Key Dates 2025

03-Jan Quadrantid meteor shower peak 04-Jan Lunar occultation of Saturn at 17h 08-Jan Asteroid (887) Alinda very close approach (0.0822 au) at 14h 09 Jan Venus at greatest elongation east 47.2° 14-Jan Close appulse of Mars and the Moon at 4h, separation 13.2 arcmin 16-Jan Mars at opposition 09-Feb Grazing lunar occultation of Mars at 19h 09-Feb 2012 PB20 passes 3.6 L.D. from Earth 08-Mar Mercury at greatest elongation East 18.2° 14-Mar Total lunar eclipse - partial from whole UK, total at moonset from northern UK 20-Mar March equinox occurs at 09:01 23-Mar Saturn ring plane crossing at 16h 29-Mar Partial solar eclipse - visible from UK 11-Apr 2023 KU passes 2.8 L.D. from Earth 21-Apr Mercury at greatest elongation west 27.4° 22-Apr Lyrid meteor shower peak 31-May Venus at greatest elongation west 45.9° 21-Jun June solstice occurs at 02:42 30-Jun Close appulse of Mars and the Moon at 1h, separation 11.1 arcmin 04-Jul Mercury at greatest elongation East 25.9° 25-Jul Pluto at opposition 12-Aug Venus 0.9° S. of Jupiter 12-Aug Perseid meteor shower peak 19-Aug Mercury at greatest elongation west 18.6° 22-Aug 2023 PX passes 2.4 L.D. from Earth 07-Sep Total lunar eclipse - visible from UK at moonrise 19-Sep Lunar occultation of Venus at 12h 21-Sep Saturn at opposition 21-Sep Partial solar eclipse - not visible from UK 22-Sep September equinox occurs at 18:20 23-Sep Neptune at opposition 21-Oct Orionid meteor shower peak 29-Oct Mercury at greatest elongation east 23.9° 17-Nov Leonid meteor shower peak 21-Nov Uranus at opposition 8-Dec Mercury at greatest elongation west 20.7° 14-Dec Geminid meteor shower peak 21-Dec December solstice occurs at 15:03 22-Dec Ursid meteor shower peak