Real Night Sky Events Happening in 2012

Story By: Cow Flipper

As we enter 2012 we are faced with another Dooms Day calendar year. Just as in Y2K the false Millennium when cults, profiteers, and proverbial Chicken Littles sprung out of the woodwork to create an air of anxiety within the western culture. It is happening again as many online authors, (myself included) are making predictions that 2012 will have some special significance. Some theorists are out there saying that a large planet called Niburu is heading towards Earth and is going to cause a gravitational upheaval of Earth and effect the Moons orbit around our planet destabilizing the Earths geomagnetic core which will cause a magnetic pole shift. Others say that Extraterrestrials will land and make contact with the inhabitants of Earth and that they will save us from ourselves by causing a shift in consciousness on a global scale.This entire event will be set off as the planet Niburu is thrown into Earth crossing orbit because of a galactic alignment with the center of the Milky Way Galaxies galactic core.

The truth is far less exciting but to backyard astronomers and sky enthusiasts the year of 2012 will shine with an evening star in Spring, It will dazzle with a solar diamond ring as we have an eclipse over the United States. We get clear dark sky meteor showers, And there is even a partial Lunar Eclipse. So enjoy the true astronomical events occurring this year.

Solar Maximum

The Sun is entering its waking phase of its 11 year cycle. 2006 was the last major solar activity we experienced before the Sun went temporarily silent with only minor solar activity on it's face. The Sun's inner workings act as a convection system where cooler layers of plasma tend to fall as more active hot layers move upward towards the surface to release their energy. It is like a lava lamp where the melted wax when heated rises to the top to cool and fall back to the bottom. The Suns lower layers have begun to show signs of life as CMEs (coronal mass ejections), Sunspots, Solar Prominences, and Solar Flares have returned to grace our telescopes and space probes.

Solar Eclipse

On May 20th at 6:30PM Pacific Standard Time, the Moon will eclipse the Sun but the Moon is orbiting far from Earth at this time and will not completely cover the disk of the Sun. Instead we will be treated to a ring or annual eclipse. The shadow of the Moon shall fall over Reno Nevada and Albuquerque New Mexico but the event will be seen as a partial eclipse all over the West Coast of the United States and Canada. To view this event eye protection is required, it is suggested that shade #14 welding goggles or eclipse glasses be used to see the eclipse.

Venus Transit

This year will be the best year for backyard astronomers to observe our closest neighbor in space Venus. Venus is stealing the show this year as it begins in February through May as Venus will be the highlight of the evening sky being the brightest point of light you can observe. It will return from July through October as a high bright early morning star. That's not all; twice in a century Venus makes it's track across the disk of the Sun. This event is called a transit. The next transit will happen December 11, 2117 so it really means this is an observational event of a life time. You do not need a telescope to see this transit but eye protection is extremely important to protect your retinas from being permanently damaged.

Partial Lunar Eclipse

June 4th, 2012 Europe, Asia, East Africa Australia and the Pacific Americas will see a partial Lunar eclipse with a duration of 2h 7m. This event happens when the Earth's shadow is cast over a portion of the Moon's surface as our planet transits the Sun's location in orbit in front of the Moon.

Dark Night Meteor Showers

For the forth time since 2000 the Perseid Meteor Shower and the Gemini Meteor Shower shall fall on total dark skies as the Moon will not be full or bright in the night sky. This will allow faint meteors to be easily seen against the ink darkness of the night countryside sky. Hope the weather cooperates for great viewing.

Leap Year and Early Seasons

In the year 2000 we had an extra leap year and that tweak to the calendar was the first time in 4 centuries that sort of correction was made. That tweak combined with this year being a routine leap year has the effect of making the seasons start a couple days earlier than normal. This years equinoxes and solstices occur the earliest they have been since 1896. This effect will be felt in Spring as Spring begins the earliest it has in a 116 years. The date will be March 19th.

So no the world will not end from getting smashed by a meteor. The Sun is not going to release a massive solar ejecta wave that will scour the surface of the Earth of all life. There is no gravitational signature showing that any large planets are heading into the inner solar system to reek havoc on our world. It seems the rumor mill has been hard at work but the reality is far less catastrophic.

So go out this year, watch a meteor shower with your family. Get some solar eye wear and head to the Southwest U.S. to watch the Solar Eclipse. If your in Europe hold your lover to you under a dark red Moon under a strangely warm sky for that time of the year.