Space Events Not To Be Missed In 2017

(Yahoo News UK) – With a solar eclipse due on 26 February, there are plenty of celestial treats to keep stargazers happy in 2017.

Last year was packed with astronomical action including supermoons, Tim Peake’s history-making spacewalk and the arrival of NASA’s Juno probe at Jupiter and this year is set to be big just as big for space botherers. From meteor showers to solar eclipses, here are the space events you don’t want to miss in 2017…

1. Annular solar eclipse – 26 February 2017
   At the end of February, the moon will pass in front of the sun, creating a bizarre halo effect. Unfortunately, this year’s eclipse will only be visible over South and West Africa and some of South America. 

2. Jupiter at opposition – 7 April 2017
   The largest planet in our solar system will reach ‘opposition’ in April, meaning that it will slide into view as Earth moves into position between the sun and Jupiter. The massive planet’s face will be illuminated by the sun and will be visible through binoculars or a telescope. 

3. Saturn at opposition – 15 June 2017
   In summer, Saturn will move into its closest position to Earth, giving us the best view possible. A telescope will be needed to see the huge planet’s famous rings while Saturn is fully lit up by the sun. 

4. Perseid meteor shower – 12/13 August 2017
   One of the brighter meteor showers of the year, the Perseids happens annually between 17 July and 24 August, this year peaking 12-13 August. The best time to view the shooting stars is between midnight and dawn. 

5. ‘Great American’ total solar eclipse – 21 August 2017
   For around two minutes, a 70-mile stretch between Oregon and South Carolina will be plunged into total darkness in a rare total eclipse as the sun will totally disappear behind the full moon. Stargazers elsewhere in the US will get a partial view of the stunning eclipse. 

6. Cassini probe will crash into Saturn – 15 September 2017
   Launched in 1997, NASA’s probe finally made it to Saturn in 2004 and has been beaming back vital data to Earth ever since. The probe will be destroyed when it plunges through Jupiter’s atmosphere but not before sending back never-seen-before images. 

7. Leonid meteor shower – 17/18 November 2017
   The Leonids meteors will be visible in the night sky throughout November, peaking between 17 and 18 November. The glowing pieces of comet debris will be visible to the naked eye. 

8. Supermoon – 3 December 2017
   While 2016 saw stargazers treated to several supermoons, 2017 will see just one. December’s full moon, also known as the Full Cold Moon, will appear slightly bigger and brighter than normal. The best time to watch will be around sunset when the distinctive orange moon will appear.

9. Geminid meteor shower – 13/14 December 2017
   Unlike most meteor showers, the Geminids are associated with an asteroid, rather than a comet. The glowing fireballs should be visible to the naked eye between December 7 and 16, but the best time to catch a glimpse is between 13 and 14 December. 

Earth, A Poem By Ahmad Ali Karim

Earth,
So, so green,
Home sweet home,
And it’s so clean.

Earth, 
So much things to see,
So much places to go,
On land or below the sea.

Earth,
Gift of nature,
Lovely trees, beautiful flowers,
As well as wonderful creatures.

Earth.

Photos: 2013 Supermoon, When Moon At Closest Point To Earth

JER03. Har El (Israel), 23/06/2013.- A full moon in the ‘Perigee’ phase rises over the Jerusalem neighborhood of Har El, 23 June 2013. The moon on 23 June evening will be at its closest distance to Earth, a constellation also known as ‘supermoon,’ in which the earth’s trabant appears between 12 to 14 per cent larger and according to scientific sources also about 30 percent brighter than the normal full moon. EFE/EPA/JIM HOLLANDER

Supermoon happens when the moon on its elliptical orbit is at its closest point to Earth.

So, we will see it bigger than usual.

The moon can appears to be up to 14%  larger and 30% brighter than when the moon is at its farthest point, or apogee.

Here are some cool photos of the supermoon around the world ….

