction novel, The War of the Worlds, which caused a panic among some American listeners who thought the Earth was actually being invaded by beings from the Planet Mars.

* Thur., Oct. 30, 10:48 p.m. EDT / Oct. 31, 2:48 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Fri., Oct. 31 / Sat., Nov. 1 / Sun., Nov. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Samhain or "All-Hallowsmas", better known as Halloween (Oct. 31 - "All Hallows Eve"), All-Saints Day (Nov. 1), All-Souls Day (Nov. 2) (fourth and last traditional cross-quarter day of year).

* Fri., Oct. 31 - Reformation Day (Oct. 31).

* Sun., Nov. 2, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS - Change in Federal law thus that return to Standard Time occurs 2:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (which becomes 1:00 a.m. Standard Time) (First Sunday in November, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time).
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Thur., Nov. 6, 7:46 p.m. EST / Nov. 7, 0:46 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Fri., Oct. 31 / Sat., Nov. 1 / Sun., Nov. 2 - Traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Samhain or "All-Hallowsmas", better known as Halloween (Oct. 31 - "All Hallows Eve"), All-Saints Day (Nov. 1), All-Souls Day (Nov. 2) (fourth and last traditional cross-quarter day of year).

* Sun., Nov. 2, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time (Daylight Saving Time) - DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME ENDS - Change in Federal law thus that return to Standard Time occurs 2:00 a.m. Daylight Saving Time (which becomes 1:00 a.m. Standard Time) (First Sunday in November, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time).
Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., Nov. 2 (1920), 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1920) - First broadcast of the world's first commercial radio broadcast station: KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh (Nov. 2).

* Sun., Nov. 2, 7:00 p.m. EST / Nov. 3, 0:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 367,878 kilometers

* Mon., Nov. 3, 1:00 a.m. EST / 6:00 UTC - Mercury 5 degrees north of Star Spica.

* Tue., Nov. 4 - General Election Day - Pennsylvania Election Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST (First Tuesday after the first Monday of November).

* Tue., Nov. 4, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Uranus 1.3 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: Iceland, northern portion of Greenland.

* Wed., Nov. 5 (1605) - Guy Fawkes Day is celebrated in England for the failed plot to blow-up Britain's Houses of Parliament and kill King James I (originally James VI of Scotland) in 1605. Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie considered this event so important, that several of the public libraries he constructed were dedicated on November 5 ! (Nov. 5).

* Wed., Nov. 5, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of South Taurid Meteor Shower (Nov. 5).

* Thur., Nov. 6, 5:23 p.m. EST / 22:23 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon ( Beaver Moon).

* Thur., Nov. 6, 7:46 p.m. EST / Nov. 7, 0:46 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Fri., Nov. 7, 1:00 p.m. EST (Note: Daylight Saving Time was not observed in November until 2007, long after Buhl Planetarium closed as public museum in 1991) - First Friday in November was annual opening of very popular Miniature Railroad and Village (beginning of "Railroad Season") exhibit at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (First Friday in November).

* Sat., Nov. 8 - International Day of Radiology: X-Rays discovered in 1895. Although several scientists, including Nikola Tesla, observed and studied this unusual radiation in the last part of the nineteenth century, credit for discovery is usually given to German physicist Wilhelm Röntgen because he was the first to systematically study the phenomenon (Nov. 8).

* Sat., Nov. 8 - Carl Sagan Day (Saturday closest to Nov. 9, birthday of Carl Sagan).

* Sat., Nov. 8 - Beginning of Project FeederWatch, annual Citizen Science Project: Winter-long survey of birds that visit feeders at backyards, nature centers, community areas, and other locales in North America. Allows the general public to help scientists track broadscale movements of Winter bird populations and long-term trends in bird distribution and abundance (Second Saturday in November).

* Sat., Nov. 8, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1.4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Nov. 10 to 14 - Winter Safety Awareness Week (November).

