* Mon., 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: 7:26 a.m. EST / 12:26 UTC) .
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Wed., Feb. 4, 5:54 a.m. EST / 10:54 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.

* Fri., March 20, 6:45 p.m. EDT / 22:45 UTC - Vernal Equinox - Season of Spring begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere: beginning of New Year (solar calendar) in Afghanistan and Iran. (~March 20)

* Fri., 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.

* Wed., May 6, 3:41 a.m. EDT / 7:41 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 (~May 5-6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sun., June 21, 12:38 p.m. EDT / 16:38 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.

* Sat., 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. 7, 8:29 a.m. EDT / 12:29 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.

* Wed., Sept. 23, 4:20 a.m. EDT / 8:20 UTC - Autumnal Equinox - Season of Autumn begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. (~Sept. 22)
Also see: Harvest Moon.

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

* Sat., Oct. 31 / Sun., Nov. 1 / Mon., 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).

* Sat., Nov. 7, 1:34 a.m. EST / 6:34 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6-7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

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

* Mon., Dec. 21, 11:48 p.m. EST / Dec. 22, 4:48 UTC - Winter Solstice - Season of Winter begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere. (~Dec. 21-22)
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 7524 Begins Sept. 14.
Jewish Year (A.M.) 5776 Begins at Sunset, Sept. 24.
Chinese Year of the Sheep 4713 Begins Feb. 19.
Roman A.U.C. (Dates from the founding of the City of Rome) Year 2768 Begins Jan. 14.
Nabonassar Year 2764 Begins April 23.
Japanese (Heisei) Period or Era 27 Begins January 1.
Grecian Year (Selucidae) 2327 Begins Sept. 14 (or Oct. 14).
Indian Year (Saka) 1937 Begins March 22.
Diocletian Era (Era of the Martyrs) Year 1732 Begins Sept. 11.
Islamic (Hegira) Year 1437 Begins at first viewing of lunar crescent (New Moon) on evening of Oct. 14.

* Wed., 2014 Dec. 31 - Eve of New Year's Day (Traditional). (Dec. 31)

* Wed., 2014 Dec. 31, 7:00:00 p.m. EST - 00:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) marking the beginning of the New Year (A.D. 2015) by the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) 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 (UTC) which corresponds with 12:00:00 Midnight EST) - New Year's Day: Calendar Year A.D. 2015 begins. (Jan. 1)

* Thur., Jan. 1 - 2015: Beginning of the International Year of Light and Light-based Technologies (IYL 2015).

* Thur., Jan. 1 - 2015: Beginning of the International Year of Evaluation of public policies & programs.

* Thur., 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)

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

* Thur., 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)

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

* Fri., Jan. 2, 6:35 a.m. EST / 11:35 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1.5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Jan. 3, 8:51 p.m. EST / Jan. 4, 1:51 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Quadrantid Meteor Shower. (Jan. 3 to 4)

* Sun., Jan. 4, 3:59 a.m. EST / 8:59 UTC - Earth at perihelion (closest Earth approach to the Sun in New Year): 0.98328 Astronomical Units (AU) (one Astronomical Unit is the average distance between the Earth and the Sun) (Jan. 3 to 4).

* Sun., Jan. 4, 11:53 p.m. EST / Jan. 5, 4:53 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Wolf Moon).

* Mon., Jan. 5 - National Bird Day (Jan. 5).

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

* Tue., 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).

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

* Thur., Jan. 8 (1851) - French physicist Jean Leon Foucault develops a simple device to finally demonstrate and prove that the Earth rotates on its axis: Foucault Pendulum (Jan. 8).

* Thur., Jan. 8, 3:16 a.m. EST / 8:16 UTC - Jupiter 5.1 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 8, 8:34 p.m. EST / Jan. 9, 1:34 UTC - Star Regulus 4.1 degrees north of the Moon.

* Fri., Jan. 9, 1:17 p.m. EST / 17:17 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,411 kilometers.

* Sat., Jan. 10, 8:00 p.m. EST / Jan. 11, 1:00 UTC - Venus 0.6 degree north of Mercury.

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

* Jan. 11 to 17 - Winter Driving Awareness Week.

* Jan. 11 to 20, - CITIZEN SCIENCE: Monthly 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. 13 - New Year's Eve, according to the Julian Calendar (Jan. 13).

* Tue., Jan. 13, 4:27 a.m. EST / 9:27 UTC - Star Spica 3.1 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., Jan. 13, 4:47 a.m. EST / 9:47 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Wed., Jan. 14 - Beginning of the New Year, according to the Julian Calendar (Jan. 14).

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

* Fri., Jan. 16, 6:52 a.m. EST / 11:52 UTC - Saturn 1.9 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., Jan. 16, 10:53 to 11:58 p.m. EST / Jan. 17, 3:53 to 4:58 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons: Io and Europa) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Mon., Jan. 19 - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (Observed - USA: Third Monday in January): Birth of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: 1929 Jan. 15.

* Tue., Jan. 20, 8:14 a.m. EST / 13:14 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1139.

* Tue., Jan. 20, ~3:00 p.m. EST / ~20:00 UTC - Mars passes 0.2 degree from Neptune.

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

* Wed., Jan. 21, 12:39 p.m. EST / 17:39 UTC - Mercury 3.0 degrees south of the Moon.

* Wed., Jan. 21, 3:06 p.m. EST / 20:06 UTC - Moon at perigee: 359,600 kilometers.

* Wed., Jan. 21, 4:00 p.m. EST / 21:00 UTC - Mercury at perihelion.

* Wed., Jan. 21, 7:01 p.m. EST / Jan. 22, 0:01 UTC - Venus 5.6 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., Jan. 22, 11:40 p.m. EST / Jan. 23, 4:40 UTC - Mars 3.9 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Jan. 24, 1:26 to 1:54 a.m. EST / Jan. 17, 6:26 to 6:54 UTC - Triple-shadow (shadows of 3 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Jan. 26 to Feb. 1 - National Drug Facts Week.

* Mon., Jan. 26, 11:48 p.m. EST / Jan. 27, 4:48 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

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

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

* Wed., 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).

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

* Thur., Jan. 29, 12:07 p.m. EST / 17:07 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1.3 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: Arctic region. This is the first of 13 occultations of the Star Aldebaran by the Moon in 2015.

* Fri., Jan. 30, 8:40 a.m. EST / 13:40 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

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

* Sun., 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).

* Sun., Feb. 1 (1865) - National Freedom Day -Date in 1865 when U.S. President Abraham Lincoln signed a resolution proposing the Thirteenth Amendment to the United States Constitution prohibiting slavery.

* Sun., Feb. 1, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC - Venus 0.8 degree south of Neptune.

* Mon., 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: 7:26 a.m. EST / 12:26 UTC) .
Actual Cross-Quarter Day.

* Tue., Feb. 3, 6:09 p.m. EST / 23:09 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Snow Moon).

* Wed., Feb. 4, 4:00 a.m. EST / 9:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., Feb. 4, 5:54 a.m. EST / 10:54 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.

* Wed., 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)

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

* Fri., Feb. 6 - National Wear Red Day - Go Red for Women movement to heart disease in women (American Heart Association). (First Friday in Feb.)

* Fri., Feb. 6 - Zodiacal Light visible, with difficulty, after evening twilight in the western sky of the Northern Hemisphere, for the next two weeks (February, March).

* Fri., Feb. 6, 1:00 a.m. EST / 6:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,150 kilometers.

* Fri., Feb. 6, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Jupiter at opposition (Jupiter rises approx. local sunset and sets approx. local sunrise).

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

* Feb. 9 to 18, 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. 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.

