{"alias":"blogEntry","byline":"Alanah Reid, Creative Content Producer","standfirst":"Barbecues, bright blue skies and warmer days are finally here.","content":{"layouts":[{"type":"singleColumn","areas":[{"items":[{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Cp\u003ESummer Solstice falls on Tuesday 21 June this year. It\u0027s the day we\u2019ll get the most sunlight, and for us in the Northern Hemisphere, it marks the beginning of summer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETo celebrate Summer Solstice and the start of a new season, we\u2019ve put together a list of celestial events for you to watch out for over the next six months.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom meteor showers to full Moons, there are plenty of opportunities for stargazing, building rockets, and \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/beavers/activity-badges/space/\u0022\u003Elearning all about Space\u003C/a\u003E.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/17729/ss_cover.jpg","width":1080,"height":1080,"altText":"Different phases of the moon with text \u00272022 celestial events\u0027","caption":"The Moon goes through many phases throughout the year","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003ESummer Solstice\u003C/h3\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESolstices\u00A0and shifting\u00A0solar declinations\u00A0are a result of\u00A0Earth\u2019s 23.5\u00B0\u00A0axial tilt\u00A0as it\u00A0orbits\u00A0the\u00A0sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EDuring the year, this means that either the Northern or\u00A0Southern Hemisphere\u00A0is tilted toward the\u00A0Sun,\u00A0and receives the maximum intensity of the\u00A0Sun\u2019s rays.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESummer Solstice happens when the Earth\u2019s axis tilts, bringing the Northern Hemisphere to its closest point towards the Sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Northern Hemisphere includes all the countries that are north of the Equator line (including the UK), and the Southern Hemisphere includes all the countries that are south of the line.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis year, Summer Solstice is happening on Tuesday 21 June, and it\u2019ll be the longest day of the year for the Northern Hemisphere. This means this part of the world experiences the maximum intensity of the Sun\u2019s rays, and has the most hours of sunlight.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EFrom this day onwards, until autumn begins, the Northern Hemisphere receives the most possible light and heat from the Sun, creating our summer season.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhile the Northern Hemisphere enjoys warmer weather, the Southern Hemisphere will be braving the cold and experiencing its Winter Solstice. Our Winter Solstice takes place on Wednesday 21 December.\u003C/p\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"gridImageBlock","gtmId":"gtmId","gtmClass":"gtmClass","image":"/media/17728/summer_solstice_sunrise_over_stonehenge_2005.jpeg","width":1224,"height":854,"altText":"The sun rising in the morning over Stonehenge on Summer Solstice","caption":"The beautiful Summer Solstice sunrise over Stonehenge \u2013 one of the best places to view the sunrise on the day. Image credit: Wikimedia","link":null},{"gridType":"RichTextBlock","content":"\u003Ch3\u003EMake sure to watch out for\u003C/h3\u003E","gtmId":"","gtmClass":""},{"gridType":"accordion","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","showExpand":false,"items":[{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA New Moon happens when the Moon\u2019s in its first phase, when the Earth, the Moon and the Sun are in approximate alignment.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis means they\u2019re lined up, but not perfectly, with the Moon in the middle between the Earth and the Sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIn this first phase, the side of the Moon facing Earth isn\u2019t illuminated by the Sun\u2019s light and is in darkness, which is why we can\u2019t see the New Moon from Earth.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen New Moons happen, it\u2019s a great time to stargaze and see other faint objects in the sky, such as galaxies, star clusters and meteor showers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWithout any light from the Moon brightening up the night sky, you\u2019ll be able to see these a lot clearer.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are the dates of when there\u2019ll be a New Moon the rest of this year:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E29 June\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E2 July\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E27 August\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E25 September\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E25 October\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E23 November\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E23 December\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","label":"New Moons"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA Full Moon happens when the Moon reaches its full phase. It\u2019s approximately aligned with the Sun on opposite sides of Earth, allowing the Sun\u2019s light to fully illuminate the Moon\u2019s face.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen this happens, we can see the whole, round Moon beaming in the night sky. At this point, the Moon reaches its closest approach to Earth, making it appear bigger and rounder than usual.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHere\u2019s when there\u2019ll be a Full Moon the rest of this year:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E13 July\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E12 August\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E10 September\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E9 October\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8 November\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8 December\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","label":"Full Moons and Supermoons"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EA meteoroid is an object or debris in space, such as bits of rocks and ice, that are ejected from comets as they move in their orbits about the Sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWhen meteoroids enter Earth\u2019s or another planet\u2019s atmosphere at high speed, they burn up and create streaks of light in the night sky. This streak of light is called a meteor.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe meteors, or streaks of light, are often called \u2018shooting stars.\u2019\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMeteor showers happen when Earth passes through the debris field of a comet or asteroid. They\u00A0radiate from certain constellations, but they can be visible from anywhere in the night sky if the Moon\u2019s light isn\u2019t too bright.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThey often last for a few weeks, but there are only a couple of days when they\u2019ll be visible in the night sky.