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Celestial Events
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Solar Eclipse
A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between the Earth and the Sun, temporarily obscuring the Sun's light. It typically occurs during a New Moon phase.
Meteor Shower
Meteor showers occur when Earth passes through the debris left by comets or asteroids. They are usually annual events, with well-known showers recurring at specific times each year.
Transit of Venus
The Transit of Venus involves the planet Venus passing directly between the Earth and the Sun, appearing as a small black dot moving across the Sun's face. This rare event occurs in a pattern that repeats every 243 years, with pairs of transits eight years apart.
Opposition
Opposition happens when a planet is on the opposite side of the Earth from the Sun, which makes the planet fully illuminated and well-positioned for observation. It occurs roughly once a year for the outer planets.
Comet
A comet is a small Solar System body that, when passing close to the Sun, heats up and begins to outgas, displaying a visible atmosphere or coma, and sometimes a tail. These events are not on a regular schedule and can be once-in-a-lifetime events.
Planetary Conjunction
A planetary conjunction occurs when two or more planets appear to align in the sky as observed from Earth. Their proximities in view can vary, and these conjunctions occur periodically based on the planets' orbits.
Lunar Eclipse
A lunar eclipse happens when the Earth comes between the Sun and the Moon and the Earth's shadow falls on the Moon. It typically happens during a Full Moon.
Galactic Center Visibility
The visibility of the Galactic Center refers to when the center of the Milky Way is visible in the night sky. This occurs during certain times of the year, depending on the observer's location.
Auroras
Auroras, also known as Northern and Southern Lights, occur when charged particles from the Sun collide with Earth's magnetic field and atmosphere, emitting light. They typically occur near the magnetic poles.
Supernova
A supernova is a massive explosion from the death of a star. It happens at the end of a star's life cycle, especially for stars much more massive than the Sun.
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