* Mon., Nov. 10 (1775) - United States Marine Corps (USMC) established. (Nov. 10)

* Tue., Nov. 11 - Veterans' Day / Armistice Day (Nov. 11 - U.S.A.; also, when Nov. 11 falls on Saturday or Sunday, the Observed Government Holiday falls on the weekday before or after Nov. 11).

* Tue., Nov. 11 - Remembrance Day (Nov. 11 - Canada).

* Wed., Nov. 12, 11:00 a.m. EST / 16:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of North Taurid Meteor Shower (Nov. 12).

* Fri., Nov. 14 - World Diabetes Day (Nov.14).

* Fri., Nov. 14, 10:15 a.m. EST / 15:15 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Fri., Nov. 14, 2:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Fri., Nov. 14, 9:00 p.m. EST / Nov. 15, 2:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,336 kilometers.

* Sat., Nov. 15 - America Recycles Day (Nov. 15).

* Sat., Nov. 15 - National Philanthropy Day® (Nov. 15).

* Julian Calendar: Nov. 15 - Beginning of Orthodox Advent (Julian Calendar: Nov. 15) - Orthodox churches use the Julian Calendar and celebrate Advent for 40 days.

* Sun., Nov. 16 - International Day for Tolerance (Nov. 16).

* Nov. 16 to 22 - Winter Safety Awareness Week: Ohio.

* Nov. 16 to 22 - American Education Week.

* Nov. 16 to 22 - National Rural Health Week.

* Mon., Nov. 17, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Leonid Meteor Shower (Nov. 17).

* Tue., Nov. 18 - African Statistics Day (ASD) (Nov. 18).

* Tue., Nov. 18 - Parents Day of American Education Week (Tuesday of American Education Week).

* Tue., Nov. 18, 4:00 a.m. EST / 9:00 UTC - Saturn in conjunction with the Sun (Saturn not visible, even with a telescope).

* Tue., Nov. 18, 12:00 Noon Standard Time (1883) - Anniversary of the establishment of standard time zones by American and Canadian railroads, when Pittsburgh's Allegheny Observatory sent a time-signal over the telegraph, to coordinate all railroad station clocks. (Nov. 18).
Also see history of new Allegheny Observatory building.

* Wed., Nov. 19 (1941) - Anniversary: Dedication of The People's Observatory on the third floor of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science, with the rather unique 10-inch Siderostat-type Refractor Telescope (Nov. 19).

* Wed., Nov. 19 (1958) - Anniversary: Federal formation of the National Radio Quiet Zone, providing for radio research at the National Radio Astronomy Observatory in Green Bank, West Virginia (Nov. 19).

* Wed., Nov. 19 (1863) - Anniversary: Gettysburg Address presented by U.S. President Abraham Lincoln for the Consecration of the National Cemetery at Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, during the American Civil War (Nov. 19).
See also Civil War Museum of the Andrew Carnegie Free Library and Music Hall.

* Wed., Nov. 19 - World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day (Third Wednesday in November).

* Wed., Nov. 19 - Education Support Professionals Day of American Education Week (Wednesday of American Education Week).

* Thur., Nov. 20 - Universal Children's Day (Nov. 20).

* Thur., Nov. 20 - "Great American Smokeout," to assist people to quit smoking (Third Thursday in November).

* Thur., Nov. 20 - National Rural Health Day (Thursday of National Rural Health Week).

* Fri., Nov. 21 - Substitute Educators Day of American Education Week (Friday of American Education Week).

* Fri., Nov. 21, evening - Pittsburgh Golden Triangle Light-Up Night, beginning of holiday shopping season; includes evening of downtown buildings lit-up and fireworks (Friday evening before Thanksgiving Day).

* Sat., Nov. 22 - National Adoption Day (Traditionally, Saturday before Thanksgiving Day - However, moved to Nov. 15 for 2008 not to conflict with 45th anniversary of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy on November 22.).

* Sat., Nov. 22, 7:32 a.m. EST / 12:32 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1137.

