Occultations and Eclipses Visible Each Month:
A.D. 2010

* Thur., 2009 Dec. 31, 1:00 a.m. EST - Moon 0.8 degree north of the M35 Open Star Cluster in the Constellation Gemini the Twins.

* Thur., 2009 Dec. 31, 2:13 p.m. EST - Full Moon: "Blue Moon" (using the definition of two full moons in one calendar month; one of several definitions of "Blue Moon").

* Thur., 2009 Dec. 31, 2:23:45.9 p.m. EST - Greatest eclipse of this minor Partial Eclipse of the Moon, occurring in the Constellation Gemini the Twins - Not visible in most of the Western Hemisphere except Alaska, northern Canada, and extreme eastern Brazil; visible in most other parts of the world.

* Fri., Jan. 1, 12:00:00 Midnight - New Year's Day: Year A.D. 2010 begins (January 1).

* Fri., Jan. 1 - Eighth day of the 12 days of Christmas (Thur., 2009 Dec. 25 to Mon., 2010 Jan. 5).

* Fri., Jan. 1 - Last day of Kwanzaa (Week-long holiday observance honoring African-American heritage: Fri., 2009 Dec. 26 to Thur., 2010 Jan. 1.).

* Fri., Jan. 1, 4:00 p.m. EST - Moon at perigee: 358,682 kilometers - Large Tides Expected.

* Sat., Jan. 2, 7:00 p.m. EST - Earth at perihelion (closest approach to the Sun in new year): 147,097,907 kilometers.

* Mon., Jan. 11, 8:00 a.m. EST - Star Antares 1.1 degrees south of Moon; occultation: Northeastern portion of the United States of America, eastern portion of Canada, southern tip of Greenland.

* Fri., Jan. 15, 2:07:39.0 a.m. EST - Time of greatest eclipse of Annular Solar Eclipse/Annular Eclipse of the Sun, visible as annular or partial solar eclipse in Africa, Indian Ocean, India, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Cbina.
SAFE WAY TO VIEW A SOLAR ECLIPSE !

* Fri., Jan. 15, 2:11 a.m. EST - New Moon: Lunation 1077.

* Sat., May 29, 6:00 p.m. EDST - Asteroid Ceres 0.01 degree north of Moon; occultation: southern portion of Africa, Madagascar, Indian Ocean, Southeast Asia, Indonesia.

* Sat., June 26, 7:30 a.m. EDST - Full Moon (Strawberry Moon).

* Sat., June 26, 7:38:27 a.m. EDST - Time of greatest eclipse for partial eclipse of the Moon, visible from much of the Americas, the Pacific and eastern portion of Asia. Eclipses of the Moon/Lunar Eclipses are safe to view with the naked-eye, binoculars, or a telescope.

* No major occultations this month.

* Sun., July 11, 3:33:31.4 p.m. EDST - Time of Maximum Eclipse for the Total Eclipse of the Sun visible in the South Pacific Ocean, Mangaia (Cook Islands) and Easter Island (Isla de Pascua), southern Chile and Argentina.
Safe Way to View a Solar Eclipse.

* Sun., July 11, 3:40 p.m. EDST - Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation 1083.

* No major occultations or eclipses this month.

* Sat., Sept. 11, 9:00 a.m. EDST - Venus 0.3 degree north of Moon; occultation: eastern section of Brazil, South Atlantic Ocean, southwestern portion of Africa, South Indian Ocean.

* No major occultations or eclipses this month.

* Mon., Nov. 1, 8:00 p.m. EDST - Asteroid Juno 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Majority of Russia, northern China, Mongolia, Japan, Marshall Islands.

* Mon., Nov. 29, 6:00 p.m. EST - Asteroid Juno 0.5 degree north of the Moon; occultation: Indian Ocean, southern tip of India, Sri Lanka, western portion of Indonesia, western and southern portions of Australia, New Zealand.

* Tue., Dec. 21, 3:13 a.m. EST - Moon Phase: Full Moon (Cold Moon or Long-Nights Moon).

* Tue., Dec. 21, 3:16:57 a.m. EST (time of greatest eclipse) - Total Eclipse of the Moon visible in North America, the western portion of South America, and the northern portion of Scandinavia. Partial Lunar Eclipse visible from portions of Europe and Africa (not visible in southern or eastern Africa), eastern portion of South America, and eastern portion of Asia. An Eclipse of the Moon or Lunar Eclipse is SAFE TO VIEW with the naked-eye or with binoculars or a telescope.