Astronomical Events

The Lyrid Meteor Shower 2021 | ලයිරිඩ් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව 2021 | லிரிட் விண்கல் மழை 2021

The Annual Lyrid meteor shower is a major meteor shower which happens between January and mid-April. The Lyrids are active each year from around April 16 to 25. In this year, the Lyrids peak on the morning of April 22. Also, they can be seen the next morning, April 23. At their peak, a sky …

The Lyrid Meteor Shower 2021 | ලයිරිඩ් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව 2021 | லிரிட் விண்கல் மழை 2021 Read More »

March Equinox | වසන්ත විෂුවය | சமஇரவு நாள் | 2021

The March Equinox on March 20th marks the changing of seasons, Winter to Spring on the Northern Hemisphere and Summer to Fall on the Southern Hemisphere. The term “equinox” means “equal night”. This is one of the two days of the year when day and night are of approximately equal length. The other such day …

March Equinox | වසන්ත විෂුවය | சமஇரவு நாள் | 2021 Read More »

The conjunction of Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter | බුධ, බ්‍රහස්පති සහ සෙනසුරු සමීප ප්‍රවේශය | புதன், சனி மற்றும் வியாழன் இணைவு

For the first time since 2015, three planets come together in the sky to form planetary conjunction. From January 8-11, Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter will form a trio in the evening sky, with Mercury joining Saturn and Jupiter which are slowly drifting apart from the December 2020 Great conjunction. At 0030 hours of 11th of …

The conjunction of Mercury, Saturn, and Jupiter | බුධ, බ්‍රහස්පති සහ සෙනසුරු සමීප ප්‍රවේශය | புதன், சனி மற்றும் வியாழன் இணைவு Read More »

Quadrantids Meteor Shower | ක්වොඩ්රන්ටිඩ්ස් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව | குவாட்ரான்டிட்ஸ் விண்கல் மழை | 2021

Quadrantids, described by NASA as one of the best annual meteor showers, has been active since 28th December and will last till January 12, peaking on the night between 3rd – 4th. Unlike most meteor showers which originate from comets, this one originates from an asteroid, named 2003 EH1. This meteor shower’s radiant point is …

Quadrantids Meteor Shower | ක්වොඩ්රන්ටිඩ්ස් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව | குவாட்ரான்டிட்ஸ் விண்கல் மழை | 2021 Read More »

The Jupiter-Saturn Great Conjunction | සෙනසුරු බ්‍රහස්පති මහා සුසංයෝගය | வியாழன்-சனி கிரகங்களின் பேர்-இணையல் – 2020

Jupiter and Saturn are about to appear closer to each other in almost the same direction, making a great planetary pair on the day of the solstice December 21, 2020. This can be seen as a single bright star just after the sunset in the southwest sky, which can be observed once in a lifetime. …

The Jupiter-Saturn Great Conjunction | සෙනසුරු බ්‍රහස්පති මහා සුසංයෝගය | வியாழன்-சனி கிரகங்களின் பேர்-இணையல் – 2020 Read More »

Jupiter, Saturn and Crescent Moon Conjunction | බ්‍රහස්පති, සෙනසුරු සහ අඩ සඳ සංයෝජනය | வியாழன், சனி மற்றும் பிறைநிலாவின் இணையல்

A few days before the ‘Great Conjunction’, which will be able to see once in your lifetime, the crescent Moon will pass close to Jupiter and Saturn in the night sky on December 17. You will surely catch the Moon and the two largest planets in our solar system very close to each other in …

Jupiter, Saturn and Crescent Moon Conjunction | බ්‍රහස්පති, සෙනසුරු සහ අඩ සඳ සංයෝජනය | வியாழன், சனி மற்றும் பிறைநிலாவின் இணையல் Read More »

Total Solar Eclipse – Dec 14, 2020 | පූර්ණ සූර්යග්‍රහණය – 2020 දෙසැම්බර් 14 | முழுக் கதிரவ மறைப்பு – 14 டிசம்பர் 2020

A solar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes between Earth and the Sun. A total solar eclipse, when the Moon completely covers the Sun, is happening for the first time this year on the 14th of December. This event is not this year’s first solar eclipse as the annular Solar eclipse which occurred in June …

Total Solar Eclipse – Dec 14, 2020 | පූර්ණ සූර්යග්‍රහණය – 2020 දෙසැම්බර් 14 | முழுக் கதிரவ மறைப்பு – 14 டிசம்பர் 2020 Read More »

Geminid meteor shower 2020 | ජෙමිනිඩ්ස් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව 2020 | ஜெமினிட் விண்கல் மழை 2020

One of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, the Geminids, will peak on the night of December 13-14. The radiant point of the shower, the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini, will be highest in the sky around 2 a.m. This year, with the waning crescent moon and a favoring dark sky, …

Geminid meteor shower 2020 | ජෙමිනිඩ්ස් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව 2020 | ஜெமினிட் விண்கல் மழை 2020 Read More »

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse – November 30, 2020 | ඡායා චන්ද්‍ර ග්‍රහණය – 2020 නොවැම්බර් මස 30 | புறநிழல் சந்திர கிரகணம் – நவம்பர் 30, 2020

A penumbral lunar eclipse occurs when the Moon passes through the Earth’s penumbra. During this type of eclipses, the Moon will be slightly darkened. A penumbral lunar eclipse will be visible to Asia early on the morning of November 30, 2020. This will also be visible to North America, the Pacific Ocean, and northeastern Asia …

Penumbral Lunar Eclipse – November 30, 2020 | ඡායා චන්ද්‍ර ග්‍රහණය – 2020 නොවැම්බර් මස 30 | புறநிழல் சந்திர கிரகணம் – நவம்பர் 30, 2020 Read More »

Leonids Meteor Shower 2020 | ලියොනිඩ්ස් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව 2020 | லியோனிட்ஸ் விண்கல் மழை 2020

This week’s annual Leonid Meteor Shower is going to hit Earth, which peaks on the night between 17-18 November in the sky above Colombo. Leonids emerge from the Comet Tempel-Tuttle, which requires 33 years to revolve once around the sun. The Leonids originate from the constellation Leo, the lion, and hence, it has got its …

Leonids Meteor Shower 2020 | ලියොනිඩ්ස් උල්කාපාත වර්ෂාව 2020 | லியோனிட்ஸ் விண்கல் மழை 2020 Read More »