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

* Wed., Feb. 11, 10:50 p.m. EST / Feb. 12, 3:50 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Thur., 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.

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

* Thur., Feb. 12, 7:00 p.m. EST / Feb. 13, 0:00 UTC - Saturn 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri. through Mon., Feb. 13, 14, 15, 16 - CITIZEN SCIENCE: The Great Backyard Bird Count weekend.

* Fri., Feb. 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).

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

* Sun., Feb. 15 (1564) - Anniversary of the birth of Italian Astronomer Galileo Galilei (Feb. 15).

* Mon., Feb. 16 - 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. 17 - Shrove Tuesday / Fat Tuesday (Day before Ash Wednesday).

* Tue., Feb. 17, 1:00 a.m. EST / 6:00 UTC - Mercury 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Wed., Feb. 18 - Ash Wednesday, the beginning of Lent (46 days before Easter Sunday).

* Wed., 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)

* Wed., Feb. 18, 6:47 p.m. EST / 23:47 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1140.
Large Tides predicted, due to close proximity to Feb. 19 lunar perigee (for 2015, second-closest New or Full Moon to Earth).
Also a so-called "Black Moon", due to being third New Moon in a calendar season with four New Moons.

* Thur., Feb. 19 - Chinese New Year, based on a lunisolar calendar of which dates indicate both the moon phase and the time of the solar year. This marks the beginning of the Chinese Year of the Goat.

* Thur., Feb. 19, 2:00 a.m. EST / 7:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 356,994 kilometers.
Large Tides predicted..

* Fri., 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)

* Fri., Feb. 20, 8:00 p.m. EST / Feb. 21, 1:00 UTC - Venus 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* Fri., Feb. 20, 8:00 p.m. EST / Feb. 21, 1:00 UTC - Mars 1.5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Feb. 21, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Venus 0.5 degree south of Mars.

* Sat., Feb. 21, 5:00 p.m. EST / 22:00 UTC - Uranus 0.3 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Northern Polynesia, most of USA (except northwest), Mexico.

* Feb. 22 to 28 - National Engineers Week (Third or fourth week of Feb.).

* Feb. 22 to 28 - Montessori Education Week (Last week of Feb.).

* Sun., 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.

* Feb. 23 to 28 - America Saves Week (Last week of Feb.).

* Tue., Feb. 24 (1914) - Anniversary of the concept of the Projection Planetarium.

* Wed., Feb. 25, 12:14 p.m. EST / 17:14 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Wed., Feb. 25, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Alaska, northwestern portion of Canada, far north of Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavian countries.

* Thur., Feb. 26 - Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day (Thursday of National Engineering Week).

* Thur., Feb. 26, 12:00 a.m. EST / 5:00 UTC - Neptune in conjunction with the Sun (Neptune not visible, even with a telescope).

* Thur., Feb. 26, 2:36 p.m. EST / 19:36 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

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

* Sun., 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.

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

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

* Sun. 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.

* March 1 to 7 - National Consumer Protection Week (First full week of March).

* March 2 to 8 - National Sleep Awareness Week® (last day of week coincides, each year, with conversion to Daylight Saving Time).

* Mon., March 2 - 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 3, 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Wed., 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)

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

* Wed., March 4, 2:00 p.m. EST / 19:00 UTC - Venus 0.1 degree north of Uranus.

* Thur., March 5, 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,384 kilometers.

* Thur., March 5, 1:05 p.m. EST / 18:05 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Worm Moon).
Smallest Full Moon in 2015, due to lunar apogee 10 hours earlier.

* Fri., March 6 - Employee Appreciation Day. (First Friday of March)

* Fri., March 6 - Mercury at aphelion.

* March 8 to 14 - Teen Tech Week.

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

* Sun., March 8 - Zodiacal Light visible, with difficulty, after evening twilight in the western sky of the Northern Hemisphere, for the next two weeks (February, March).

* Sun., March 8, 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.

* March 9 to 13 - Open Education Week.

* March 11 to 20, - 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.

* Wed., March 11, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Mars 0.3 degree north of Uranus.

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

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

* Thur., March 12, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Saturn 2 degrees south of the Moon.

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

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

* Fri., March 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., March 13, 1:48 p.m. EDT / 17:48 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

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

* March 15 to 21 - Wildfire Prevention Week [Pennsylvania: Spring, Autumn].

* Sun., March 15 - Good Deeds Day (Sunday in March).

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

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

* March 16 to 22 - Fix-a-Leak Week (U.S. Environmental Protection Agency).

* Mon., 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).

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

* Tue., March 17, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Mercury 1.6 degrees south of Neptune.

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

* Thur., March 19, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Mercury 5 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., March 19, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 357,584 kilometers.
Large tides predicted, due to New Moon / Total Eclipse of the Moon 13.5 hours later.

* March 20 to April 12 - Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC (Vernal Equinox to early April).

* Fri., March 20, 5:36 a.m. EDT / 9:36 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1141.
Due to lunar perigee 13.5 hours earlier, this New Moon is considered, by some, a "Super Moon," as large tides are predicted.

* Fri., March 20, 5:45:39.1 a.m. EDT / 9:45:39.1 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for Total Eclipse of the Sun / Total Solar Eclipse in the North Atlantic Ocean. Partial Eclipse of the Sun / Partial Solar Eclipse visible in Europe, North Africa, and western Asia.
SAFE WAY TO VIEW SOLAR ECLIPSE OR ECLIPSE OF THE SUN.

* Fri., March 20, 6:45 p.m. EDT / 22:45 UTC - Vernal Equinox - Spring Season begins in Northern Hemisphere of Earth (~March 20).
Beginning of New Year (Solar Calendar) in Afghanistan and Iran / Persia (Nowruz) and Bahá'í Naw-Rúz, one of nine holy days of the Bahá'í Faith.

* March 21 to May 10 - National Kite Month (April plus some days in March and May) .

* Sat., March 21, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Uranus 0.1 degree south of the Moon; occultation: most eastern section of Brazil, central portion of Africa, Middle East, western portion of Asia.

* Sat., March 21, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Mars 1 degree north of the Moon; occultaltion: part of western section of Antarctica, southwestern section of South America.

* March 22 to 28 - Tsunami Preparedness Week.

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

* Sun., March 22, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Venus 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* March 23 to 27 - National Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

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

* Wed., 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).

* Wed., 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).

* Wed., March 25, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.9 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Kazakhstan, Russia, northeastern portion of Scandinavia, extreme northeastern portion of China, northern portion of Greenland, northwestern section of Canada, Alaska.

* Fri., March 27, 3:43 a.m. EDT / 7:43 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sat., March 28, 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).

* March 29 to April 4 - National Week of the Ocean.

* March 29 to April 5 - Holy Week (Week of Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday; Traditionally, also including Easter Sunday, and possibly including Easter Monday).

* Sun., March 29 - Palm Sunday (Sunday before Easter Sunday).

* Mon., March 30, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Jupiter 6 degrees north of the Moon.

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

* March 20 to April 12 - Annual National Cherry Blossom Festival, Washington DC.

* March 21 to May 10 - National Kite Month (April plus some days in March and May) .

* March 29 to April 5 - Holy Week (Week of Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday; Traditionally, also including Easter Sunday, and possibly including Easter Monday).

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

* Wed., April 1 - April Fools' Day (April 1).

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

* Wed., April 1 (1954) - 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 1 - Holy Wednesday (Wednesday before Easter Sunday).

* Wed., April 1 - National Walking Day (First Wednesday of April).

* Wed., April 1, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,012 kilometers.

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

* Thur., April 2 - Maundy Thursday / Holy Thursday (Thursday before Easter Sunday).

* Fri., April 3 - Good Friday (Friday before Easter Sunday).

