WGNO

Here are the meteor showers, eclipses, and supermoons to see in 2022

Addy Bink, Nexstar Media Wire

The Ursid meteor shower usually offers about five to ten meteors an hour. In rare instances, you can see bursts of more than 100 an hour, according to reports. (Getty Images)

(NEXSTAR) – Eclipses, meteor showers, supermoons, oh my – skywatchers have a busy 2022 ahead.

Sure, 2021 had the Perseid meteor shower and the Strawberry supermoon, but they may pale in comparison to what is slated to shine in the new year’s skies.

Here are some of the astronomical events you won’t want to miss in 2022.

Two eclipses we’ll see, two we won’t

There will be four eclipses this year, according to NASA – two of the moon and two of the sun.

A lunar eclipse is when the moon enters the Earth’s shadow, preventing parts or all of the sunlight to reflect off the moon. Alternatively, a solar eclipse occurs when the moon passes in front of the sun, partially or entirely blocking its light from hitting the Earth.

Only the two total eclipses of the moon will be visible from the U.S. – one on May 15 and another on November 8.

The U.S. will be unable to see the two partial eclipses of the sun, which occur on April 30 and October 25.

When 2020’s meteor showers will peak

There are 12 meteor showers, with dates that hardly change from year to year, according to the Farmer’s Almanac. The peak of each shower can vary by a day or two, though. Below are the showers and their expected peak days.

ShowerWhen it will peak
QuadrantidJan. 3–4
LyridApr. 21–22
Eta AquaridMay 4–5
Delta AquaridJuly 28–29
PerseidAug. 11–12
DraconidOct. 8–10
OrionidOct. 20–21
Northern TauridNov. 11–12
LeonidNov. 16–17
AndromedidNov. 25–27
GerminidDec. 13–14
UrsidDec. 21–22

When the full moons and two supermoons will rise

Names used for full moons stem from Native American, Colonial American, or other traditional North American, or other traditional North American sources passed down to each generation, the Farmer’s Almanac explains.

Below are when each of the full moons will occur this year, courtesy of NASA, as well as their names.

The full moons in June and July will also be supermoons, according to Space.com. A supermoon occurs when the moon is within 90% of perigee, or at one of the closest points to Earth we see. This makes for the biggest, brightest full moons seen all year.