Space / NASA
Space launches, NASA missions, SpaceX events, and major astronomical announcements.
Upcoming Events
Partial Lunar Eclipse — January 12, 2028
A partial lunar eclipse visible from the Americas, Europe, Africa, Russia, Alaska and Asia.
Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation — January 2028
Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation, its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. Best time to view Mercury just after sunset.
Annular Solar Eclipse — January 26, 2028
An annular solar eclipse ('ring of fire') sweeps a path beginning in northwestern Mexico, crossing Central America and northern South America, then out across the Atlantic toward the Iberian Peninsula. A partial eclipse will be visible across much wider areas of the Americas, western Europe and West Africa. Date and path computed by NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center eclipse office.
Supermoon — February 2028
The Moon reaches full phase near its closest approach to Earth, appearing larger and brighter than a typical full moon.
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation — February 2028
Mercury reaches greatest western elongation, its highest point above the horizon in the morning sky. Best time to view Mercury just before sunrise.
Supermoon — March 2028
A full moon coinciding with lunar perigee, making the Moon appear noticeably larger and brighter in the night sky.
Jupiter at Opposition 2028
Jupiter reaches opposition, appearing at its closest, brightest and largest for the year.
ESA Solar Orbiter Sixth Venus Flyby
Solar Orbiter makes a Venus gravity assist that tilts its orbit further out of the ecliptic, reaching 30 degrees inclination by April 2028 for better views of the Sun's poles.
March Equinox 2028 — Spring Equinox
Day and night are of near-equal length as the Sun crosses the celestial equator, marking the start of astronomical spring in the northern hemisphere.
Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation — March 2028
Venus reaches greatest eastern elongation, shining at its brightest in the evening sky after sunset.
NASA Lucy — Leucus Trojan Asteroid Flyby
NASA's Lucy spacecraft flies past the Jupiter Trojan asteroid 11351 Leucus, its third Trojan encounter.
Lyrid Meteor Shower Peak 2028
The Lyrid meteor shower reaches its peak, produced by debris from Comet C/1861 G1 Thatcher.
Eta Aquariid Meteor Shower Peak 2028
The Eta Aquariid meteor shower, made of debris from Halley's Comet, reaches its peak.
Mercury at Greatest Eastern Elongation — May 2028
Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation, offering the best evening viewing opportunity of the innermost planet.
252nd American Astronomical Society Meeting (AAS 252)
The AAS summer meeting, 11–15 June 2028, at Monona Terrace in Madison, Wisconsin.
June Solstice 2028 — Summer Solstice
The longest day of 2028 in the northern hemisphere, marking the start of astronomical summer.
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation — June 2028
Mercury reaches greatest western elongation, best viewed low in the eastern sky before sunrise.
NASA Dragonfly Launch to Saturn's Moon Titan
NASA's nuclear-powered Dragonfly rotorcraft launches on a SpaceX Falcon Heavy toward Titan, where it will become the first aircraft to fly on another world.
Partial Lunar Eclipse — July 6, 2028
A partial lunar eclipse with an umbral magnitude of 0.389, meaning roughly 39 percent of the Moon's disc slips into Earth's dark umbral shadow. Greatest eclipse occurs at 18:20 TD. Dates and magnitudes from NASA's five-millennium lunar eclipse catalogue.
47th COSPAR Scientific Assembly
The biennial COSPAR Scientific Assembly, the largest international space science meeting, hosted in Dubai.