* Fri., April 3 (1513) - Anniversary of the Discovery of Florida by Ponce de Leon (April 3).

* April 3, local sunset to April 11, local sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh - April 3: 7:46 p.m. EDT / 23:46 UTC; April 11: 7:55 p.m. EDT / 23:55 UTC) - Jewish festival of Passover.

* April 4 to 12 - National Robotics Week.

* Sat., April 4 - Holy Saturday (Saturday before Easter Sunday).

* Sat., April 4, 8:06 a.m. EDT / 12:06 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Pink Moon).

* Sat., April 4, 8:00:15.5 a.m. EDT / 12:00:15.5 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for the Total Eclipse of the Moon / Total Lunar Eclipse (more details), visible in eastern Australia, eastern Siberia, Pacific Islands, most of Japan, and most of Alaska. Partial eclipse visible in much of Western North America and much of eastern Asia.
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.

* Sun., April 5, 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 5 (Sunrise in Pittsburgh: 6:58 a.m. EDT / 10:58 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)].

* April 6 to 10 - Flood Safety Awareness Week.

* April 6 to 12 - National Public Health Week.

* Mon., April 6 - Easter Monday (Monday after Easter Sunday).

* Mon., April 6, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Uranus in conjunction with the Sun (Uranus not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., April 8, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Saturn 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* April 9 to 18, - 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., April 10, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sat., April 11, 11:44 p.m. EDT / April 12, 3:44 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* April 12 to 18 - National Volunteer Week.

* April 12 to 18 - The Week of the Young Child™.

* April 12 to 18 - Pan American Week (Week of April 14, Pan American Day).

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

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

* Sun., 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.

* April 12 to 18 - National Library Week.

* April 13 to 17 - National Retirement Planning Week®.

* April 13 to 18 - International Dark-Sky Week (Week of the New Moon in April).

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

* Tue., 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?

* Tue., April 14 - National Library Workers Day (Tuesday of National Library Week).

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

* Wed., April 15 - National Bookmobile Day (Wednesday of National Library Week).

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

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

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

* Thur., April 16 - Teen Literature Day (Thursday of National Library Week).

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

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

* Fri., April 17, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 361,023 kilometers.

* April 18 to 25 - Money Smart Week®.

* April 18 to 25 - National Infant Immunization Week (NIIW).

* April 18 to 26 - National Park Week.

* Sat., April 18 - Venus at perihelion.

* Sat., April 18, 2:57 p.m. EDT / 18:57 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1142.

* April 19 to 25 - 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 19 to 25 - National Environmental Education Week (EE Week: Week before Earth Day).

* April 19 to 25 - National Minority Cancer Awareness Week (Third week of April).

* April 19 to 25 - National Crime Victims' Rights Week (Week in April).

* April 19 to 25 - Administrative Professionals Week (Last full week of April).

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

* Mon., April 20 - Patriots' Day (Third Monday in April).

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

* Tue., April 21, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.9 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northwestern portion of USA, Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Scandinavia, northern portion of United Kingdom, northwestern portion of Russia.

* Tue., April 21, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Venus 7 degrees north of the Moon.

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

* Wed., April 22 - Administrative Professionals Day (Wednesday of Administrative Professionals' Week, last full week of April).

* Wed., April 22, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Lyrid Meteor Shower (April 22).

* Thur., April 23 - World Laboratory Day. (April 23)

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

* Thur., April 23 - National Take Our Daughters and Sons To Work Day (Fourth Thursday in April).

* Thur., April 23, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Mercury 1.4 degrees north of Mars.

* Fri., April 24 - Arbor Day - National Arbor Day Foundation (Last Friday of April).

* Fri., April 24 - Teach Children to Save Day .

* Sat., April 25 - Save the Frogs Day - Also see news article. (Last Saturday in April)

* Sat., April 25, 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)

* Sat., April 25, 7:55 p.m. EDT / 23:55 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* April 26 to May 2 - Preservation Week for library and archive materials.

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

* Sun., April 26, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Asteroid Juno 0.1 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southeastern portion of Asia, northern portion of Papua New Guinea, Micronesia, northern portion of Melanesia, French Polynesia.

* Sun., April 26, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* April 28, 29 - Holocaust Remembrance Days (USA) (April 28, 29).

* Wed., April 29, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,083 kilometers.

* Fri., 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.

* Wed., May 6, 3:41 a.m. EDT / 7:41 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 (~May 5-6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* April 26 to May 2 - Preservation Week for library and archive materials.

* May 1 to 7 - Choose Privacy Week (May 1 to 7).

* Fri., 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.

* Fri., May 1 - Space Day (First Friday in May).

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

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

* May 2 to 10 - National Travel and Tourism Week (First full week of May).

* Sat., May 2 - National Wildfire Community Preparedness Day (First Saturday in May).

* Sat., May 2 - National Scrapbooking Day (First Saturday in May).

* May 3 to 9 - Arson Awareness Week.

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

* Sun., May 3, 11:42 p.m. EDT / May 4, 3:42 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Flower Moon).

* May 4 to 8 - National PTA Teacher Appreciation Week (First full school-week of May).

* May 4 to 8 - National Small Business Week.

* May 4 to 10 - Children's Book Week (Moved from 2007 Nov. 12 to 18).

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

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

* Tue., May 5 - National Teacher Day (Tuesday of Teacher Appreciation Week).

* Tue., May 5 - World Asthma Day (First Tuesday in May).

* Tue., May 5, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Saturn 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* 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).

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

* Wed., May 6 - National School Nurse Day (Wednesday Of National Nurses Week).

* Wed., May 6 - National Student Nurses Day (Wednesday Of National Nurses Week - originally May 8).

* Wed., May 6 - Bike to School Day (First Wed. in May).

* Wed., May 6, 3:41 a.m. EDT / 7:41 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day Beltaine, better known as May Day - Second traditional Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day of year; of year; mid-way point in Spring season (~May 5-6).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Wed., May 6, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of n-Aquarid (Eta Aquarid) Meteor Shower - remnants from Halley's Comet (May 5 to 7).

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

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

* May 9 to 17 - Armed Forces Week (USA) - (Second Saturday to Sunday of following week in May).

* May 9 to 18, - 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.

* Sat., May 9 - International Migratory Bird Day (Second Saturday in May).

* Sat., May 9 - 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 9 - Stamp-Out Hunger Food Drive (Second Saturday of May).

* May 10 to 16 - National Hospital Week: Link 1 *** Link 2.

* May 10 to 16 - National Transportation Week / National Defense Transportation Week. (Week in which National Defense Transportation Day falls)

* May 10 to 16 - Food Allergy Awareness Week (FAAW).

* May 10 to 16 - Women's Health Week (Week that begins on Mothers' Day).

* Sun., May 10 - Mothers' Day (Second Sunday in May).

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

* Mon., May 11 - Women's Checkup Day (Monday after Mothers' Day - Monday of Women's Health Week).

* Mon., May 11, 6:36 a.m. EDT / 10:36 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

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

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

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

* Wed., 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).

* Thur., May 14, 8:00 p.m. EDT / May 15, 0:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 366,024 kilometers.

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

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

* Fri., May 15 - National Defense Transportation Day (Third Friday in May - Friday of National Defense Transportation Week).

* Fri., May 15 - Bike-to-Work Day (Third Friday in May).

* Fri., May 15, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Uranus 0.2 degree north of the Moon; occultation: central portion of South America, central and western portions of Africa.

* May 16 to 22 - National Safe Boating Week (First full week before Memorial Day Weekend).

* Sat., May 16 - Armed Forces Day (USA - Third Saturday in May).

* May 17 to 23 - National Dog-Bite Prevention Week.