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you want to get the best view, it\u2019s best to look up at the sky from a dark location just after midnight, as this is when it\u2019ll be clearest to see meteors.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMake sure to wrap up warm and go somewhere that\u2019s away from light pollution if you can.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019s a few meteor showers this year to watch out for:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E29 and 30 July \u2013 Delta Aquariid\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Delta Aquariid meteor shower is an average shower, and at its peak, it can create up to 25 meteors an hour. This shower is created by debris from the comets Marsen and Kracht.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe meteors can appear anywhere in the sky, but they\u2019ll radiate from the Aquarius constellation.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUnfortunately, this shower is happening at the same time as a Full Moon, meaning the sky will be lit up by the Moon, and it\u2019ll be quite difficult to see the showers. You might be able to see a few bright ones if you\u2019re patient.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe shower will reach its highest point at around 3:30am, but watch out from 2am onwards to increase your chances of seeing the shower.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E12 and 13 August \u2013 Perseids\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is one of the best showers to watch out for, as it\u2019ll be creating up to 100 meteors per hour at its peak.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s produced by debris from the comet Swift-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1862.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s well known for creating lots of bright meteors in the sky, making it one of the favourites among astronomers.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis shower will also be harder to see since there\u2019ll be a Full Moon around the same time, but because these meteors are so bright, there\u2019s still a chance to see some of them.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThese meteors will radiate from the Perseus constellation, but they\u2019ll be visible anywhere in the sky.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E21 and 22 October \u2013 Orionids\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis shower is one of the most reliable showers and has been observed since ancient times. It\u2019s created from dust grains left behind by Halley\u2019s Comet and radiates from the Orion constellation.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ECreating up to 25 meteors at its peak, it\u2019ll be most visible on the night of 21 October and in the early morning of 22 October.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Halley Comet itself returns to Earth\u2019s vicinity every 75-76 years. It\u2019ll next appear in 2062, so there\u2019s a little while to go yet.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt this time, the Moon will be a thin, crescent shape, leaving the sky mostly in darkness. This\u2019ll make it much easier to spot the shower.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E4 and 5 November \u2013 Taurids\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis Taurids shower is longer than the others, and only creates 5 to 10 meteors per hour at its peak.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s unusual as it produces two streams, instead of one. The first stream is caused by the dust grains from Asteroid 2004 TG10, and the second one by Comet 2P Encke.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUnfortunately, there\u2019ll be another Full Moon at the shower\u2019s peak, meaning it\u2019ll be hard to see it. You might be able to see some of the brightest meteors if you\u2019re patient.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E17 and 18 November \u2013 Leonids\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis shower creates around 15 meteors an hour at its peak, which is the night of 17 November and in the early morning of 18 November.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Leonids is unique, since it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years when we\u2019re able to see hundreds of meteors an hour. The last time this happened was in 2001, so we\u2019ve not got too long until the next.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe Leonids shower is caused by debris left behind by the comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere\u2019ll be a quarter Moon blocking the faint meteors in the shower this year, but we might still be able to spot some of the brightest ones.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E13 and 14 December \u2013 Germinds\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ERadiating from the Gemini constellation, the Germinds is likely to be the best shower of the year. It\u2019s able to create up to 120 different coloured meteors at its peak.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe 3200 Phaethon asteroid, discovered in 1982, causes the showers by leaving behind debris in its path.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe waning gibbous Moon at the same time this year will block many of the faint meteors. Since the Germinds are so numerous and bright, though, we should still be able to spot the shower in the sky. \u00A0\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E22 and 23 December \u2013 Ursids\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is the final meteor shower of the year. Created from dust grains left behind by the Comet Tuttle, this minor shower only creates around 5-10 meteors an hour.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThe meteors appear to radiate from the Beta Ursae Minoris (Kochab) in the Ursa Minor constellation.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESince it\u2019s happening around the time of the Winter Solstice, \u00A0there\u2019ll be more hours of darkness for stargazing.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Meteor showers"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EAs well as Earth, every other planet in our Solar System orbits the Sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThere are certain times when Earth is directly between the planet and the Sun, which is what we call a planet in \u0027opposition.\u0027 This means, when the Sun sets in the West, the planet will appear in the East.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EAt sunset is the best time to view and take photos of the planet, as it\u2019s the closest and clearest it\u2019ll appear for us.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EHere are the dates when planets will be in opposition this year:\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E14 August \u2013 Saturn\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith a medium or large-sized telescope, you might be able to see some of Saturn\u2019s rings and a few of its brightest Moons.