How to use this calendar.
Since 2017, The New York Times has provided this comprehensive calendar to its readers, featuring a curated collection of newsworthy events in spaceflight and astronomy by our expert journalists.
This guide will be regularly updated to reflect new dates and information. New entries will be added, and events that have concluded or been indefinitely postponed will be removed.
The simplest way to keep up with these cosmic happenings is to bookmark this page in your web browser and revisit it often. Below, you’ll find instructions for common browsers, along with answers to frequently asked questions.
Answers to common questions we’ve received
How do I bookmark this calendar on my browser?
Here are bookmarking instructions for four of the most popular browsers:
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Safari: Mac | iPhone | iPad
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Firefox
What happened to the Google Calendar, Apple Calendar and Outlook calendar feeds?
The Times has temporarily paused the calendar feed that automatically adds these events to your personal digital calendar.
Should we resume this service, updated instructions will be posted on this page.
How do I unsubscribe from the digital calendar feed?
You can refer to the instructions provided in last year’s calendar edition.
How do I submit feedback, or suggest another important space or astronomy event that I think you missed?
Email us at spacecalendar@nytimes.com.
Late October or Early November: Blue Origin could launch twin NASA satellites to Mars.
ESCAPADE, a small NASA-funded mission, features a pair of orbiters named Blue and Gold. Operated by the Berkeley Space Sciences Laboratory, these satellites will journey around Mars to investigate the magnetic bubble surrounding the Red Planet.
Despite their small size, these satellites will embark on their voyage aboard New Glenn, the colossal rocket from Blue Origin, Jeff Bezos’s rocket company. This launch marks only the second flight for New Glenn, which made its inaugural debut in January. A more precise launch date will be announced by NASA or Blue Origin soon.
Oct. 22-23: The Orionids meteor shower will reach its peak.
Active from Oct. 2 to Nov. 12. Peak night: Oct. 22 to 23.
The Orionids are a favorite among meteor shower enthusiasts, known for the bright, swift streaks they produce near the constellation of Orion’s Belt. Like the Eta Aquarids shower in May, the Orionids occur when Earth passes through debris left behind by Halley’s Comet.
This spectacle is visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. This year promises excellent viewing conditions, as the moon will be a mere 2 percent full.
Nov. 16-17: The Leonids meteor shower will reach its peak.
Active from Nov. 3 to Dec. 2. Peak night: Nov. 16 to 17.
The Leonids are renowned for producing some of the fastest meteors each year, blazing across the sky at 44 miles per second with brilliant, long tails.
These meteors appear to originate from the constellation Leo and will be visible from both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. With the moon only 9 percent full this year, conditions are favorable for spotting the Leonids.
Dec. 12-13: The Geminids meteor shower will reach its peak.
Active from Dec. 1 to Dec. 21. Peak night: Dec. 12 to 13.
Originating from the debris of an asteroid, the Geminids are consistently one of the strongest and most anticipated meteor showers annually. While best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere, observers south of the Equator can also enjoy the display.
The Geminids will reach their peak when the moon is approximately 40 percent full.
Dec. 21: Winter solstice.
This date marks the scientific beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, as this part of the world tilts furthest away from the sun. Learn more about the solstice.
Dec. 21-22: The Ursids meteor shower will reach its peak.
Active from Dec. 16 to Dec. 26. Peak night: Dec. 21 to 22.
Coinciding with the winter solstice, the Ursids meteor shower offers a celestial light show, with meteors appearing near the Little Dipper, part of the constellation Ursa Minor.
This shower is primarily visible to skywatchers in the Northern Hemisphere. The moon will be only 3 percent full, providing optimal viewing conditions.
How to watch a meteor shower.
Our universe is brimming with cosmic marvels, yet only a fraction of astronomical phenomena are visible to the naked eye. Meteor showers, those natural fireworks that streak brightly across the night sky, are a perfect example.
Where meteor showers come from
While you might catch a glimpse of a meteor on any given night, your best chance is during a meteor shower. These showers occur when Earth passes through the trail of rubble left by a comet or asteroid as it orbits the sun. This debris, sometimes as tiny as a grain of sand, burns up upon entering Earth’s atmosphere, creating a luminous streak of light.