Please click the photos for larger images:

The moon is seen in its waxing gibbous stage as it rises over Lower Manhattan, including One World Trade Center, center, seen from The Heights neighborhood of Jersey City, N.J., Saturday, June 22, 2013. The moon, which will reach its full stage on Sunday, is expected to be seen 13.5 percent larger than usual during a phenomenon known as supermoon. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez

People paddle illuminated paddle boards in the moon light as it rises over the Toronto Beaches, June 23, 2013. The largest full moon of the year called the “super moon” will light up the night sky this weekend. REUTERS/Mark Blinch (CANADA – Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A supermoon rises over the temple of Poseidon, the ancient Greek god of the seas, in Cape Sounion some 60 km (37 miles) east of Athens June 23, 2013. On Sunday a perigee moon coincides with a full moon creating a “super moon” when it will pass by the earth at its closest point in 2013. REUTERS/Yannis Behrakis (GREECE – Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A “super moon” rises over Madrid, June 23, 2013. On Sunday a perigee moon coincides with a full moon creating a “super moon” when it will pass by the earth at its closest point in 2013. REUTERS/Paul Hanna (SPAIN – Tags: ENVIRONMENT)

A “supermoon” rises behind the Home Place clock tower in Prattville, Ala., Saturday, June 22, 2013. The biggest and brightest full moon of the year graces the sky early Sunday as our celestial neighbor swings closer to Earth than usual. While the moon will appear 14 percent larger than normal, sky watchers won’t be able to notice the difference with the naked eye. Still, astronomers say it’s worth looking up and appreciating the cosmos. (AP Photo/Dave Martin)

Fernando Miguel snapped this supermoon photo at Ponta da Piedade near Lagos, Portugal.

Clouds shroud the supermoon in this photo by Flickr user le bon docteur.

A full moon rises beside the Bank of America corporate headquarters in downtown Charlotte, N.C., Saturday, June 22, 2013. The larger than normal moon called the “Supermoon” happens only once this year as the moon on its elliptical orbit is at its closest point to earth.(AP Photo/Chuck Burton)

A “super moon” rises over Madrid June 23, 2013. On Sunday a perigee moon coincides with a full moon creating a “super moon” when it will pass by the earth at its closest point in 2013. REUTERS/Paul Hanna (SPAIN – Tags: ENVIRONMENT SOCIETY)

A full moon rises over mountains as traffic makes its way along a rural highway near Little Colorado River, Arizona June 23, 2013. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT)

A “super moon” rises near the Four Towers business district in Madrid, June 23, 2013. On Sunday a perigee moon coincides with a full moon creating a “super moon” when it will pass by the earth at its closest point in 2013. REUTERS/Paul Hanna (SPAIN – Tags: ENVIRONMENT CITYSCAPE

A full moon also referred to as a “super moon” rises in the sky behind New York’s Lower Manhattan and One World Trade Center as seen from the Eagle Rock Reservation in West Orange, New Jersey, June 23, 2013. The largest full moon of the year called the “super moon” will light up the night sky this weekend. REUTERS/Gary Hershorn (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT CITYSCAPE)

Sunday’s supermoon is viewed from the Oeiras Yachting Club, rising above the left bank of the Tagus River in Portugal

A supermoon sets near the Statue of Liberty, Sunday, June 23, 2013, in New York. The larger than normal moon called the “Supermoon” happens only once this year as the moon on its elliptical orbit is at its closest point to earth and is 13.5 percent larger than usual. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

A cotton candy vendor, center, walks in from of the moon during the Los Angeles Angels’ baseball game against the Pittsburgh Pirates, Saturday, June 22, 2013, in Anaheim, Calif. (AP Photo/Mark J. Terrill)

REFILE – CORRECTING LOCATION. IT SHOULD BE PLAYA DE PONIENTE BEACH. A full moon also referred to as a “super moon” rises over the San Juan bonfire on the beach of Playa de Poniente in Gijon June 24, 2013. Fires formed by burning unwanted furniture, old school books, wood and effigies of malign spirits are seen across Spain as people celebrate the night of San Juan, a purification ceremony coinciding with the summer solstice. REUTERS/Eloy Alonso (SPAIN – Tags: SOCIETY RELIGION TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A silhouetted airplane flies past a ‘super moon’ over New York on June 23, 2013. The largest full moon of the year called the “super moon” will light up the night sky this weekend. REUTERS/Zoran Milich (UNITED STATES – Tags: ENVIRONMENT TRANSPORT TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY)

A full moon rises behind the Jefferson Memorial in Washington Saturday, June 22, 2013. The larger than normal moon called the “Supermoon” happens only once this year as the moon on its elliptical orbit is at its closest point to earth. (AP Photo/J. David Ake)

This composite image—the photo of the supermoon and the hiker were taken separately and then combined—was snapped at Clingmans Dome in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee.