* May 17 to 23 - Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week.

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

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

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

* Mon., May 18 - Victoria Day - In Canada, informally considered the beginning of the Summer season (Last Monday before May 25).

* Mon., May 18, 12:13 a.m. EDT / 4:13 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1143.

* Tue., May 19, 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 19, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Mercury 6 degrees north of the Moon.

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

* Wed., May 20 - Emergency Medical Services for Children (EMSC) Day [Wednesday of Emergency Medical Services (EMS) Week].

* Wed., May 20, 8:06 p.m. EDT / May 21, 0:06 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

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

* Thur., May 21, 9:29 a.m. EDT / 13:29 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Thur., May 21, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Venus 8 degrees north of the Moon.

* Fri., 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 22, 10:00 p.m. EDT / May 23, 2:00 UTC - Saturn at opposition (Saturn rises at approx. sunset and sets at approx. sunrise).

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

* Sun., May 24, 3:00 a.m. EDT / 7:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Mon., May 25 - Memorial Day - USA (Last Monday in May);
originally observed as Decoration Day - USA (May 30).

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

* Mon., 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." (May 25).

* Mon., May 25, 1:19 p.m. EDT / 17:19 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Tue., May 26, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,244 kilometers.

* Wed., May 27, 10:01 p.m. EDT / May 28, 2:01 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

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

* Sat., May 30, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Mercury at inferior conjunction (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

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

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

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

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

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

* Mon., June 1, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Saturn 1.9 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., June 2 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Tue., June 2, 12:19 p.m. EDT / 16:19 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Strawberry Moon.

* Thur., June 4, 12:58 a.m. EDT / 4:58 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons: Io and Europa) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

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

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

* Sat., June 6 - National Trails Day® (First Saturday in June).

* June 8 to 17, - 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., June 8 - World Oceans Day (June 8).

* Mon., June 8 (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Arietid Meteor Shower (June 7 to 9).

* Tue., June 9, 11:42 a.m. EDT / 15:42 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Wed., June 10, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 369,711 kilometers.

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., June 11, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Uranus 0.5 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern and eastern sections of Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, French Polynesia.

* Thur., June 11, 9:00 p.m. EDT / June 12, 1:00 UTC - Asteroid 2 Pallas at opposition (2 Pallas visible approx. from local sunset to local sunrise).

* Sat., June 13 - National Get Outdoors Day (Second Saturday in June).

* Sun., June 14 - Flag Day - USA (June 14): Link 1 *** Link 2.

* Sun., June 14 - National Children's Day (Second Sunday in June).

* Sun., June 14, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Mars in conjunction with the Sun (Mars not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sun., June 14, 10:00 p.m. EDT / June 15, 2:00 UTC - Mercury 0.04 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern tip of India, Sri Lanka, most of Southeast Asia, Micronesia.

* June 15 to 21 - Men's Health Week (Week leading to and including Father's Day).

* June 15 to 21 - National Pollinator Week (June).

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

* Mon., June 15, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northern and eastern portions of Canada, northern and central portions of Russia, northern portion of Scandinavia, Iceland, Greenland.

* Tue., June 16, 10:05 a.m. EDT / 14:05 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1144.

* June 17, local sunset to July 17, 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 17: 8:53 p.m. EDT / June 18, 0:53 UTC; July 17: 8:48 p.m. EDT / 0:48 UTC).

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

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., June 18 - "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 18 - Recess at Work Day (Third Thursday in June).

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

* Sat., June 20, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Venus 6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., June 20, 8:00 p.m. EDT / June 21, 0:00 UTC - Jupiter 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* June 21 to 27 - National Lightning Safety Awareness Week; see article.

* Sun., June 21 - Fathers' Day (Third Sunday in June): .

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

* Sun., June 21 - International Sun-Day, a celebration of Astronomy and our planet's very important star, the Sun (Sunday nearest the Summer Solstice).

* Sun., June 21, 12:38 p.m. EDT / 16:38 UTC - Summer Solstice; Season of Summer begins in Earth's Northern Hemisphere (Also see 1985-1991: Annual Free Day at Buhl Planetarium).

* Tue., June 23, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,132 kilometers.

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

* Wed., June 24, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Mercury 2 degrees north of Star Aldebaran.

* Wed., June 24, 7:03 a.m. EDT / 11:03 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Thur., 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.

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

* Sat., 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 28, 0:54 UTC) (June 27).

* June 27 to 28 - Ham Radio Field Day - When amateur radio operators test emergency radio operations (Always the fourth full weekend In June).

* Sun., 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).

* Sun., June 28, 9:00 p.m. EDT / June 29, 1:00 UTC - Saturn 2 degrees south of the Moon.

* Tue., 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).

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

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

* Tue., June 30 - Very close apparent approach, as seen from Earth, of Venus and Jupiter: within 0.3 degree of each other.

* Tue., June 30, 7:59:60 p.m. EDT / 23:59:60 UTC - Positive 'Leap Second' added to the civil time scale, to help keep clocks in sync with the slowing rotation rate of the Earth (Periodically: last second of last minute of June 30 and / or December 31).

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

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

* Wed., 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 (July 1 to 3).

* Wed., July 1, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Venus 0.4 degree south of Jupiter; rare, very close conjunction of the two brightest planets visible in the Earth's sky.

* Wed., July 1, 10:20 p.m. EDT / July 2, 2:20 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Buck Moon.
First of 2 Full Moon phases in July.

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

* Fri., July 3 - Official observance of Independence Day, traditionally celebrated with fireworks (U.S.A.: 1776 July 4).

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

* Sat., July 4 (1054) - 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).

* Sun., July 5 - Global Sun-day.

* Sun., July 5, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 367,093 kilometers.

* Mon., July 6, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Dwarf Planet Pluto at opposition (Pluto visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise, with telescope).

* Mon., July 6, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Earth at aphelion, furthest point in orbit from the Sun: 152,093,481 kilometers (Beginning of July).

* July 7 to 16, - 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.

* Wed., July 8, 4:24 p.m. EDT / 20:24 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Wed., July 8, 11:00 p.m. EDT / July 9, 3:00 UTC - Uranus 0.8 degree north of the Moon; occultation: eastern portion of Antarctica, Indian Ocean, southern tip of Madagascar, most western portion of Australia.

* Fri., July 10 - World Population Day: United Nations (July 11).

* Fri., July 10, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Greatest illumination of Venus during evening apparition - Visual Magnitude: - 4.7.

* Sun., July 12, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.9 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northern portion of Japan, eastern section of Russia, Alaska, northern portion of Canada, Greenland, Iceland.

* Wed., 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).

* Wed., July 15 - Military Consumer Protection Day (Mid-July).

* Wed., July 15, 9:24 p.m. EDT / July 16, 1:24 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1145.

* Thur., July 16 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Thur., July 16 (1945), 5:29:21 MWT / 11:29:21 UTC (+/- 2 seconds)- 70th Anniversary: First test, at the Trinity Site in New Mexico, of the first atomic bomb (July 16).

* July 18 to 26 - 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).

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

* Sat., July 18, 9:00 p.m. EDT / July 19, 1:00 UTC - Venus 0.4 degree north of the Moon; occultation: New Guinea, northeastern section of Australia, Melanesia, French Polynesia.

* Mon., July 20 (1969) - 10:56:20 p.m. EDT / July 21, 2:56:20 UTC - "Moon Day" - 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 21, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,835 kilometers.

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

* Thur., July 23, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Fri., July 24, 12:04 a.m. EDT / 4:04 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Sat., July 25, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Asteroid and Dwarf Planet Ceres at opposition (Ceres visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Sun., July 26 (1990) - 25th Anniversary: The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) signed into law by U.S. President George H.W. Bush (July 26).

