Question For Today- Are You a Stargazer?

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I am a stargazer, it's fascinating when a celestial body of some sort is visible in the sky. And throughout the year, we have many opportunities to view them. Although in my case, most times when one occurs, my state is not in the best location to witness them at their best. Or worse, the weather is cloudy. Anyway, if you missed the meteor shower which brought in the New Year, don't worry, 2024 brings other celestial events to catch in the sky. Here are a few dates to focus in on: *FULL MOONS - Each month features a full moon with a neat name attached to them. January was called the "Wolf Moon" for example. Check out the Old Farmer's Almanac for details on when they arrive. *METEOR SHOWERS -When a small piece of an asteroid enters our atmosphere and burns up that's when we will notice a streak of light flashing across the sky. NASA says they occur several times a year. Here are a couple upcoming dates to watch for them if they occur in you "neck of the woods." -Sunday, April 21 through Monday, April 22 -Saturday, May 4 through Sunday, May 5 ***Good luck, my area of the country never seems to have prime viewing. *COMET -These heavenly bodies orbit the earth and are made of ice and dust. When they come close to the sun the materials burn causing them to vaporize. The result is the streaky tail you see. Optimal viewing depends on several factors like having a telescope, their brightness, and orbit. One comet is visible to the naked eye per year although they are very faint and not a great show. *ECLIPSES -When the moon passes through the face of sun and blocks it and amazing event occurs, a solar eclipse. ***Total solar eclipse - Monday, April 8 -The next one is not until 2044 so if you're in the best viewing area don't miss it! Did you see any eclipses, or meteor showers or other celestial events? I did see a lunar eclipse last summer where the moon turns dark. The Sun, Earth, and Moon are in a straight line when this happens, but when the earth passes between the sun and moon an eclipse occurs. So that's your 2024 heavenly body lineup. What's your favorite type of sky event to witness? I am going with the meteor showers or "shooting stars" as us novices call them. No telescope or binoculars needed for viewing. For me just a warm blanket and a front row seat on the beach... Sources: Wikipedia and CBS News