January 28th Full Wolf Moon 5:50 pm
February 27th Full Snow Moon 4:16 am
March 28th Full Worm Moon 1:24 pm
April 26th Full Pink Moon 9:59 pm
May 26th Full Flower Moon 6:51 am
June 24th Full Strawberry Moon 4:42 pm
July 24th Full Buck Moon 4:07 am
August 22nd Full Sturgeon Moon 5:29 pm
September 21st Full Harvest Moon 8:59 pm
October 21st Full Hunter's Moon 2:30 am
November 19th Full Beaver Moon 8:33 pm
December 19th Full Cold Moon 2:10 pm
Frequently used moon definitions and terms
New Moon -- when the Moon is not illuminated by direct sunlight.
Waxing Crescent -- occurs when the visible Moon is partly but less than one-half illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing.
First Quarter -- when one-half of the Moon appears illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing.
Waxing Gibbous -- when the Moon is more than one-half but not fully illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is increasing.
Full Moon -- when the visible Moon is fully illuminated by direct sunlight.
Waning Gibbous -- the Moon is less than fully but more than one-half illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is decreasing.
Last Quarter -- is when one-half of the Moon appears illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is decreasing.
Waning Crescent -- occurs when the Moon is partly but less than one-half illuminated by direct sunlight while the illuminated part is decreasing.
Best or brightest times to view the planets in 2002
MERCURY
As an evening star, it appears in the western sky, setting about an hour after the Sun. As a morning star, it appears in the eastern sky, rising about an hour before the Sun. There must be a clear, unobstructed horizon on these occasions. Mercury usually appears as a bright “star” with a yellowish or ochre hue. Evenings from January 1 to January 18; mornings from February 4 to March 20; evenings from April 21 to May 14; mornings from June 8 to July 6; evenings from August 5 to September 19; mornings from October 7 to October 19; evenings from December 12 to December 31. Mercury will be brightest and easiest to spot in the evening sky between April 21 and May 14, and brightest and easiest to spot in the morning sky between October 7 and October 19.
VENUS
Always brilliant and shining with a steady, silvery light. Evenings in the western sky at dusk from March 17 to October 20; mornings in the eastern sky at dawn from November 10 to December 31. Venus will attain its greatest brilliancy in the evening sky on September 25 and again in the morning sky on December 6.
MARS
hining like a “star” with a yellowish-orange hue, it can vary considerably in brightness. Evenings from January 1 to June 22; mornings from September 25 to December 31. This is an “off ” year for Mars, as it never becomes very bright or conspicuous. It will be at aphelion on September 20, when it will be 154.9 million miles from the Sun and an even more distant 244 million miles from the Earth. Despite this rather gloomy outlook, one should keep in mind that next year will bring us an exceptional apparition of Mars; in fact, in late August 2003, the planet will approach Earth closer than at any time since the beginning of the Christian Era.
JUPITER
Quite brilliant with a silver-white luster. Evenings from January 1 to June 29; mornings from August 9 to December 31. Brightest in 2002 during the first half of January. It is at opposition to the Sun on New Year’s Day.
SATURN
Shines like a yellowish-white “star” of moderate brightness. The famous rings are only visible with a telescope. Evenings from January 1 to May 21; mornings from June 27 to December 16; evenings again from December 17 to December 31. Brightest in 2002 during December, as it is at opposition on December 17. The Moon “crosses paths” with Saturn in February, resulting in the Moon passing in front of Saturn (called an “occultation”). This “Saturn eclipse” is scheduled for February 20, favors all of North America, and occurs during the early evening hours. Also during 2002, the south face of the rings are tilted to near their maximum angle of 28ş, making them a very striking spectacle, even in a low-power telescope.
URANUS
Evenings from January 1 to January 29; mornings from March 1 to August 19; evenings again from August 20 to December 31.
NEPTUNE
Evenings from January 1 to January 12; mornings from February 13 to August 1; evenings again from August 2 to December 31.
PLUTO
Will not be visible in 2002.
© 2002 Almanac Publishing Co. All rights reserved
