In 2018, the big astronomical stories were the return of Mars to the evening skies, the mystery object from interstellar space named Oumuamua, and the Geminid Meteor Shower.  What does the universe have in store for the new year? Here are my can’t-miss astronomical events of 2019.

Ultima Thule and a total lunar eclipse

On Jan. 1, about four billion miles from Earth, the unmanned New Horizons spacecraft skimmed past a small, icy object named Ultima Thule. New Horizons blasted off Earth in 2006, flew by Pluto in 2015 and is now heading out of the solar system. It should take time to get all the pictures and data back from Ultima Thule, so stay tuned to see what this far-flung world looks like.

Barring clouds, the coolest and easiest-to-see astronomical event in 2019 will be a total lunar eclipse. Often called the “Blood Moon” a lunar eclipse occurs when the full moon enters the shadow of Earth and slowly turns dark. When the moon is totally in Earth’s shadow (called totality), the moon turns all sorts of eerie colors from gray to tangerine to blood red. 

From 2015:

For viewers in the United States, Mexico and Canada, the next lunar eclipse occurs on the night of Sunday, Jan. 20 and carries over to the morning of Jan. 21. You will first start to notice the shadow on the moon at 10:33 p.m. EST on Jan. 20. The shadow will creep from left to right and plunge the moon further into darkness until totality – which occurs from 11:41 p.m.-12:43 a.m. EST. Then you can watch the shadow continue and leave the moon to its normal self at 1:50 a.m. on the morning of Jan. 21.

Apollo 11 anniversary

On July 20, 1969, Neil Armstrong and Buzz Aldrin became the first people to land on the moon. This year marks the 50th anniversary of their journey on the Apollo 11 mission, an astronomical feat of engineering that went where no one had gone before.

It took Armstrong, Aldrin and astronaut Michael Collins (who was the Command Module Pilot) three days to fly from Earth to the moon. There, Armstrong and Aldrin descended to the surface while Collins continued orbiting the moon in the main capsule.  

Armstrong and Aldrin made their first footsteps on the moon on July 21, 1969, spent less than a day on the surface and then headed back home. The Apollo 11 mission lasted eight days and became the most memorable event for a generation.     

Little black spot on the sun

If you like rare, subtle and potentially dangerous astronomical events, mark down Nov. 11, 2019. On that day, the tiny planet Mercury will pass between Earth and the sun. Think of it as a super-miniature eclipse. It’s called a transit of Mercury and it only happens about 13 times every century. 

This transit of Mercury will last from 8:35 a.m. EST until 2:04 p.m. EST on Nov. 11. Since this happens during the daytime, you need to take precautions and plan ahead. You will need professional, safe solar viewing filters through which to observe the transit. Secondly, since Mercury is such a small planet and will appear as such a tiny black spot in front of the large disc of the sun, you will need to magnify the image. At minimum, you will need to use properly filtered binoculars or telescopes just to see Mercury during the transit, but it is amazing to witness the precision of heavens.

This will be the last transit of Mercury visible from the United States until 2049. So contact your local observatory, science center or astronomy club to see if you can join a transit viewing party or view it yourself with the proper safety equipment.

Meteors showers of the year

There are two meteor showers in 2019 that may be interesting to view. The Orionid Meteor Shower peaks on Oct. 21 and 22. When you go outside that night and look for shooting stars, you’ll actually be seeing pieces of Halley’s Comet falling to Earth.

The other meteor shower with potential is the Leonids, which peaks on Nov. 17 and 18.  Remember that meteor showers are fickle and they are rarely as advertised. But with a lunar eclipse, an out-of-this-world anniversary and a transit of Mercury, you will have plenty to look for in 2019.   

Dean Regas is the Astronomer for the Cincinnati Observatory, co-host of PBS’ Star Gazers, and author of the books 100 Things to See in the Night Sky and Facts from Space! He can be reached at

How about an Introductory Astronomy Class?

Where: Cincinnati Observatory

What: Three-night astronomy course. Perfect for beginners who want to learn more about observing the night sky.

When: Wednesdays, Jan. 9, 16 and 23, from 7-9 p.m.

Admission: $50 per person for the series, $40 per Observatory member

Info: Reservations required by calling 513-321-5186 or online at

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