* Sat., Nov. 22 (1963), 12:30 p.m. CST (1:30 p.m. EST) / 18:30 UTC - Anniversary of the Assassination of John F. Kennedy, 35th President of the United States of America, in Dallas' Dealey Plaza, the man who sent us to the Moon.

* Tue., Nov. 25 (1835) - Industrialist and philanthropist Andrew Carnegie born in Dunfermline, Scotland; immigrated to Pittsburgh in 1848 (Nov. 25).

* Wed., Nov. 26 (1758) - Anniversary: Founding of Pittsburgh by British General John Forbes, who originally named the town "Pittsborough," named in honor of British Secretary of State William Pitt the Elder (Nov. 26).

* Wed., Nov. 26 - Shopping Reminder Day (Yes, a specially-designated day!) (Nov. 26).

* Wed., Nov. 26, 5:00 a.m. EST / 10:00 UTC - Mars 7 degrees south of the Moon.

* Nov. 27 to Dec. 1 - Thanksgiving Holiday Weekend (Thanksgiving Day through following Monday).
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science scheduled expanded public hours during this holiday weekend --
Thursday, Friday, Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Friday - Observatory to 10:30 p.m.) EST
Sunday: 12:00 Noon to 9:30 p.m. EST
Monday: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST

* Thur., Nov. 27 (1861) - First light for 13-inch Fitz Refractor Telescope (then, third largest telescope in the world !), at original Allegheny Observatory in Allegheny City (which was annexed to Pittsburgh in 1907 and now Pittsburgh's North Side), Pennsylvania (Nov. 27).
Also see history of new Allegheny Observatory building.

* Thur., Nov. 27 - Thanksgiving Day: Link 1 *** Link 2 (Fourth Thursday in November - U.S.A.).

* Thur., Nov. 27, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 369,827 kilometers.

* Fri., Nov. 28 - "Black Friday" - Was one of the busiest days of the year (sometimes the busiest !) at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (Day after Thanksgiving Day, U.S.A.).

* Sat., Nov. 29 - Small Business Saturday (Saturday after Black Friday).

* Sat., Nov. 29, 5:06 a.m. EST / 10:06 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sun., Nov. 30 - Computer Security Day (Nov. 30).

* Sun., Nov. 30 - First Sunday in Advent (Traditional) (First of four Sundays in Advent prior to Christmas Day).

* Sun., Nov. 30 - St Andrew's Day (Nov. 30).

* Sun., Nov. 30 - Last day of Hurricane Season (Nov. 30).

* December marks 75 years after the beginning of the classic, "Star of Bethlehem" planetarium sky drama at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science. This traditional, holiday sky show, which provides possible, astronomical explanations for the star that guided the Three Wisemen to the Christ child, has been shown at Buhl Planetarium every Christmas season since 1939, and it is being shown this month at the Henry Buhl, Jr. Planetarium and Observatory at The Carnegie Science Center under the title, "The Christmas Star." This graphic was used to promote the show in Buhl's monthly, public newsletter, during Buhl Planetarium's 50th anniversary in 1989. More on this historic sky show, including a complete copy of the 1979 show script.

* Mon., Dec. 1 - Cyber Monday (Monday after Black Friday).

* Mon., Dec. 1 - Pennsylvania: First day of Deer (Antlered and Antlerless) Hunting Season by Rifle (Monday after Thanksgiving Day).
[Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science scheduled expanded public hours on this day (9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST), as some school districts were closed this day.]

* Mon., Dec. 1 - First day of Meteorological Winter (Dec. 1).

* Mon., Dec. 1 - Beginning of Summer Season in Australia (Dec. 1).

* Mon., Dec. 1 (1964) - 50th Anniversary of the Tripoli Rocket Club, now known as the Tripoli Rocketry Association , was founded in Rillton, Pennsylvania near Irwin, Pennsylvania, in the Pittsburgh Metropolitan Area. Francis G. Graham, today Professor Emeritus of Physics at Kent State University, was one of the key founders (Dec. 1).