* Sun., July 26 - Parents' Day (fourth Sunday of July).

* Sun., July 26, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Saturn 2 degrees south of the Moon.

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

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

* Wed., July 29, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of S. Delta-Aquarid Meteor Shower (July 28 to 29).

* Fri., 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., July 31, 6:43 a.m. EDT / 10:43 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon.
Blue Moon by definition of second Full Moon in a calendar month.

* Fri., July 31, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Venus 6 degrees south of Jupiter.

* Sat., 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. 7, 8:29 a.m. EDT / 12:29 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.

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

* Aug. 1 to 7 - National Minority Donor Awareness Week (Aug. 1 to 7).

* Sat., 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.

* Sat., 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. 2 to 8 - National Farmers Market Week (First week of August).

* Aug. 2 to 8 - National Stop on Red Week (First week of August).

* Sun., Aug. 2 - Friendship Day (First Sunday in August).

* Sun., Aug. 2, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 362,139 kilometers.

* Mon., Aug. 3 - National Watermelon Day (Aug. 3).

* Mon., Aug. 3 - Civic Holiday in certain Canadian provinces (First Monday in August).

* Tue., Aug. 4, evening - National Night Out (First Tuesday in August).

* Wed., Aug. 5, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Mercury 8 degrees north of Venus.

* Wed., Aug. 5, 5:00 a.m. EDT / 9:00 UTC - Uranus 1 degree north of the Moon; occultation: Antarctic Peninsula, southern part of South America, Falkland Islands.

* Thur., Aug. 6 (1945), 8:15:43 a.m. Hiroshima Time - 70th Anniversary of the first war-time use of an Atomic Bomb over Hiroshima, Japan (Aug. 6).

* Thur., Aug. 6, 10:03 p.m. EDT / Aug. 7, 2:03 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Aug. 7, 8, 9, weekend and September 11, 12, 13 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. 7 - Dog Days of Summer: First visible (Sirius rises ahead of Sun at 7 degrees altitude) Heliacal rising of Sirius (~ Aug. 7).

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

* Fri., Aug. 7, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Mercury 0.6 degree north of Jupiter.

* Fri., Aug. 7, 8:29 a.m. EDT / 12:29 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.

* Fri., Aug. 7, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Mercury 1.0 degree north of Regulus.

* Sat., Aug. 8 - Venus at aphelion.

* Sat., Aug. 8, after sunset - International Starry Night (~Aug. 9 to 11, often a Saturday, coinciding with annual Perseid Meteor Shower).

* Sat., Aug. 8, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Aug. 9, 0:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Middle East, Eastern Europe, northwestern portion of Asia, Scandinavia, Russia, Alaska, northwestern portion of Canada.

* Aug. 9 to 15 - National Health Center Week (Second week of August).

* Sun., Aug. 9 (1945) - 70th Anniversary of the second and last war-time use of an Atomic Bomb over Nagasaki, Japan (Aug. 9).

* Mon., Aug. 10, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Jupiter 0.4 degree north of Star Regulus.

* Tue., Aug. 11 - Public Housing Health Centers Day (Tuesday of National Health Center Week).

* Wed., Aug. 12 - World Elephant Day (Aug. 12).

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

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

* Wed., Aug. 12 - Health Care for the Homeless Day (Wednesday of National Health Center Week).

* Thur., Aug. 13 - Farmworker Health Day (Thursday of National Health Center Week).

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

* Thur., Aug. 13, 1:00 a.m. EDT / 5:00 UTC - Mars 6 degrees north of the Moon.

* Thur., Aug. 13, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 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.

* Fri., Aug. 14, 10:53 a.m. EDT / 14:53 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1146.

* Aug. 15 to 21 - National Book Week.

* Sat., Aug. 15 (1945) - 70th Anniversary of the announcement of the surrender of Japan and end of World War II (Aug. 15).
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.

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

* Sat., Aug. 15, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Venus in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Venus not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sun., Aug. 16, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Mercury 2 degrees north of the Moon.

* Mon., Aug. 17 - National Thriftshop Day (Aug. 17).

* Mon., Aug. 17, 11:00 p.m. EDT / Aug. 18, 3:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,848 kilometers.

* Wed., 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).

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

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

* Thur., Aug. 20 - National Radio Day (Aug. 20).
This was the day, in 1920, when The Detroit News-owned amateur radio station 8MK began regular broadcasting; today, this station is all-news WWJ-AM 950.

* Thur., Aug. 20, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Mars 0.5 degree south of the Beehive Open Star Cluster (M44).

* Aug. 21 to 24 - Pledge to Fledge ! campaign for birders to share their love and information about the birding hobby with others (Last weekend in August).

* Sat., Aug. 22, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Saturn 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Aug. 22, 3:31 p.m. EDT / 19:31 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

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

* Sun., Aug. 23 - Health Unit Coordinator Day (Aug. 23).

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

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

* Tue., Aug. 25 (1916) - Anniversary (1916: Centennial): Establishment of the United States Department of the Interior's National Park Service (Aug. 25).

* Wed., 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. 26 - National Dog Day (Aug. 26).

* Wed., Aug. 26, 6:00 p.m. EDT / 22:00 UTC - Jupiter in conjunction with the Sun (Jupiter not visible, even with a telescope).

* Thur., Aug. 27 (1883) - Eruption of the Krakatoa Volcano (Aug. 27).
Loudest sound heard by man, in recorded history.

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

* Sat., Aug.29 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Sat., Aug.29, 2:35 p.m. EDT / 18:35 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Sturgeon Moon.

* Sun., Aug. 30, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 358,290 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coastlines.

* Mon., 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).

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

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

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

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

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

* Tue., Sept. 1 (1914) - 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).

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

* Tue., Sept. 1, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Neptune at opposition (Neptune visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Tue., Sept. 1, 12:00 Noon EDT / 16:00 UTC - Uranus 1.1 degrees north of the Moon; occultation: portions of Antarctica (Wilkes Land and Victoria Land), most of New Zealand.

* 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).

* Wed., Sept. 2 (1945) - 70th Anniversary: 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).

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

* Sat., Sept. 5 - 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. 5, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.5 degree south of the Moon; occultation: eastern North America, Europe, western Russia, northwestern Asia.

* Sat., Sept. 5, 5:54 a.m. EDT / 9:54 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Mon., Sept. 7 - Labor Day (Federal Holiday: U.S.A. - First Monday in September).

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

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

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

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

* Thur., Sept. 10, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Venus 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Thur., Sept. 10, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Mars 5 degrees north of the Moon.

* Aug. 7, 8, 9, weekend and September 11, 12, 13 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 in August and September: Friday, Saturday, Sunday).

* Fri., Sept. 11 - Zodiacal Light dimly visible in northern lattitudes in eastern sky, before morning twilight, for next two weeks (September, October).

* Fri., 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).

* Sat., Sept. 12 - World First Aid Day (Second Saturday in September).

* Sept. 13 to 19 - International Book Week (third week of September).

* Sept. 13 to 19 - Child Passenger Safety Week (third week of September).

* Sun., Sept. 13 - Grandparents Day (First Sunday after Labor Day).

* Sun., Sept. 13, 2:41 a.m. EDT / 6:41 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1147.

* Sun., Sept. 13, 2:54:11.6 a.m. EDT / 6:54:11.6 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse during Partial Eclipse of the Sun, visible in southern Africa, the Indian Ocean, and Antarctica.

* Sept. 13, Sunset to Sept. 15, 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).

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

* Mon., Sept. 14, 7:00 a.m. EDT / 11:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,464 kilometers.