Meteor showers happen around the same time each year and can last for days or weeks. However, there’s a narrow window when each shower peaks – this is when Earth travels through the densest part of the cosmic debris. The peak offers the best opportunity to observe the shower, as the meteors will appear to radiate from a single point in the sky.
For instance, the Perseid meteor shower peaks in mid-August, seemingly originating from the constellation Perseus. The Geminids, an annual December event, appear to radiate from the constellation Gemini.
How to watch a meteor shower
Michelle Nichols, director of public observing at the Adler Planetarium in Chicago, advises against using telescopes or binoculars for meteor showers.
“You just need your eyes and, ideally, a dark sky,” she explained.
This is because meteors can dart across vast areas of the sky, and observing equipment can restrict your field of view.
Some showers can be quite prolific, producing up to 100 streaks per hour, according to the American Meteor Society, though most observers typically see fewer.
“Almost everybody is under a light-polluted sky,” Ms. Nichols noted. “You may think you’re under a dark sky, but in reality, even in a small town, you can have bright lights nearby.”
Planetariums, local astronomy clubs, or online maps can help you find locations away from excessive light. The best conditions for a meteor shower include a clear sky with minimal moonlight or cloud cover, preferably between midnight and sunrise. Remember to allow your eyes at least 30 minutes to adjust to the dark.
Ms. Nichols also suggests dressing in layers, even during summer. “You’re going to be sitting there for quite a while, watching,” she said. “It’s going to get chilly, even in August.”
Bring a warm drink like cocoa or tea. Then, sit back, scan the sky, and enjoy the celestial performance.
What to expect in space and astronomy in 2025
Our journey around the sun in “2024” was packed with astronomical and spaceflight excitement.
North America witnessed a total solar eclipse. Two robotic landers successfully reached the lunar surface, largely intact. The most powerful rocket booster ever built was spectacularly caught by mechanical arms nicknamed “chopsticks.” A mission to Jupiter’s icy ocean moon Europa began, and private astronauts even performed a daring spacewalk.
Will our next revolution around the sun, “2025,” be as thrilling? You can decide for yourself how excited to get about the upcoming events on launchpads and in the night sky.
For continuous updates on these and other events, bookmark The Times Space and Astronomy calendar.
Jeff Bezos enters the arena
In recent years, Elon Musk’s SpaceX has largely dominated global spaceflight. However, Amazon founder Jeff Bezos’s extraterrestrial ambitions with Blue Origin could soon challenge this dominance.
Blue Origin is poised to launch its powerful New Glenn rocket, potentially for the first time in 2025. Similar to SpaceX’s Falcon 9, New Glenn’s booster stage is designed for full reusability, aiming to significantly reduce launch costs. This rocket is slated to carry national security satellites for the U.S. military and spacecraft for NASA, including Mars orbiters and lunar landers.
New Glenn will also transport satellites for Amazon’s Project Kuiper, a venture by Mr. Bezos to build a massive constellation of internet-beaming satellites, directly competing with SpaceX’s Starlink. Interestingly, Amazon also plans to use rockets from other Blue Origin competitors, such as United Launch Alliance, Arianespace of France, and even SpaceX, for its Kuiper launches.
Rubin’s first light
Astronomers on a mountain in central Chile are nearing completion of the Vera C. Rubin Observatory, which might capture its initial views of the night sky this year, possibly as early as July 4.
Previously known as the Large Synoptic Survey Telescope, the observatory was renamed in 2020 to honor Vera Rubin, who passed away in 2016 at the age of 88. Dr. Rubin’s groundbreaking work provided compelling evidence for the existence of dark matter, an enigmatic substance that constitutes the majority of the universe’s mass, yet remains unexplained.
The observatory’s name is a fitting tribute. Equipped with the world’s largest digital camera, the Rubin Observatory will create a time-lapse cosmic movie of the Southern sky. These images will be instrumental in unraveling the mysteries of dark matter and dark energy—the unknown force accelerating the universe’s expansion. The vast dataset collected will also shed light on the formation of our galaxy and help catalog asteroids and comets within our solar system, including those that could pose a future threat to Earth.