* Mon., Dec. 1 - World AIDS Day (Dec. 1).

* Mon., Dec. 1, 7:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 2, 0:00 UTC - Uranus 1.2 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: Western Canada, Eastern Alaska, Arctic Region.

* Tue., Dec. 2 - Giving Tuesday - Day for people to donate time and/or money to needy charities, following the Thanksgiving Weekend beginning of the holiday shopping season (Tuesday after Black Friday).

* Wed., Dec. 3 - International Day of Persons with Disabilities (Dec. 3).

* Thur., Dec. 4, 7:05 a.m. EST / 12:05 UTC - Scheduled first test launch of NASA's Orion Deep-Space Vehicle. Live coverage via Internet web-cast at Mt. Lebanon Public Library in south suburban Pittsburgh, 9:00 am. to 12:30 p.m.

* Fri., Dec. 5 - International Volunteer Day (IVD) (Dec. 5).

* Sat., Dec. 6 - Feast of Saint Nicholas (Traditional: Gregorian Calendar) (Dec. 6).

* Sat., Dec. 6, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1.4 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Dec. 6, 7:27 a.m. EST / 12:27 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Cold Moon or Long-Nights Moon).

* Sat., Dec. 6, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - 1st Anniversary of the dedication of the Southwestern Pennsylvania World War II Memorial located near other memorials, remembering veterans of the Korea and Vietnam conflicts, in the Roberto Clemente North Shore Riverfront Park, a few blocks southwest of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Dec. 7 to 13 - National Handwashing Awareness Week (First full week of December).

* Dec. 7 to 13 - National Influenza Vaccination Week.

* Sun., Dec. 7 (1941) - Anniversary of Japanese surprise attack on American Naval Fleet, leading to American entry into World War II: Pearl Harbor Day (Dec. 7).

* Dec. 8 to 14 - Computer Science Education Week.

* Mon., Dec. 8 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Mon., Dec. 8, 5:00 a.m. EST / 10:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Mon., Dec. 8, 11:20 p.m. EST / Dec. 9, 4:20 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Tue., Dec. 9, 7:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 10, 0:00 UTC - Asteroid / Dwarf Planet Ceres in conjunction with the Sun (Ceres not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., Dec. 10 - Human Rights Day (Dec. 10).

* Thur., Dec. 11, 11:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 12, 4:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Fri., Dec. 12 - Mars at perihelion.

* Fri., Dec. 12, 12:16 p.m. EST / 17:16 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Fri., Dec. 12, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,581 kilometers.

* Sat., Dec. 13 - Feast of Saint Lucy celebrated on the longest night of the year of the Juilian Calendar, prior to Gregorian calendar reform (Dec. 13).

* 2014 Dec. 14 to 2015 Jan. 5 - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count (Dec. 14 to Jan. 5).

* Sun., Dec. 14 - Beginning of two-week period, centering on the Winter Solstice: Halcyon Days of December, when it is believed the seas would be calm and winds light (Dec. 14).

* Sun., Dec. 14, 7:00 a.m. EST / 12:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Geminid Meteor Shower (Dec. 13 to 14).

* Sun., Dec. 14, 7:51 a.m. EST / 12:51 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Mon., Dec. 15 (1791) - Anniversary of the ratification of the Bill of Rights amendments to the Constitution of the United States of America (Dec. 15).

* Dec. 16, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 4:54 p.m. EST) to Dec. 24 - Hanukkah or Chanukah (Jewish festival of rededication, also known as the Festival of Lights.); date of Hanukkah based on the Hebrew calendar, which is a lunisolar calendar.

* Tue., Dec. 16, 1:12 a.m. EST / 6:12 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Wed., Dec. 17 - Beginning of ancient, week-long Roman festival of Saturnalia, which marked the end of the Autumn harvest and beginning of Winter planting; known for gift giving and feasting (Dec. 17).

* Wed., Dec. 17 - Wright Brothers Day, commemorating the first powered flight of a man in 1903, credited to the Wright Brothers (Dec. 17).