* Sept. 15 to 17 - National Postal Customer Council Week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday of third week of September).

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

* Tue., Sept. 15, 2:00 a.m. EDT / 6:00 UTC - Mercury 5 degrees south of the Moon.

* 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).

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

* Fri., Sept. 18 - National POW / MIA Recognition Day (Third Friday in September).

* Fri., 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. 18, 11:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 19, 3:00 UTC - Saturn 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Sept. 19 - Software Freedom Day (Third Saturday in September).

* Sat., Sept. 19 - National Seat Check Saturday (Saturday of Child Passenger Safety Week).

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

* Sat., April 25 & Sat., Sept. 19 - International Astronomy Day [Saturdays in Spring (Saturday in Astronomy Week) and Autumn]: Link 1 *** Link 2

* Sat., Sept. 19, Evening - International Observe the Moon Night (InOMN).
More info.

* Sept. 20 to 26 - Sea Otter Awareness Week (Last week in September).

* Sept. 21 to 27 - 25th Anniversary of the enactment of the Pollution Prevention Act of 1990 - Pollution Prevention Week.

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

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

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

* Mon., Sept. 21, 4:59 a.m. EDT / 8:59 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Tue., Sept. 22 - National Voter Registration Day (Third or fourth Tuesday in September).

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

* Sept. 22, Sunset to Sept. 23, Sunset - Yom Kippur, the Day of Atonement, is the holiest day of the Hebrew faith. It occurs each year on the 10th day of the Jewish month of Tishrei, which is 9 days after the first day of Rosh Hashanah. 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.

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

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

* Wed., Sept. 23, 4:21 a.m. EDT / 8:21 UTC - Autumnal Equinox; beginning of Season of Autumn in the Northern Hemisphere.
Also see: Harvest Moon.

* Thur., Sept. 24, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Mars 0.8 degree north of Star Regulus.

* Fri., 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.

* Fri., Sept. 25 (1676) - Greenwich Mean Time (GMT), forerunner of today's Coordinated Universal Time (UTC), first established.

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

* Sat., Sept. 26 - Museum Day Live! - Free admission to participating museums, with Museum Day ticket from the Smithsonian Magazine web site (Fourth Saturday in September).

* Sat., Sept. 26 - National Public Lands Day (Saturday in late September).

* Sat., 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).

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

* Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 - 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. 27 - World Heart Day (Last Sunday in September).

* Sun., Sept. 27 - Gold Star Mother's Day (Last Sunday in September).

* Sun., Sept. 27, Evening - 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 (Within 15 days of the Autumnal Equinox, on the night of the full moon between early September to early October).

* Sun., Sept. 27, 9:07:12 p.m. to Sept. 28, 12:27:06 a.m. EDT / Sept. 28, 1:07:12 to 4:27:06 UTC - Total Eclipse of the Moon (also see NASA eclipse page) visible in the Western Hemisphere, Europe, Africa, Middle East, western Russia, extreme western Asia. This is the fourth and last Total Lunar Eclipse in a Tetrad of such eclipses. Some Christian ministers have proposed that this particular Tetrad may fulfill a "Blood Moon" Prophecy of the end of times, while others including Mike Moore, the then-General Secretary of Christian Witness to Israel (in January of 2014), discount such a prophecy.

* Sun., Sept. 27, 10:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 28, 2:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 356,877 kilometers.
Very large tides predicted along ocean coastlines.

* Sun., Sept. 27, 10:51 p.m. EDT / Sept. 28, 2:51 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Harvest Moon.
Largest, and closest to the Earth, Full Moon of 2015.
Some people consider the September Full Moon a so-called "Super Moon."

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

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

* Mon., Sept. 28, 9:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 29, 1:00 UTC - Uranus 1.0 degree north of the Moon; occultation: portion of Antarctica, South Africa, southern tip of Madagascar.

* Mon., Sept. 28, 11:00 p.m. EDT / Sept. 29, 3:00 UTC - Asteroid Vesta at opposition (Vesta visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

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

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

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

* Wed., 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., Sept. 30, 11:00 a.m. EDT / 15:00 UTC - Mercury in inferior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Sept. 27 to Oct. 3 - Banned Books Week (BBW) - An annual event celebrating the freedom to read and the importance of the First Amendment (Last week of September).

* October through December - The Rut, White-Tailed Deer Mating Season - Vehicle drivers should be on the look-out for deer running across streets and highways.

* Thur., Oct. 1 - First day of U.S.A. Federal Fiscal Year (Oct. 1).

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

* Oct. 2 to 16 - Great World Wide Star Count.

* Fri., Oct. 2 - PittsburghGives.org Arts Day of Giving.

* Fri., Oct. 2 - Manufacturing Day℠.

* Fri., Oct. 2, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.5 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Micronesia, Japan, North America.

* Sat., Oct. 3 - American Graduate Day (First Saturday in October).

* 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).

* Oct. 4 to 10 - Fire Prevention Week (Week, from Sunday to Saturday, which includes October 9).

* Oct. 4 to 10 - National Metric Week [Week containing Oct. 10 (10-10)].

* Oct. 4 to 10 - Mental Illness Awareness Week (MIAW) / Mental Health Awareness Week (First Full Week of October).

* Oct. 4 to 10 - Financial Planning Week (First week of October).

* Sun., 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).

* Sun., Oct. 4, 5:06 p.m. EDT / 21:06 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

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

* Mon., Oct. 5 - U.S. Supreme Court begins new term (First Monday in October).

* Tue., Oct. 6 - News Engagement Day.

* Wed., Oct. 7 - International Walk to School Day (First Wed. in October).

* Thur., Oct. 8 - National Depression Screening Day® (NDSD) (During Mental Illness Awareness Week).

* Thur., Oct. 8, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of October Draconid Meteor Shower (Oct. 8).

* Thur., Oct. 8, 5:00 p.m. EDT / 21:00 UTC - Venus 0.7 degree north of the Moon; occultation: Australia, Melanesia, New Zealand, Antarctica: Victoria Land.

* Fri., Oct. 9 - World Egg Day (Second Friday in October).
Also see: Embryology "Chick Hatching" Exhibit at Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science.

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

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

* Fri., Oct. 9, 1:00 p.m. EDT / 17:00 UTC - Mars 3 degrees north of the Moon.

* Fri., Oct. 9, 8:00 p.m. EDT / Oct. 10, 0:00 UTC - Jupiter 3 degrees north of the Moon.

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

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

* Oct. 11 to 17 - Earth Science Week (Second full week of October).

* Sun., Oct. 11 - Zodiacal Light dimly visible in northern lattitudes in eastern sky, before morning twilight, for next two weeks (September, October).

* Sun., Oct. 11 - International Day of the Girl (Oct. 11).

* Sun., Oct. 11 - Clergy Appreciation National Day of Honoring (Second Sunday in October).

* Sun., Oct. 11, 8:00 a.m. EDT / 12:00 UTC - Mercury 0.9 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern portion of South America, Falkland Islands, parts of Antarctica.

* Sun., Oct. 11, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 406,388 kilometers.

* Mon., Oct. 12 - Chistopher Columbus Day (Oct. 12).
* Mon., Oct. 12 - Chistopher Columbus Day Observed: Federal Holiday in U.S.A. (Second Monday in October).
* Mon., Oct. 12 - Indigenous Peoples' Day - Observed by some communities as an alternative to Christopher Columbus Day (Second Monday in October).

* Mon., Oct. 12 - Thanksgiving Day: Federal Holiday in Canada (Second Monday in October).

* Mon., Oct. 12 - Mercury at perihelion.

* Mon., Oct. 12, 12:00 Midnight EDT / 4:00 UTC - Uranus at opposition (Uranus visible approx. local sunset to local sunrise).