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E16 September \u2013 Neptune\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ESince Neptune is so far away from Earth, even the strongest telescopes will only be able to pick up a tiny blue dot in the distance.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E26 September \u2013 Jupiter\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJupiter is the biggest planet in our Solar System, and it might be possible to see some of its cloud bands through a medium-sized telescope.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIf you can get your hands on a good pair of binoculars, you might be able to see four of Jupiter\u2019s biggest Moons. They\u2019ll appear as bright dots on either side of the planet.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E9 November \u2013 Uranus\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EUnfortunately, even the most advanced telescopes will only be able to spot a tiny blue-green dot in the distance.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8 December \u2013 Mars\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EWith a medium-sized telescope, you\u2019ll be able to spot the darker details on the orange surface of Mars.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Planets at opposition"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E27 August \u2013 Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EReaching 27.3 degrees, the planet Mercury will reach its greatest Eastern elongation from the Sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis means it\u2019s the best day to try and see Mercury, as it\u2019ll be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJust after sunset, try and spot the planet low in the Western sky.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E23 September \u2013 September Equinox\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EThis is when the Sun shines on Earth\u2019s equator, and they\u2019ll almost be equal amounts of day and night across the whole world. It\u2019s also a day that marks the changing of the seasons.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s the first day of autumn in the Northern Hemisphere, and the first day of spring in the Southern Hemisphere.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8 October \u2013 Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EJust 18 degrees away, Mercury will be at its greatest Western elongation from the Sun. This means the planet will be at the highest point in the morning sky, making it the best day to see the planet and take photos of it.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EMake sure to look at the sky in the East just before sunrise.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E25 October \u2013 Partial Solar Eclipse\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EPartial solar eclipses happen when the Moon covers part of the Sun.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019ll be most visible from Europe, Africa, the Middle East and western parts of Asia, particularly western Russia and Kazakhstan. Central Russia will get over 80% coverage of the partial solar eclipse.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EYou can only safely look at a partial solar eclipse with a special solar filter, or by looking at the Sun\u2019s reflection. It\u2019s very dangerous to look directly at the Sun!\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E8 November \u2013 Total Lunar Eclipse\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003ETotal lunar eclipses happen when the Moon passes fully though the dark shadow of the Earth, or umbra. This means the Moon will slowly get darker, then appear to have a red colour.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019ll be visible throughout eastern Russia, Japan, Australia, the Pacific Ocean, and parts of western and central North America\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Cstrong\u003E21 December \u2013 December Solstice\u003C/strong\u003E\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EOn this day, the South Pole of Earth will tilt towards the Sun, reaching its southernmost position in the sky. The Sun will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn at 23.44 degrees south latitude.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cp\u003EIt\u2019s the first day of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, and the first day of Summer in the Southern Hemisphere.\u003C/p\u003E","label":"Other celestial events"},{"gridType":"accordionItem","gtmId":"","gtmClass":"","body":"\u003Cp\u003EWe\u0027ve got some brilliant activities for learning all about Space.\u003C/p\u003E\n\u003Cul\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/peake-performance/\u0022\u003EPeake performance\u003C/a\u003E - Beavers/Cubs\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/create-a-planetscape/\u0022\u003ECreate a planetscape\u003C/a\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/create-a-planetscape/\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003EScouts/Explorers\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/captain-s-clock/\u0022\u003ECaptain\u2019s clock\u003C/a\u003E - \u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/captain-s-clock/\u0022\u003E\u003C/a\u003EBeavers/Cubs\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003Cli\u003E\u003Ca href=\u0022https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/cosmic-quest/\u0022\u003ECosmic quest\u003C/a\u003E - Cubs/Scouts\u003C/li\u003E\n\u003C/ul\u003E","label":"Activities for learning about Space"}]}]}],"config":null}]},"searchDescription":null,"pageType":null,"location":null,"versionDate":"14 June 2022","reviewDate":null,"furtherReading":[{"caption":"","title":"Beavers Space Activity Badge","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/beavers/activity-badges/space/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"Scouts Astronautics Activity Badge","url":null,"newWindow":false}],"relatedLinks":[{"caption":"","title":"Peake performance","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/peake-performance/","newWindow":false},{"caption":"","title":"Create a planetscape","url":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/activities/create-a-planetscape/","newWindow":false}],"id":48711,"nodeName":"2022 Celestial Events","title":"2022 celestial events to watch out for","type":"blogEntry","image":{"url":"/media/17728/summer_solstice_sunrise_over_stonehenge_2005.jpeg?width=800\u0026height=450\u0026v=1d9becd1e1b77b0","caption":"Summer Solstice Sunrise Over Stonehenge 2005","type":"jpeg","size":145733,"width":1224,"height":854,"altText":""},"assets":null,"headerOptions":{"headerTitle":"2022 celestial events to watch out for","headerSubTitle":null,"headerCta":null,"headerCtaText":null,"headerCtaLink":null,"headerBackgroundColour":null,"showSEOImage":false,"headerBackgroundImage":null,"quickLinks":null},"subHeader":"Get your telescope at the ready \u2013 check out the upcoming celestial events to look forward to.","browserTitle":null,"silktide":"eyJjbXMiOiJVbWJyYWNvIiwiZWRpdG9yVXJsIjoiaHR0cHM6Ly9wcm9kLWNtcy5zY291dHMub3JnLnVrLy91bWJyYWNvIy9jb250ZW50L2NvbnRlbnQvZWRpdC80ODcxMSJ9","canonicalUrl":"https://www.scouts.org.uk/news/2022/june/2022-celestial-events/"}