* Thur., Dec. 18 - Free Shipping Day by Internet merchants for delivery of Christmas gifts by Christmas Eve (Third week in December).

* Fri., Dec. 19 - Feast of Saint Nicholas (Orthodox: Julian Calendar) (Dec. 19).

* Fri., Dec. 19, 4:00 p.m. EST / 21:00 UTC - Saturn 1.5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Dec. 21 to Jan. 1 - Christmas Day / New Year's Day Holiday Week (approx. Christmas Day to New Year's Day, including adjacent weekends).
Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science scheduled expanded public hours during this holiday week --
Monday through Saturday: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. (Friday - Observatory to 10:30 p.m.) EST
Sunday:12:00 Noon to 9:30 p.m. EST
EXCEPT -
Christmas Day: Closed
Christmas Eve, New Year's Eve: 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST (If Sunday, opened at 12:00 Noon)
New Year's Day: 9:00 a.m. to 9:30 p.m. EST (If Sunday, opened at 12:00 Noon)

* Sun., Dec. 21 - Homeless Persons' Memorial Day - The first day of winter. The longest night of the year (Dec. 21).

* Sun., Dec. 21, 6:03 p.m. EST / 23:03 UTC - Winter Solstice: beginning of Winter season in Earth's Northern Hemisphere (~Dec. 21).
Also see: "The Stars of Winter" and "The Star of Bethlehem" Planetarium Sky Dramas (web sites include entire planetarium show scripts), performed each Winter in the Theater of the Stars of Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Sun., Dec. 21, 8:36 p.m. EST / Dec. 22, 1:36 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation #1138.

* Mon., Dec. 22, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of the Ursid Meteor Shower (Dec. 22).

* Tue., Dec. 23, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC - Venus 6 degrees south of the Moon.

* Wed., Dec. 24 - Eve of Christmas Day (Traditional) (Dec. 24).

* Wed., Dec. 24 (1968), 4:59 a.m. EST / 9:59 UTC - Anniversary of the first manned space flight to enter orbit of another planetary body (Earth's Moon): Apollo 8 (Dec. 24).

* Wed., Dec. 24, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 364,797 kilometers.

* 2014 Dec. 25 to 2015 Jan. 5 - The 12 days of Christmas (Dec. 25).

* Thur., Dec. 25 - Christmas Day (Traditional) or Feast of the Nativity (Dec. 25).
The classic "Star of Bethlehem" Planetarium Sky Drama performed every Christmas holiday season, 1939 through 1990, in the Theater of the Stars at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

* Thur., Dec. 25 - Winter Solstice according to ancient calendars (Dec. 25).

* Thur., Dec. 25, 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 UTC - Mars 6 degrees south of the Moon.

* 2014 Dec. 26 to 2015 Jan. 1 - Kwanzaa - Week-long holiday observance honoring African-American heritage (Dec. 26).

* Fri., Dec. 26 - Boxing Day (Dec. 26).

* Fri., Dec. 26 - Feast of St. Stephen (Dec. 26).

* Fri., Dec. 26 - Venus at aphelion.

* Sun., Dec. 28, 1:31 p.m. EST / 18:31 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Mon., Dec. 29, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC - Uranus 1.0 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Japan, northeastern portion of Russia, Arctic Ocean, northern portion of Canada, Alaska.

* Wed., Dec. 31 - Make Up Your Mind Day (Dec. 31).

* Wed., Dec. 31 - Eve of New Year's Day (Traditional) (Dec. 31).

* Wed., Dec. 31, 7:00:00 p.m. EST / Jan. 1, 00:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time marking the beginning of the New Year (A.D. 2015) by the Coordinated Universal Time scale, the time scale used by many scientists (Dec. 31).

* Thur., 2015 Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight (00:00:00) Prevailing Time / 5:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time which correlates with 12:00:00 Midnight EST - New Year's Day: Calendar Year A.D. 2015 begins (Jan. 1).