The year 2025 will have an astronomical calendar full of events observable in Brazil. There will be supermoons, lunar eclipses, conjunctions of stars and meteor showers that can be seen without the need for any equipment.
So that Brazilians can follow the entire spectacle of the universe, the Valongo Observatory of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ) launched this Thursday (3) the Astronomical Ephemeris Calendar 2025. In addition to the calendar, the publication features celestial maps, a Moon phase table and sections presenting projects and research in astronomy.
According to the astronomer who coordinated the project team, Daniel Mello, there will be many interesting phenomena this year, which can be seen with the naked eye across the country, starting on January 15th, when the Earth will approach the planet Mars.
“Normally, Mars and Earth are moving around the Sun and are not always relatively close. This occurs on average every two years. Earth approaches Mars and the planet becomes much cooler to see in the sky, to follow, because it becomes brighter.”
According to Mello, throughout the week between the 12th and 18th of January, the Red Planet will be very visible at night, with the peak on the 15th. constellations, to identify Mars, which will be between the constellation of Gemini and the constellation of Cancer, a very beautiful region in the sky, which will be enriched by the presence of the Red Planet”, it says.
As well as viewing Mars closer to Earth, the first half of the year also holds several other visual observation spectacles without binoculars or telescopes. Like a total lunar eclipse in the early hours of March 14th and a conjunction between the Moon, Venus, Saturn and Mercury in the early hours of April 25th.
According to the astronomer at the National Observatory, of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, Dr. Josina Nacimento, the lunar eclipse will be visible in Brazil, in all its phases: penumbral, partial, total and then again partial and penumbral.
“It’s very interesting, because the Moon enters the Earth’s shadow and its appearance becomes as if it were being bitten, until when it is completely in the Earth’s darkest shadow, it takes on a very beautiful reddish tone. And sometimes this happens when the moon is rising, when it is setting, but this time it will be clearly visible in the sky”, he says.
Transmission
The astronomer highlights that whoever wants to follow the phenomenon in more detail, there will be remote observation via the institution’s YouTube channel. “We at the National Observatory, through the Céu em Sua Casa project, will also broadcast and carry out a national action to observe the Moon, which will be a very good thing to attract people to astronomy, to look at the sky”, says the manager .
In the second half of the year, Venus and Jupiter will be close together in a conjunction of planets, in the early hours of August 12th and, between December 13th and 14th, there will be a meteor shower. Three supermoons will also make the nights brighter at the beginning of October, November and December.
“Of all these three, the most interesting will be on November 5th, because at that moment the moon will be in its full phase and closer to Earth than normal. In astronomical jargon, we call this the Perigee Full Moon because it is closer to the Earth and means that the Moon is slightly brighter and slightly larger from the point of view of angular size”, explains Daniel Mello.
Asteroid
The astronomer at the Valongo Observatory says that many other phenomena will occur this year 2025, but some will need even simple equipment to be observed, as is the case with the approach of one of the largest asteroids in the Solar System. “this asteroid called Vesta will be a little closer to Earth, and anyone who wants to enjoy a not-so-common phenomenon can observe this asteroid in mid-May, in the constellation Libra”.
The difference is that for this type of observation you need a little more knowledge of the sky and exactly how to use an astronomy app, explains Mello. “It’s a little more observation for people who have more experience and who enjoy following a not-so-common phenomenon,” he says.
Tips
Astronomers give some tips for those who want to observe phenomena in the sky and the main one is to look for darker skies, without great lighting, like in urban centers. “Those who are in the interior cities, those who leave their big cities for the rural region, for the mountainous region, will be able to follow these phenomena much more and escape the lighting of the cities”, highlights Mello.
The climatological condition also needs to be observed, highlights Dr. Josina. “I recommend that you always look at the sky, even if it’s not the best time of year. But the best times of the year are those drier times, or places that have the driest climate. Sometimes you have a rain, the atmosphere clears and then you look at the sky and it is very beautiful. But there are places that soon after will cover up again. So it’s really important to pay attention”, he says.
If the weather is not favorable, the astronomer recalls that, in 2025, broadcasts will allow everyone to follow every detail of the astronomical spectacles. “I ask you to follow the National Observatory’s social media, because we are going to return with the program Looking at the Sky. And we will also return, at the end of each month, to the sky for the following month, talking about what this sky is like across Brazil, across its entire length, North to South, East to West”, he concludes.
