Cover Keep track of all the celestial events happening this 2021 with our astronomical calendar (Photo: Unsplash.com)

Ready to go stargazing? Our 2021 astronomical calendar lists every full moon, meteor showers and eclipse to see in Hong Kong this year

Did you know that when you stargaze, you're actually looking back in time? This is because the light from the stars takes time to travel any finite distance, making it the closest thing we're going to get to time travel––or any kind of travel––anytime soon. 

This year, stargazers, moon hunters and astronomy buffs can look forward to many natural phenomenons that are visible in the sky—from full moons and meteor showers to eclipses. To help you keep track of them all, we've put together this astronomical calendar of 2021's celestial highlights in Hong Kong.

Tatler tip: These celestial events are all natural phenomenons that are many not be easily visible to the naked eye. We recommend investing in a good telescope or binoculars and visiting a place where you can see the sky more clearly. Please check the official website of the Hong Kong Observatory for more information.

See also: The First Full Moon Of 2021 Is Coming This January

January

For the first month of 2021, we're instantly greeted with a meteor shower on January 3 and the first full moon on January 29.

January 3: Quadrantid meteor shower 

January 10: Conjunction of Mercury with Saturn

January 11: Conjunction of Mercury with Jupiter

January 12: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

January 13: New moon

January 17: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

January 21: Conjunction of Uranus and Mars with the moon

January 22: Conjunction of Mars with Uranus

January 29: Full moon

February

February 5: Conjunction of Venus with Saturn

February 10: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

February 11: Conjunction of Venus, Mercury and Jupiter with the moon

February 12: New moon

February 13: Conjunction of Mercury with Venus

February 27: Full moon

See also: NASA Has Shared The 20 Best Photos Astronauts Took In The Past Year

March

March 5: Conjunction of Mercury with Jupiter

March 10: Conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter with the moon

March 11: Conjunction of Neptune with the sun

March 11: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

March 13: Conjunction of Neptune and Venus with the moon

March 13: New moon

March 14: Conjunction of Venus with Neptune

March 29: Full moon

April

In April, the highlight of the month is the Lyrid meteor shower on April 22 and the supermoon, when the moon appears larger in the sky, on April 27.

April 6: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

April 7: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

April 9: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

April 11: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

April 12: New moon

April 12: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

April 13: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

April 17: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

April 22: Lyrid meteor shower

April 23: Conjunction of Venus with Uranus

April 24: Conjunction of Mercury with Uranus

April 26: Conjunction of Mercury with Venus

April 27: Supermoon

May

A total lunar eclipse takes the spotlight on May 26 as well as an Eta Aquarid meteor shower on May 5.

May 1: Conjunction of Uranus with the sun

May 4: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

May 5: Eta Aquarid meteor shower

May 5: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

May 7: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

May 12: New moon

May 16: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

May 26: Total lunar eclipse

May 26: Full moon

May 29: Conjunction of Mercury with Venus

May 31: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

See also: Tatler's Guide to Going to Outer Space

June

An annular solar eclipse is taking place on June 10. We may also need to set our alarm clocks for the earliest sunrise of the year on June 8.

June 1: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

June 3: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

June 7: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

June 8: Earliest sunrise of the year at 5:39 am

June 10: Annular solar eclipse

June 10: New moon

June 10: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

June 12: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

June 14: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

June 21: Summer solstice

June 25: Full moon

June 27: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

June 29: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

June 30: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

July

Catch the latest sunset of the year on July 4 and end the month with the Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower on July 30.

July 4: Latest sunset of the year at 7:11 pm

July 4: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

July 8: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

July 10: New moon

July 12: Conjunction of Venus and Mars with the moon

July 13: Conjunction of Venus with Mars

July 23: Full moon

July 25: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

July 26: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

July 28: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

July 30: Southern Delta Aquarid meteor shower

August

On August 12, the sky will be lit up by a Perseid meteor shower.

August 1: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

August 8: New moon

August 10: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

August 11: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

August 12: Perseid meteor shower

August 19: Conjunction of Mercury with Mars

August 21: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

August 22: Full moon

August 22: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

August 24: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

August 28: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

September

September 7: New moon

September 8: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

September 9: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

September 10: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

September 17: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

September 18: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

September 20: Conjunction of Neptune with the moon

September 21: Full moon

September 23: Autumnal Equinox

September 25: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

See also: Reach For The Stars: Hong Kong-based Nasa Astrobiologist Angélica Anglés' Mission To Find Life On Mars

October

October 6: New moon

October 6: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

October 7: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

October 8: Conjunction of Mars with the sun

October 10: Orionid meteor shower

October 10: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

October 14: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

October 15: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

October 20: Full moon

November

November is a busy moon for stargazers as there'll be a Leonid meteor show on November 17 and followed by a partial lunar eclipse on November 19. The earliest sunset will also take place on November 28.

November 4: Conjunction of Mercury and Mars with the moon

November 5: New moon

November 8: Conjunction of Venus with the moon

November 10: Conjunction of Mercury with Mars

November 10: Conjunction of Saturn with the moon

November 12: Conjunction of Jupiter with the moon

November 17: Leonid meteor shower

November 19: Partial lunar eclipse

November 19: Full moon

November 28: Earliest sunset of the year at 5:38 pm

December

In the last month of the year, you can enjoy a total solar eclipse on December 4 and a Geminid meteor shower on December 14.

December 3: Conjunction of Mars with the moon

December 4: Total solar eclipse

December 4: Conjunction of Mercury with the moon

December 14: Geminid meteor shower

December 15: Conjunction of Uranus with the moon

December 19: Full moon

December 21: Winter solstice

December 29: Conjunction of Mercury with Mars

For full information on the exact time of each astronomical event, please visit the Hong Kong Space Museum's website or the Hong Kong Observatory's website.

See also: Scientists Discover 14-Billion-Year-Old ‘Super-Earth’

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