The moon, and Trump, come back around
During Donald J. Trump’s first presidency, American space policy shifted its focus to lunar exploration, a direction maintained by President Biden’s administration. However, with Mr. Trump’s return to the White House in January, the nation’s current space plans could face significant changes. This might involve canceling NASA’s costly rocket program, which has been under development for over a decade. Alternatively, Mr. Trump could push for a more radical shift in NASA’s priorities, focusing on sending humans to Mars, a primary objective of President-elect Trump’s advisor, Elon Musk.
Despite this potential uncertainty, a series of robotic lunar missions are scheduled for early in the year. The first two involve landers from American company Firefly Aerospace and Japanese company Ispace, both launching on the same SpaceX rocket as early as mid-January. Firefly’s mission will be the inaugural flight of its Blue Ghost lander, carrying NASA-funded cargo. Ispace’s lunar trip marks its second attempt, following the unfortunate crash of its first lander onto the moon’s surface in 2023.
Later in the first quarter, Intuitive Machines may attempt another robotic moon landing. This follows their Odysseus lander’s successful, though tilted, landing in February. The company’s second lander, Athena, will also carry NASA-financed instruments, including a drill designed to search for ice samples. Athena will share its SpaceX launcher with Lunar Trailblazer, a NASA orbiter tasked with studying lunar water resources.
Vigils for Voyagers 1 and 2
Voyagers 1 and 2, twin spacecraft that ignited the imaginations of a generation of space enthusiasts, were launched in 1977. After decades of venturing through the outer solar system and into the uncharted territory of interstellar space, both spacecraft are showing signs of their age.
Early in their incredible journey, the pair soared past Jupiter and Saturn, with Voyager 2 extending its tour to Uranus and Neptune. Perhaps the mission’s most enduring legacy is the iconic “Pale Blue Dot” photograph of Earth, a tiny pixel against the vastness of space, a term famously coined by astronomer Carl Sagan.
In recent years, these robotic explorers have intermittently lost and re-established contact with NASA. Communication with Voyager 2 was intentionally suspended for months in 2020 and then accidentally lost for several weeks in 2023 before being restored.
Voyager 1, meanwhile, caused alarm among mission specialists this year when it ceased transmitting data back to Earth. To conserve dwindling power, instruments on both spacecraft have been gradually powered down.
However, NASA remains committed to both Voyagers. Their eventual quiet rest in the space between the stars would be a fitting end for a duo that dared to venture where no spacecraft had ever gone before.
India’s orbital objective
India’s space program has achieved significant feats, including landing a robot on the moon and placing a spacecraft in orbit around Mars. The nation’s immediate priorities, though closer to Earth, are no less ambitious.
India is now concentrating on human spaceflight. Shubhanshu Shukla, a member of the Indian astronaut corps, is scheduled to spend up to 14 days this spring aboard the International Space Station as part of a commercial mission with Axiom Space.
Mr. Shukla and his fellow Indian astronauts aspire to be the first to launch into low Earth orbit on India’s own rockets. In December, India announced that an orbital vehicle from its Gaganyaan program was being prepared for an uncrewed test launch. A successful flight could pave the way for a crewed Indian astronaut launch as early as 2026.
New milestones and new spacecraft
SpaceX captivated audiences worldwide in November with Flight 5 of Starship, the most powerful rocket ever built. Expect the company to attempt another stunning “chopsticks” catch of its massive Super Heavy booster. SpaceX may also aim to successfully recover the upper-stage Starship vehicle for the first time after it completes an Earth orbit and returns to the South Texas launch site. SpaceX has indicated plans for 25 Starship launches in 2025, as it prepares the spacecraft to land astronauts on the moon under its contract with NASA.
Beyond Starship, other new rockets and spacecraft are set to take flight in 2025.
One such vehicle is Neutron, a reusable rocket under development by Rocket Lab, a company founded in New Zealand. Known for regularly deploying satellites with its smaller Electron rocket, Rocket Lab could conduct the maiden flight of its new Neutron vehicle from a launch site in Virginia.
Another eagerly anticipated craft is Dream Chaser, a space plane built by Sierra Space. Following delays in 2024, the company hopes to utilize Dream Chaser for its first cargo delivery to the International Space Station this year.