A closer, brighter full moon dubbed a “supermoon” is shown around 12:30 a.m. Sunday, June 23, 2013 in this picture made through an amateur astronomer’s 5-inch refractor telescope, near Stedman, N.C. (AP Photo/The Fayetteville Observer, Johnny Horne

The supermoon is when the moon is full and at perigee—when it is closest to the earth in its orbit.

Incredible Photos From Space

Astronaut Chris Hadfield and other astronauts are beaming back incredible photographs of Earth from aboard the International Space Station.

Please click the photos for larger images:

Goose Bay, Happy Valley, Labrador. I flew CF-18s as an RCAF fighter pilot here.

Boston at night, glowing under a trace of fog.

From seashells to galaxies to this storm, Nature loves spirals

Sandstorm on the edge of farming country in the American Northwest.

From London on the Thames to the sea to the world, so much of history came from this brightly-lit city

An island made for running laps. Off the coast of Indonesia

The Australian bushfires, this one near Burrinjuck Dam. Look closely and you can see the flames from orbit.

San Francisco Bay with a view of the Golden Gate Bridge

A clearer view of Vancouver on a sunny day – can clearly see the ferry terminal, airport and many boats in the Inlet.

Tonight’s finale: Full Moon rising. So near, and yet

A night image of the greater New York City metropolitan area is seen in a NASA handout photo taken by a crew member onboard the Expedition 35 March 23, 2013. For orientation purposes, note that Manhattan runs horizontal through the frame from left to the midpoint and Central Park is just a little to the left of frame center. REUTERS/NASA/Handout (UNITED STATES – Tags: SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY) THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS

Thunderstorm from above. What animal to you see?

ago By Kim Dixon WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Businesses and wealthy owners of estates and trusts asked the IRS on Tuesday for changes to a part of President Barack Obama’s 2010 healthcare law that has received comparatively little … More » Indiana House passes bill aimed at limiting use of abortion pill Reuters – 5 hrs ago By Susan Guyett INDIANAPOLIS (Reuters) – The Indiana House on Tuesday approved a bill requiring clinics that administer the so-called abortion pill to also have full surgical facilities, a move that would force Planned Parenthood … More » Brawl among 60 Los Angeles jail inmates leaves several injured Reuters – 6 hrs ago LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Guards at a downtown Los Angeles jail fired rubber pellets and pepper spray to swiftly quell a racially charged brawl involving more than 60 inmates, and several injured prisoners were taken to a hospital, … More » Judge denies mistrial for woman accused of Arizona lover’s murder Reuters – 8 hrs ago By David Schwartz PHOENIX (Reuters) – A judge denied the latest defense request for a mistrial on Tuesday in the capital murder case against Jodi Arias, the California woman charged with slaying her lover at his Arizona home … More » Texas prosecutor steps into job after predecessor gunned down Reuters – 8 hrs ago By Chris Francescani KAUFMAN, Texas (Reuters) – Brandi Fernandez slipped into the Kaufman County Courthouse in her first full day as interim district attorney on Tuesday, taking over a job that authorities believe got her … More » Atlanta educators surrendering in cheating scandal Reuters – 7 hrs ago By David Beasley ATLANTA (Reuters) – Former educators indicted in a cheating scandal that has rocked Atlanta’s public school system began turning themselves in to authorities on Tuesday, ahead of a deadline to surrender voluntarily. … More » Virginia couple charged with arson after 77 fires ravage area Reuters – 8 hrs ago RICHMOND, Virginia (Reuters) – Virginia State Police arrested a couple on Tuesday in connection with 77 suspicious fires that have ravaged the state’s Eastern Shore over the last five months, a police spokeswoman said. Tonya … More » Two inmates flee Texas jail, possibly only in underwear Reuters – 11 hrs ago SAN ANTONIO, Texas (Reuters) – An inmate suspected of strangling a man with shoelaces escaped with a fellow prisoner from a Texas jail on Tuesday, triggering a manhunt for what authorities described as two dangerous fugitives, … More » MOST POPULAR – U.S. » Ohio man who sexually assaulted baby seeks mercy N.Y. politicians arrested in alleged mayoral race bribe scheme Parents: Speechless after Pope hugged disabled son March homicides drop dramatically in Chicago U.N. overwhelmingly approves global arms trade treaty Obamacare credits could trigger surprise tax bills Spike in law enforcement assassinations raises fears U.S. VIDEOS1 – 4 of 30 Proposed Planned Parenthood clinic drawing fire from neighbors LA mayor race: Kevin James endorses Eric Garcetti Livingston launching initiative to prevent gang violence Detectives mum on possible evidence in Kaufman murders More U.S. Video » FOLLOW YAHOO! NEWS Top Stories on Facebook Are you on Facebook? Join our page for top stories! More » http://www.facebook.com Follow @ Yahoo! News on Twitter The official account of Yahoo! News. 100% feed-free tweets by news fans for news fans! More » twitter.com YAHOO! NEWS Home U.S. World Business Entertainment Sports Tech Politics Science Health Blogs Local Popular All Yahoo! News » ALSO ON YAHOO! Autos Finance Games Groups Health Maps Movies Music omg! Shine Shopping Sports Travel TV Y! News RSS Y! News Alert All Yahoo! » TRENDING NOW Senator arrested Jane Henson dies Hilary Duff Ashton Kutcher Jack Pardee dies Melissa Joan Hart ‘Gate to Hell’ found Magic Johnson son Amanda Bynes Suri Cruise haircut Body in towed car Copyright © 2013 Yahoo! Inc. All rights reserved. | Yahoo! – ABC News Network | Help / Suggestions Privacy Policy About Our Ads Terms of Service Copyright/IP Policy How’s this for a view: An astronaut’s photo from space captures a unique perspective of the Colorado plateau along the Utah-Arizona border. The confluence of the Colorado and San Juan rivers can also be seen -– the silvery section is sunlight reflected from the water. –Claudine Zap (Image credit: NASA