* Mon., Oct. 12, 8:06 p.m. EDT / Oct. 13, 0:06 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1148.

* Tue., Oct. 13, Sunset - Islamic New Year ( Muharram): Based on lunar calendar, but the New Moon must be observable ( astronomical considerations).

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

* Wed., Oct. 14 - National Fossil Day (Oct. 14).

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

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

* Thur., Oct. 15, 10:15 a.m. Prevailing Time - The Great Shake-Out Worldwide Earthquake Drill.

* Thur., Oct. 15 - Get Smart About Credit Day (Third Thursday in October).

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

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

* Fri., Oct. 16, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Saturn 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Sat., Oct. 17 - Sweetest Day (Third Saturday in October).

* Sat., Oct. 17 (1919) - Amateur radio station 8XK in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, indirect predecessor to KDKA-AM Pittsburgh (world's first commercial radio station in 1920), started broadcasting in Pittsburgh region, after World War I restrictions on amateur radio were lifted by the Federal Government.

* Sat., Oct. 17, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Mars 0.4 degree north of Jupiter.

* Oct. 18 to 24 - National Chemistry Week (NCW).

* Oct. 18 to 24 - National Friends of Libraries Week.

* Oct. 18 to 24 - Teen Read Week (Third Week of October).

* Oct. 18 to 24 - Male Breast Cancer Awareness Week (Third full week of October).

* Oct. 18 to 24 - National Teen Driver Safety Week (Third full week of October).

* Sun., Oct. 18, 6:42 a.m. EDT / 10:42 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Oct. 19 to 23 - National School Bus Safety Week (Third Week in October).

* Mon., Oct. 19 - Annual White House Astronomy Night: A Celebration of Science, Technology, and Space - The White House hopes that scientists and amateur astronomers will join the White House in celebrating the White House Astronomy Night by hosting their own events at observatories, schools, planetariums, museums, and astronomy clubs nationwide on October 19..

* Tue., 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 elevations in the Allegheny Mountains) (Oct. 20).

* Tue., Oct. 20 - World Statistics Day (Oct. 20, every five years starting in 2010).

* Tue., Oct. 20, 4:31 p.m. EDT / 20:31 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

* Wed., Oct. 21, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Orionid Meteor Shower - remnants from Halley's Comet. (Oct. 21)

* Fri., Oct. 23 - World Polio Day.

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

* Sat., Oct. 24 (1939), 8:30 p.m. EST / Oct. 25, 1:30 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1939) - 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. 24 (1945) - 70th Anniversary of the founding of the United Nations (Oct. 24).

* Oct. 25 to 31 - National Bat Week (Week that includes Halloween Day).

* Oct. 25 to 31 - National Legal Pro-Bono Celebration Week.

* Oct. 25 to 31- Open Access Week (Last full week of October).

* Sun., Oct. 25 - Mother-in-Law Day (Fourth Sunday in October).

* Sun., Oct. 25 (1939), 10:00 a.m. EST / 15;00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1939) - 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).

* Sun., Oct. 25, 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, 2:00 a.m. Prevailing Time).
Also see: Science of Daylight Saving Time.

* Sun., Oct. 25, 8:36 a.m. EDT / 12:36 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Mon., Oct. 26, 4:00 a.m. EDT / 8:00 UTC - Venus 1.1 degrees south of Jupiter.

* Mon., Oct. 26, 6:00 a.m. EDT / 10:00 UTC - Uranus 0.9 degree north of the Moon; occultation: eastern portion of Antarctica, New Zealand, southern portion of French Polynesia.

* Mon., Oct. 26, 9:00 a.m. EDT / 13:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 358,464 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coastlines.

* Tue., Oct. 27, 8:05 a.m. EDT / 12:05 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon - Hunter's Moon.

* Oct. 28 & 29 (1929) - Black Monday (Oct. 28) & Black Tuesday (Oct. 29) Wall Street Stock Market Crash of 1929 (Oct. 28 & 29).

* Thur., Oct. 29 - National Cat Day.

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

* Thur., Oct. 29, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.6 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northwestern portion of Africa, Europe, Russia, northern portion of the Middle East, northern portion of Asia.

* Fri., 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.

* Sat., Oct. 31 / Sun., Nov. 1 / Mon., 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).

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

* Sun., Nov. 1, 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.

* Sat., Nov. 7, 1:34 a.m. EST / 6:34 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6 to 7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sat., Oct. 31 / Sun., Nov. 1 / Mon., 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).

* Nov. 1 to April 30 - Use of life jackets by every person on a small boat (less than 16 feet in length), during cold-weather months, is mandatory.

* Sun., Nov. 1, 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. 1, 11:34 a.m. EST / 16:34 UTC - Double-shadow (shadows of 2 Galilean Moons) transit on Jupiter; visible, with difficulty, through telescope after sunset or before sunrise.

* Mon., Nov. 2 (1920), 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC (Daylight Saving Time not observed in 1920) - 95th Anniversary - First broadcast of the world's first commercial radio broadcast station: KDKA-AM, Pittsburgh (Nov. 2).
Also see KDKA Historic Firsts (scroll-down page for Historic Firsts).

* Tue., Nov. 3 - General Election Day - Pennsylvania Election Hours: 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. EST / 12:00 UTC to Nov. 4, 1:00 UTC (First Tuesday after the first Monday of November).

* Tue., Nov. 3, 7:24 a.m. EST / 12:24 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Tue., Nov. 3, 11:00 a.m. EST / 16:00 UTC - Venus 0.7 degree south of Mars.

* Wed., Nov. 4 - National Stress Awareness Day (Nov. 4).

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., Nov. 5, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of South Taurid Meteor Shower (Nov. 5).

* Fri., Nov. 6, 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) / 18:00 UTC - 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).

* Fri., Nov. 6, 11:00 a.m. EST / 16:00 UTC - Jupiter 2 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., Nov. 7, 1:34 a.m. EST / 6:34 UTC - Actual Astronomical Cross-Quarter Day (fourth and last actual cross-quarter day of the year: ~Nov. 6 to 7).
Traditional Cross-Quarter Day.

* Sat., Nov. 7, 5:00 a.m. EST / 10:00 UTC - Mars 1.8 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., Nov. 7, 9:00 a.m. EST / 14:00 UTC - Venus 1.2 degrees north of the Moon.

* Sat., Nov. 7, 5:00 p.m. EST / 22:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 405,721 kilometers.

* Sun., 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).

* Nov. 9 to 13 - Winter Safety Awareness Week (November).

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

* Wed., 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).

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

* Wed., Nov. 11 - 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.

* Wed., Nov. 11, 12:47 p.m. EST / 17:47 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1149.

* Thur., Nov. 12 - National Philanthropy Day® (Mid-November).

* Thur., Nov. 12, 6:00 p.m. EST / 23:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of North Taurid Meteor Shower (Nov. 12).

* Thur., Nov. 12, 8:00 p.m. EST / Nov. 13, 1:00 UTC - Saturn 3 degrees south of the Moon.

* Nov. 13, 14, 15 - National Donor Sabbath - Three-day observance, to increase awareness of life-saving donations, seeks to include the days of worship for major religions practiced in the United States (Friday through Sunday, two weekends before Thanksgiving Day).

* Fri., Nov. 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).

* Sat., Nov. 14 - Carl Sagan Day (Saturday closest to Nov. 9, birthday of Carl Sagan).

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

* Sat., Nov. 14 - National Pickle Day (Nov.14).

* Nov. 15 to 21 - Winter Safety Awareness Week: Ohio.

* Nov. 15 to 21 - National Rural Health Week.

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

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

* Nov. 16 to 20 - American Education Week.

