Occultations, Eclipses, and Solar Transits of Planets (Mercury or Venus)
Visible Each Month:
A.D. 2018

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Mon., Jan. 1, 9:24 p.m. EST / Jan. 2, 2:24 UTC - Primary Moon Phase: Full Moon (Wolf Moon).
Closest to Earth, and largest in appearance, Full Moon of 2018; a so-called "Super-Moon."

* Fri., Jan. 5, 3:00 a.m. EST / 8:00 UTC - Star Regulus 0.9 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Alaska, northern Canada, extreme eastern portion of Russia, Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard (Norway), most of Europe, northwestern portion of Africa.

* Thur., Jan. 11, 11:00 p.m. EST / Jan. 12, 4:00 UTC - Asteroid 4 Vesta 0.4 degree north of the Moon; occultation: southern Africa, Madagascar, Antarctica (France portion), southwestern portion of Australia, Tasmania.

* Sat., Jan. 27, 6:00 a.m. EST / 11:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: Alaska, northwestern portion of North America, Mongolia, most of China, most of Russia, most of India, central portion of Asia.

* Tue., Jan. 30, 5:00 a.m. EST / 10:00 UTC - Moon at perigee - Distance from Earth: 223,068 statute miles / 358,994 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coastlines, due to proximity to the time of a Full Moon, this month a so-called "Super-Moon."

* Wed., Jan. 31, 8:27 a.m. EST / 13:27 UTC - Primary Moon Phase: Full Moon - "Blue Moon", second Full Moon in a calendar month.
Another so-called "Super-Moon."

* Wed., Jan. 31, 8:29:49.6 a.m. EST / 13:29:49.6 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for Total Eclipse of the Moon, visible over most of the Earth except most of South America, most of Africa, Western Europe, and Antarctica.
An Eclipse of the Moon / Lunar Eclipse is the type of eclipse completely safe to watch with telescopes, binoculars, and the naked-eyes.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Fri., Feb. 9, 8:00 a.m. EST / 13:00 UTC - Asteroid 4 Vesta 0.9 degree north of the Moon; occultation: most of the Antarctic Continent, Chatham Island (island of New Zealand).

* Thur., Feb. 15, 3:51:24.3 p.m. EST / 20:51:24.3 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for A deep Partial Solar Eclipse visible in 2/3 of the Antarctic Continent, eastern portion of the Australian Continent, New Zealand, and much of the South American Continent: Link 1 *** Link 2
NEVER look directly at a Solar Eclipse or Eclipse of the Sun unless you have the training and proper equipment to do so safely!
SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: TIPS FOR SAFE VIEWING

* Thur., Feb. 15, 4:05 p.m. EST / 21:05 UTC - Primary Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1177.

* Fri., Feb. 23, 1:00 p.m. EST / 18:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northeastern portion of North America, Greenland, Bermuda, majority of Europe, Svalbard (island of Norway), majority of Russia, Kazakhstan, western portion of Mongolia, northwestern portion of China.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Thur., March 22, 7:00 p.m. EDT / 23:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 0.9 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northwestern portion of North America, Greenland, Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean (Norway), United Kingdom, Ireland, majority of Scandinavia, northeastern portion of Russia.

* Wed., March 28, 10:00 a.m. EDT / 14:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.0 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northwestern portion of North America, Aleutian Islands (Alaska), northern portion of Greenland, Svalbard archipelago in the Arctic Ocean (Norway), majority of Scandinavia, northern and eastern portions of Russia.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Tue., April 24, 4:00 p.m. EDT / 20:00 UTC - Star Regulus 1.2 degree south of the Moon; occultation: central portion of Russia, northeastern tip of Kazakhstan.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Thur., July 12, 10:48 p.m. EDT / July 13, 2:48 UTC - Primary Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1182.

* Thur., July 12, 11:01:07.0 p.m. EDT / July 13, 3:01:07.0 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for Partial Eclipse of the Sun / Partial Solar Eclipse, visible from the southeastern tip of Australia through the Antarctic Ocean to a tip of Antarctica: Link 1 *** Link 2 *** Link 3.
SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: TIPS FOR SAFE VIEWING.

