Old Farmer's Almanac lists must-see sky events for this year

The Old Farmer's Almanac highlights several easily visible sky events across North America this year, including a total lunar eclipse on March 3 and notable meteor showers in August and December.

The Old Farmer's Almanac has outlined several sky events visible across North America this year. The publication notes it has appeared continuously since 1792 and presents these occurrences as generally easy to observe. The Almanac lists dates and brief viewing notes for planets, eclipses and meteor showers. Notable dates and highlights: - Feb. 18–20: Mercury will be unusually close to the Sun and easier to spot; the Almanac says look near the Moon about 45 minutes after sunset during this period. - March 3: A total lunar eclipse is reported to begin at 6:03 a.m. EST and last about an hour; observers across the western half of the U.S. should see the full eclipse, while East Coast locations will see the Moon set while the eclipse is underway. - June 9: Venus and Jupiter will appear close together, creating a bright pairing sometimes described as a "double planet." - Aug. 12–13: The Perseid meteor shower will be active, with the Almanac noting the best viewing after midnight on Aug. 13 when 60 to 100 meteors per hour may be visible under truly dark skies; parts of the U.S. may also see a very subtle partial solar eclipse on Aug. 12, which the Almanac warns should not be observed without proper eye protection. - Aug. 28: A deep partial lunar eclipse will reach its peak at 12:12 a.m. EDT, with about 93 percent of the Moon entering Earth's shadow. - December (mid to late month): Another peak for shooting stars is reported, with up to about 120 meteors per hour under very dark skies and a full moon rising over North America on Dec. 23. Summary: The Almanac presents a series of accessible celestial events across the year, from planetary pairings to eclipses and meteor showers. The total lunar eclipse on March 3 is a prominent event, and the Almanac notes a comparable total lunar eclipse will not be visible in the U.S. again until June 2029. Other listed dates provide specific windows when these events are expected to be most noticeable.