The crescent moon will set early in the evening leaving dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight.
The Leonids is an average shower, producing up to 15 meteors per hour at its peak. This shower is unique in that it has a cyclonic peak about every 33 years where hundreds of meteors per hour can be seen. That last of these occurred in 2001. (So I guess start making plans for November 2033?)
The Leonids is produced by dust grains left behind by comet Tempel-Tuttle, which was discovered in 1865. The shower runs annually from November 6-30. It peaks this year on the night of the 17th and morning of the 18th. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Leo, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
Part of the Moon will appear darker as the full Moon passes through the faint outer edge (penumbra) of the Earth’s shadow.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lunar_eclipse
The nearly new moon will ensure dark skies for what should be an excellent show. Best viewing will be from a dark location after midnight.
The Geminids is the king of the meteor showers. It is considered by many to be the best shower in the heavens, producing up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is produced by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7-17. It peaks this year on the night of the 13th and morning of the 14th. The morning of the 15th could also be nearly as active this year. Meteors will radiate from the constellation Gemini, but can appear anywhere in the sky.
http://www.seasky.org/astronomy/astronomy-calendar-2017.html
This total eclipse has its maximum totality solidly hitting land in Chile and Argentina. Regions viewing at least a partial are: southern Africa, much of South America, Pacific, Atlantic, Indian Ocean, Antarctica. See the URL below for a map and specific times.
https://www.timeanddate.com/eclipse/map/2020-december-14
This last happened in 2000, so it’s worth staying up for on this shortest day of the year. And, while you’re awake, look out for meteors! The Ursids shower will be in full effect.
This rare conjunction of these two planets is known as a „great conjunction”. (Didn’t we hear about those in the film „The Dark Crystal”?)
The two bright planets will appear only 7 arc minutes of each other in the night sky. They will be so close that they will appear to make a bright double planet. Look to the west just after sunset for this impressive and rare planetary pair.