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

* Tue., Nov. 17 - Parents Day of American Education Week (Tuesday of American Education Week).

* Tue., Nov. 17, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Mercury in superior conjunction with the Sun (Mercury not visible, even with a telescope).

* Wed., Nov. 18 - Education Support Professionals Day of American Education Week (Wednesday of American Education Week).

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

* Wed., Nov. 18 - World Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD) Day (Third Wednesday in November).

* Wed., Nov. 18, 12:00 Midnight EST / 5:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Leonid Meteor Shower (Nov. 17 to 18).

* Wed., Nov. 18, 12:00 Noon Local 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.

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., 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.

* Thur., Nov. 19 - "Great American Smokeout," to assist people to quit smoking (Third Thursday in November).

* Thur., Nov. 19 - Children's Grief Awareness Day (Nov. 19).

* Thur., Nov. 19 - National Rural Health Day (Thursday of National Rural Health Week).

* Thur., Nov. 19, 1:27 a.m. EST / 6:27 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

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

* Fri., Nov. 20 - Substitute Educators Day of American Education Week (Friday of American Education Week).

* Fri., Nov. 20, 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).

* Fri., Nov. 20 - Mars at aphelion.

* Sat., Nov. 21 - National Adoption Day (Traditionally, Saturday before Thanksgiving Day)

* Sun., 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.

* Sun., Nov. 22, 2:00 p.m. EST / 19:00 UTC - Uranus 0.9 degree north of the Moon; occultation: portions of Antarctica (Queen Maud Land, Enderby Land), southern portion of the Indian Ocean.

* Mon., Nov. 23, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 362,817 kilometers.

* Wed., Nov. 25 - Centennial Anniversary: Dr. Albert Einstein's General Theory of Relativity (Nov. 25).

* Wed., Nov. 25 - Shopping Reminder Day (Yes, a specially-designated day!) (Nov. 25-26).

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

* Wed., Nov. 25 - Mercury at aphelion.

* Wed., Nov. 25, 5:44 p.m. EST / 22:44 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon ( Beaver Moon).

* Nov. 26 to 30 - 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
Thanksgiving Day (in earlier years, December 1) was 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 Thanksgiving week through the beginning of the New Year 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.

* Thur., Nov. 26 - Thanksgiving Day: Link 1 *** Link 2 (Fourth Thursday in November - U.S.A.).

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., Nov. 26, 5:00 a.m. EST / 10:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northern United States, Canada, Greenland, eastern Russia, Japan.

* Thur., Nov. 26, 11:00 p.m. EST / Nov 27, 4:00 UTC - Asteroid Juno in conjunction with the Sun (Juno not visible, even with a telescope).

* Fri., Nov. 27 (1861) - First light for 13-inch Fitz (later Fitz-Clark) Refractor Telescope (then, third largest telescope in the world !), at original Allegheny Observatory in Allegheny City, Pennsylvania (which was annexed to Pittsburgh in 1907 and is now Pittsburgh's North Side), which was located just up the hill from the site where Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science was built in 1939 (Nov. 27).
Also see history of new Allegheny Observatory building.

* Fri., Nov. 27 - "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. 28 - Small Business Saturday (Saturday after Black Friday).

* Sun., Nov. 29 - First Sunday in Advent (Traditional) (First of four Sundays in Advent prior to Christmas Day).

* Sun., Nov. 29 - Venus at aphelion.

* Mon., Nov. 30 - Cyber Monday (Monday after Black Friday).

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

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

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

* Mon., Nov. 30 - 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., Nov. 30 - Saturn in conjunction with the Sun (Saturn not visible, even with a telescope).

* Tue., Dec. 1 - 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).

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

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

* Tue., Dec. 1 (1964) - 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).

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

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

* Thur., Dec. 3, 2:40 a.m. EST / 7:40 UTC - Moon Phase: Last Quarter.

* Fri., Dec. 4, 1:00 a.m. EST / 6:00 UTC - Jupiter 1.8 degrees north of the Moon.

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

* Sat., Dec. 5, 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - Moon at apogee: 404,800 kilometers.

* Sat., Dec. 5, 10:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 6, 3:00 UTC - Mars 0.1 degree north of the Moon; occultation: Africa (central and eastern portions), Arabian Peninsula (southern section), India (southern tip), Indonesia, Australia.

* Dec. 6 to 12 - National Handwashing Awareness Week (First full week of December).

* Dec. 6 to 12 - National Influenza Vaccination Week.

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

* Sun., Dec. 6 (2013), 10:00 a.m. EST / 15:00 UTC - 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. 6, Sunset (Sunset in Pittsburgh: 4:53 p.m. EST / 21:53 UTC) to Dec. 14 - 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: Link 1 *** Link 2.

* Dec. 7 to 13 - Computer Science Education Week, including Hour of Code events (Second week of December).

* Mon., 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).

* Mon., Dec. 7, 12:00 Noon EST / 17:00 UTC - Venus 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: North America, Central America, Caribbean Sea region.

* Wed., Dec. 9 (1965), 4:44 p.m. EST / 21:44 UTC - 50th Anniversary of "UFO" Incident in Pittsburgh suburb of Kecksburg, Pennsylvania (Dec. 9).

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

* Fri., Dec. 11, 5:29 a.m. EST / 10:29 UTC - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1150.

* Sun., 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).

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

* Mon., 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).

* Mon., Dec. 14, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of Geminid Meteor Shower (Dec. 13 to 14).

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

* Thur., 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).

* Thur., Dec. 17 (1790) - Aztec Calendar Stone found (Dec. 17).

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

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

* Fri., Dec. 18, 10:14 a.m. EST / 15:14 UTC - Moon Phase: First Quarter.

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

* Sat., Dec. 19, 8:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 20, 1:00 UTC - Uranus 1.2 degrees north of the Moon; occultation: Antarctica (Peninsula), South America (southern tip), Falkland Islands.

* Dec. 20 to Jan. 3 - 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)
Thanksgiving Day (in earlier years, December 1) was 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 Thanksgiving week through the beginning of the New Year 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. 21 (1898) - The radioactive element Radium was discovered by Maria Sklodowska-Curie and her husband Pierre Curie (Dec. 21).

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

* Mon., Dec. 21, 4:00 a.m. EST / 9:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 368,417 kilometers.

* Mon., Dec. 21, 11:48 p.m. EST / Dec. 22, 4:48 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.

* Tue., Dec. 22, 9:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 23, 2:00 UTC (Best viewing: Midnight to Dawn) - Peak of the Ursid Meteor Shower (Dec. 22).

* Wed., Dec. 23 (1947) - Anniversary of the unveiling of the Transistor by Bell Labs (then owned by the American Telephone and Telegraph Corporation) (Dec. 23).

* Wed., Dec. 23, 3:00 p.m. EST / 20:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.6 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Canada Eastern coast), Africa (northwestern section), Europe, Russia, Asia (northern section).

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

* Thur., 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).

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

* Fri., 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.

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

* Fri., Dec. 25, 6:11 a.m. EST / 11:11 UTC - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Cold Moon or Long-Nights Moon).

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

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

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

* Sun., Dec. 27 (1571) - Anniversary of the birth of German Astronomer Johannes Kepler
Photograph of inscription of Kepler's name, just below the outer planetarium dome on Pittsburgh's original Buhl Planetarium and Institute of Popular Science (Dec. 27).

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

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

* Thur., Dec. 31, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Jupiter 1.5 degrees north of the Moon.

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

* Fri., 2016 Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight (00:00:00) Prevailing Time / 5:00:00 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) which correlates with 12:00:00 Midnight EST - New Year's Day: New Calendar Year begins (Jan. 1).