Tonight’s finale: The pall of smoke clouds over Australia, as seen from orbit. A rare view of the bushfires’ effect

ava Carbuncle – an ancient intrusion of tough, hard rock in southwestern Africa. Quite likely also Namibia.

The wondrously wildly beautiful surface of our world (near the Etosha Pan in Africa).

Arid fingers of sand-blasted rock look like they’re barely holding on against the hot Saharan wind.

Meteor Explodes Over Russia, Nearly 1,000 Injured

In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru a meteorite contrail is seen over Chelyabinsk on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013.  (AP Photo/Chelyabinsk.ru). Please click the photo for larger image.

(Please click here for more photos and videos)

A meteor streaked across the sky and exploded over Russia’s Ural Mountains with the power of an atomic bomb on Friday morning.

(Please click here for: Videos Of Meteor Explodes Over Russia)

Russian Academy of Sciences said that the meteor which was estimated about 10 tons entered the Earth’s atmosphere at a hypersonic speed of at least 54,000 kph (33,000 mph).

It broke into pieces about 30-50 kilometers (18-32 miles) above the ground.

The Russian Interior Ministry said that almost 1000 people were injured by the incident mostly by the flying glass caused by the sonic blast.

The science academy said that the meteor released several kilotons of energy above the region.

Richard Binzel, a professor of Planetary Science at MIT predicted that it was probably about 2 meters (6 ½ feet) across, about the size of an SUV.

Some meteorite fragments fell in a reservoir outside the town of Chebarkul, the Regional Interior Ministry office said.

The crash left an eight-meter (26-foot) wide crater in the ice.

A Russian policeman works near an ice hole, said by the Interior Ministry department for Chelyabinsk region to be the point of impact of a meteor seen earlier in the Urals region, at lake Chebarkul some 80 kilometers (50 miles) west of Chelyabinsk February 15, 2013. Please click the photo for larger image.

Meteroids are small pieces of space debris, usually parts of comets or asteroids, that are on a collision course with the Earth.

They become meteors when they enter the Earth’s atmosphere.

Most meteors burn up in the atmosphere, but if they survive the frictional heating and strike the surface of the Earth they are called meteorites.

In this photo provided by Chelyabinsk.ru municipal workers repair damaged electric power circuit outside a zinc factory building with about 600 square meters (6000 square feet) of a roof collapsed after a meteorite exploded over in Chelyabinsk region on Friday, Feb. 15, 2013. Please click the photo for larger image.