* Fri., July 27, 4:20 p.m. EDT / 20:20 UTC - Primary Moon Phase: Full Moon - Buck Moon.
Smallest appearance of the Full Moon for entire year.

* Fri., July 27, 4:21:43.5 p.m. EDT / 20:21:43.5 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for a Total Eclipse of the Moon / Total Lunar Eclipse, visible in Europe, Asia, Africa, and Australia. This eclipse will be the longest Total Lunar Eclipse in the 21st century (lasting approx. 1 hour, 43 minutes), as it occurs within a little more than a half-day of lunar apogee: Link 1 *** Link 2 *** Link 3.
Eclipses of the Moon / Lunar Eclipses are the only types of eclipses safe to look at with the naked-eyes, binoculars, or telescopes.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Mon., Aug. 6, 3:00 p.m. EDT / 19:00 UTC - Star Aldebaran 1.1 degrees south of the Moon; occultation: Mongolia, central portion of Russia, Svalbard Islands (of Norway), majority of Greenland, northern tip of Canada.

* Fri., Aug. 10, 2:00 p.m. EDT / 18:00 UTC - Moon at perigee: 222,499 statute miles / 358,078 kilometers.
Large tides predicted along ocean coast-lines due to New Moon Primary Moon Phase the next day.

* Fri., Aug. 10, after Sunset - International Starry Night. (Aug. 10 - just before peak of annual Perseid Meteor Shower)

* Fri., Aug. 10, 11:16 p.m. EDT / Aug. 11, 3:16 UTC - As it appears in the sky, the Moon moves close to Mercury.

* Aug. 11 to 17, after Sunset - International Starlight Week. (Week coinciding with annual Perseid Meteor Shower)

* Sat., Aug. 11 - For +40 degrees North Latitude (Latitude of Pittsburgh), annual Heliacal Rising of the Star Sirius (Dog Star), the brightest star in the night sky, the first time Sirius can be seen in the morning sky for the year. In ancient times, the Heliacal Rising of Sirius coincided with the flooding of the Nile River, which was and still is Egypt's life-line; the Heliacal Rising of Procyon (Little Dog Star), which annually occurred a little ahead of the Heliacal Rising of Sirius, gave the ancients extra warning for the soon-Heliacal Rising of Sirius. At that time, it was thought that the heat from the brightest star (Sirius), rising near the same time as the rising of the Sun, contributed to the great heat of the Summer Season. (Aug. 11)

* Sat., Aug. 11, 3:48 a.m. EDT / 7:48 UTC - Launch: Planned launch of NASA Parker Solar Probe.

* Sat., Aug. 11, 5:46:18.8 a.m. EDT / 9:46:18.8 UTC - Time of greatest eclipse for a Partial Solar Eclipse (last Eclipse of the year & third Partial Solar Eclipse of the year), visible in the Northern Hemisphere (northeastern portion of Canada, Greenland, Iceland, Northern Europe, northern and eastern Asia): Link 1 *** Link 2 *** Link 3.
SOLAR ECLIPSE / ECLIPSE OF THE SUN: TIPS FOR SAFE VIEWING.

* Sat., Aug. 11, 5:58 a.m. EDT / 9:58 UTC - Primary Moon Phase: New Moon - Lunation # 1183.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Thur., Nov. 15, 11:00 p.m. EST / Nov. 16, 4:00 UTC - Mars 1.0 degree north of the Moon; occultation: majority of Antarctic continent, Falkland Islands, southern portion of South America.

Occultations and Eclipses Visible This Month --

* Sun., Dec. 9, 11:00 p.m. EST / Dec. 10, 4:00 UTC - Dwarf Planet Pluto 0.7 degree south of the Moon; occultation: northeastern portion of China, eastern portion of Mongolia, eastern and southeastern portions of Russia, Japan, northern portion of Micronesia, Aleutian Island chain of Alaska.