Toronto 
Though the new year, 2023, will not be an exciting year for eclipse watching in Canada, stargazers can look forward to watching some of the annual meteor showers with minimal interference from the moon.
Here is the list of annual meteor showers, full moons and other celestial events taking place in 2023.
2023 Astronomy Calendar
You may use the calendar to plan your trip to dark sky areas for a better chance of viewing meteor showers.
January
- January 3 to 4 | Quadrantid Meteor Shower – Named for a now-obsolete constellation called the Quadrans Muralis, the Quadrantids originate from an asteroid 2003 EH1. This annual shower usually runs from the end of December to the second week of January. This year, the moon is about 92 per cent full, and hence most of the fainter showers will be washed out due to the moonlight.
- January 6 | Full moon, also called Wolf moon
- January 21 | New moon.
February
- February 5 | Full moon, also called Snow moon
- February 20 | New moon
March
- March 7 | Full moon, also called Worm moon
- March 20 | March Equinox
- March 21 | New moon
April
- April 5/6 | Full Moon, also called Pink moon
- April 20 | New moon
- April 20 | Hybrid Solar Eclipse. A total eclipse will be visible in the North West Cape peninsula and Barrow Island in Western Australia, eastern parts of East Timor, Damar Island and parts of the province of Papua in Indonesia. The eclipse is not visible in Canada.
- April 22-23 | Lyrid Meteor Shower – The Lyrid meteor shower occurs when Earth passes through the cloud of debris left in the orbit of Comet Thatcher(C/1861 G1). The moon will not obstruct the view this year.
May
- May 5 | Full moon, also called Flower moon
- May 5 | Penumbral Lunar Eclipse, visible over Asia and Australia. The eclipse is not visible in Canada.
- May 5-6 | Eta Aquarid Meteor Shower – Originating from the debris of Comet Halley, the Eta Aquarids occur annually between April 19 and May 28. The showers are named after, Eta Aquarii, the brightest star of the Constellation Aquarius, its apparent radiant point. The showers will not be visible due to the full moon.
- May 19 | New moon
June
- June 3/4 | Full moon, also called Strawberry moon
- June 18 | New Moon
- June 21 | June Solstice
July
- July 3 | Full moon, also called Buck Moon, also a supermoon
- July 17 | New moon
- July 29 – 30 | Southern Delta Aquarid Meteor Shower – These faint showers are active from mid-July to late-August and are believed to originate from comet 96P/Machholz. The radiant point of Delta Aquariids appears to come from the constellation Aquarius, the shower is named after the third brightest star within the constellation called Delta. This year, the almost full moon will block most of the fainter meteors.
August
- August 1 | Full moon, also called Sturgeon moon, also a supermoon (Super Sturgeon Moon)
- August 11 – 13 | Perseid Meteor Shower – Occurring annually from mid-July to mid-August, the Perseid Meteor Shower occurs when the debris cloud of comet Swift-Shuttle hits Earth’s atmosphere. The showers are so-called because they appear to originate from the constellation Perseus.
- August 16 | New moon
- August 27 | Saturn at Opposition – Saturn will also make its closest approach to the Earth, making it appear very bright and large.
- August 30/31 | Full Moon, a blue moon and a super moon. (Super Blue Moon)
September
- September 14 | New moon
- September 23 | September Equinox
- September 29 | Full Moon, also called Harvest moon (Super Moon)
October
- October 8–10 | Draconids Meteor Shower, a minor meteor shower, but there will not be much interference due to moonlight.
- October 14 | New moon
- October 14 | Annular Solar Eclipse. Visible in parts of the United States, Mexico, and many countries in South and Central America. This solar eclipse is not visible in Canada.
- October 20–21 | Orionids Meteor Shower, a display of meteor showers made up of debris shed by Halley’s Comet.
- October 28| Full moon, also called Hunter’s moon
- October 28 | Partial Lunar Eclipse, not visible in Canada.
November
- November 4, 5 | Taurids Meteor Shower, a minor meteor shower
- November 13 | New moon
- November 17 to 21 | Leonids Meteor Shower – Associated with the comet Tempel–Tuttle, Leonids appear to originate from the constellation Leo.
- November 27 | Full moon, also called Beaver moon
December
- December 12 | New moon
- December 13 – 14 | Geminid Meteor Shower – These annual showers, caused by asteroid 3200 Phaethon, are named thus since the showers appear to radiate from a point in the constellation Gemini.
- December 21–23 | Ursids Meteor Shower – Associated with the 8P/Tuttle comet, these showers are active from December 17 to 24 and seem to radiate from the direction of the constellation Ursa Minor in the sky.
- December 21 | December Solstice
- December 26 | Full moon, also called Cold moon
