Other Rare / Significant Astronomical Events?

[Jim-a]

I didn't manage to see the transit (other than on NASA's stream) - being a complete newbie, I was wondering what other rare, significant astronomical events will happen in our lifetimes (for the sake of argument I'm 41 so lets say next 40 years or so) ? Hopefully those of us who missed Venus will manage to catch some of those

Any suggestions?

[pete_l]

... what other rare, significant astronomical events will happen in our lifetimes ...

Any suggestions?

I'm still hoping for the rarest of them all: a power-cut to all the streetlights during a cloud-free, moonless night. It's much rarer than any transit ...

[DarkerSky]

It very much depends on your definition of rare / significant. A large number of comets that enter our solar system and become viewable in small / medium-sized scopes tend to be once-in-a-lifetime visitors. But granted, unless a comet is spectacularly bright, it's not got that awe factor. Over the next few years there are a sprinkling of partial, annular and full eclipses of the moon / sun, and some nice planetary conjunctions. October 28th 2015 for example sees Venus, Mars and Jupiter in a tight triangle in the early morning sky just before sunrise.

Then there are the events that can't be forecast, like the comet Shoemaker-levy crashing into Jupiter in 1994, and the amazing hale-Bopp comet in 1997.

[Jim-a]

I'm still hoping for the rarest of them all: a power-cut to all the streetlights during a cloud-free, moonless night.

lol - surely not in our lifetimes !!

Lets hope there will be clear skies in May 2016 for the next Mercury transit

[SteveWxm]

Halley's comet in June 2061?

[PorkyB]

Transit of Mercury - 2016 ???

Early December this year we have Saturn, Venus and Mercury all rising together before sunrise. Maybe not that rare, but certainly worth getting up for.

[dr_robot]

Cool, mercury transit might make up for missing Venus transit.

[David JM]

Every time I look up I am awestruck-usually by how much cloud there is.

Rather than rely on the "big wows" show someone, especially a child, a planet, the moon, a double star or a nebula through a telescope, their reaction is worth it.

[LukeSkywatcher]

Dont forget about meteor showers. A couple worth mentioning are the Perseids in late August and the Geminids in early December.

[ixalon]

Then there are the events that can't be forecast, like the comet Shoemaker-levy crashing into Jupiter in 1994, and the amazing hale-Bopp comet in 1997.

Yep, some of the most rare and spectacular are those that can't be forecast - just imagine if we're lucky enough to be alive when the light from Betelgeuse's supernova reaches earth.