When and where stargazers can see the full moon, meteor showers and eclipses in 2024
The year kicked off with a bang, with a meteor shower peaking just days after the start of 2024. There's more to come for stargazers.
Find out when you can catch the best shows in the sky this year:
Full Moon dates
Full Moons have different names based on seasons, historical crops and behavior of animals. The Old Farmer's Almanac details specific moonrise times for different ZIP codes across the United States.
NASA recommends going outside and looking up at the sky to view the full moon. Using a telescope or binoculars will magnify the moon and clarify details on its surface. Local forecasts have detailed information on how clear the night sky will be in different locations where people are keeping an eye out for the moon.
- January full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Jan. 25 - Wolf Moon
- February full moon reaches peak illumination - Saturday, Feb. 24 - Snow Moon
- March full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, March 25 - Worm Moon
- April full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, April 23 - Pink Moon
- May full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, May 23 - Flower Moon
- June full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, June 21 - Strawberry Moon
- July full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, July 21 - Buck Moon
- August full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, Aug. 19 - Sturgeon Moon
- September full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, Sept. 17 - Corn Moon
- October full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Oct. 17 - Hunter Moon
- November full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, Nov. 15 - Beaver Moon
- December full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, Dec. 15 - Cold Moon
Meteor Showers
While meteors — space rocks that enter Earth's atmosphere — streak through the sky every night, there are several meteor showers each year, according to NASA. During meteor showers, many meteors hit Earth's atmosphere in a short period. The streaks of light are caused by the glowing, hot air as meteors speed through Earth's atmosphere. Here is the full list of meteor showers occurring in 2024, according to the American Meteor Society.
- Quadrantids meteor shower peak - Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024
- Lyrid meteor shower peak estimate - Sunday, April 21 through Monday, April 22
- Eta Aquariids meteor shower peak estimate - Saturday, May 4 through Sunday, May 5
- Perseids meteor shower peak estimate - Monday, Aug. 12 through Tuesday, Aug. 13
- Geminid meteor shower peak estimate - Friday, Dec. 13 through Saturday, Dec. 14
Eclipses
The 2024 solar eclipse — when the moon completely blocks the face of the sun — could be your last chance to see one occur for decades to come. After the total solar eclipse on April 8, the next total solar eclipse that can be seen from the contiguous United States will be on Aug. 23, 2044.
- Total solar eclipse - Monday, April 8
- Annular solar eclipse visible in South America with a partial eclipse visible in South America, Antarctica, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, North America - Wednesday, Oct. 2
Full list of major 2024 space events
- Quadrantids meteor shower peak - Thursday, Jan. 4, 2024
- January full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Jan. 25
- February full moon reaches peak illumination - Saturday, Feb. 24
- March full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, March 25
- Total solar eclipse - Monday, April 8
- Lyrid meteor shower peak estimate - Sunday, April 21 through Monday, April 22
- April full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, April 23
- May full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, May 23
- June full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, June 21
- July full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, July 21
- Perseids meteor shower peak estimate - Monday, Aug. 12 through Tuesday, Aug. 13
- August full moon reaches peak illumination - Monday, Aug. 19
- September full moon reaches peak illumination - Tuesday, Sept. 17
- Annular solar eclipse visible in South America with a partial eclipse visible in South America, Antarctica, Pacific Ocean, Atlantic Ocean, North America - Wednesday, Oct. 2
- October full moon reaches peak illumination - Thursday, Oct. 17
- November full moon reaches peak illumination - Friday, Nov. 15
- December full moon reaches peak illumination - Sunday, Dec. 15
