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The new year is set to be another blockbuster for stargazing, with a wide array of celestial events on offer in 2025.
From stunning meteor showers to lunar and solar eclipses, planets and more, here's a guide to what you can look forward to.
Blood Moons in 2025
Two total lunar eclipses, commonly known as "blood moons," will grace the skies in 2025.
During these events, the moon will take on a reddish hue as it passes through Earth's shadow, called the umbra.
The first blood moon will occur between March 13–14 and will be best visible from North America, with totality lasting 65 minutes.
The second will happen on September 7–8, with visibility spanning Europe, Asia, Australia and parts of Africa and South America.
What is a Lunar Eclipse?
A lunar eclipse occurs when Earth passes directly between the sun and the moon, casting a shadow on the moon's surface.
This phenomenon occurs as sunlight bends and scatters through Earth's atmosphere, casting warm hues onto the lunar surface, according to NASA.
Solar Eclipses
In 2025, skywatchers can anticipate two partial solar eclipses.
The first, on March 29, will be visible across parts of Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas.
The second, on September 21, will be seen over parts of Australia, Antarctica, and some Pacific islands.
These events offer a striking view of the moon appearing to take a "bite" out of the sun.
What is a Solar Eclipse?
A solar eclipse happens when the moon moves between Earth and the sun, partially or fully blocking the sun's light.
In a partial solar eclipse, the alignment is imperfect, leaving the sun's light to form a crescent shape. These celestial spectacles require proper eye protection to observe safely.
Planets
January 25, 2025, promises a spectacular "planet parade" as Venus, Saturn, Jupiter and Mars align in the evening sky.
This alignment will be particularly striking because the crescent moon will be absent in early evening, allowing for darker skies. For telescope users, Neptune will appear close to Venus, and Uranus will accompany Jupiter.
"Venus and Saturn swap places midway through January as Venus quickly orbits around the Sun, and by the end of February, Saturn is hidden behind the glare of the Sun," Darren Baskill, a physics and astronomy lecturer at the University of Sussex, previously told Newsweek.
"But as we lose sight of one planet in the night sky, we gain another, with Mercury making an appearance in the evening skies by the end of February."
Venus will shine at an incredible magnitude of -4.5 on February 19, making it the brightest object in the night sky after the moon.
Supermoons
Three supermoons will light up 2025's calendar, with the largest occurring on November 5.
These events include the Hunter's Moon on October 7, the Beaver Moon on November 5, and the Cold Moon on December 4.
These full moons will appear larger and brighter due to their proximity to Earth.
What is a Supermoon?
A supermoon occurs when a full moon coincides with its closest approach to Earth in its elliptical orbit.
This makes the moon appear up to 30 percent brighter and 14 percent larger than usual—about the difference between a nickel and quarter.
"The term 'supermoon' is a vague, nonscientific term, and so different people define it in different ways," Baskill said.
"One common definition is to say that we have a supermoon when the moon is within 90 percent of its average distance away from the Earth—but which average distance? Some say within 90 percent of the average Earth-moon separation for that particular month, while others say within 90 percent of the average Earth-moon separation for that entire year."
The official scientific terminology is perigee syzygy of the Earth-Moon-Sun system.
The best time to view supermoons is typically just after moonrise or just before moonset, as the moon appears even larger when compared to buildings and landscapes on the horizon.
Meteor Showers
The year begins with a bang as the Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on January 2–3. This dazzling display can produce up to 200 meteors per hour during its short peak, which lasts for just a few hours.
The Lyrids follow from April 15 to April 30, peaking on April 21-22, and the Eta Aquarids will peak on May 3-4.
Meanwhile, the Perseids and Geminids—two of the most active meteor showers of the year—will occur from July 17 to August 24 and December 4–20, respectively, according to the Royal Museums Greenwich.
Why Do Meteor Showers Occur?
Meteor showers happen when Earth passes through debris trails left by comets or asteroids.
As these particles enter the atmosphere at high speeds, they vaporize, creating bright streaks of light.
The Quadrantids, for example, originate from the asteroid 2003 EH1 and produce meteors with blue or yellow-white tinges.
To observe a meteor shower, head to a dark location away from city lights, allow your eyes to adjust to the darkness for at least 15 minutes, and enjoy the spectacle with patience.
Do you have a tip on a science story that Newsweek should be covering? Do you have a question about stargazing in 2025? Let us know via science@newsweek.com.
About the writer
Tom Howarth is a Newsweek reporter based in Bristol, U.K. His focus is reporting on nature and science. He covers ... Read more