Analysis: it's all go up in the sky with returns to the Moon, rocket launches, shooting stars and eclipses on the horizon
NewSpace, the term given to public and private space enterprise working together, promises to make 2024 a landmark year for space watchers. Multiple nations and private companies are set to return to the Moon, Europe is to get a new heavy-lift rocket and space probes to be sent to planets, moons and asteroids across the solar system.
Ireland too has joined the family of space-faring nations through our first satellite EIRSAT-1 launched in November 2023. Prof Tom Ray from the Dublin Institute of Advanced Studies (DIAS) was recently announced as president of the European Southern Observatory (ESO) and will be overseeing completion of its revolutionary 40m Extremely Large Telescope (ELT). All of this means our island nation is poised for an exciting future in space and astronomy.
From RTE News, Ireland's first satellite launched into orbit from California
Here are some noteworthy sky events to look out for over the coming 12 months.
Return to the Moon
There are global efforts underway to return to the Moon and 2024 is the year when it all kicks off. The US in collaboration with Europe, Canada and Japan commences a far-reaching venture called the Commercial Lunar Payload Service (CLPS). Private companies will build and send landers and rovers to the Moon to assist NASA and ESA ambitions to send people to the surface, set up habitats and harness the Moon's natural resources. Here are some of the missions to watch out for, culminating in November with Artemis II sending four people to orbit the Moon and return to Earth:
Astrobotic Technologies starts the year with a February launch of their Peregrine Lunar Lander. Setting down onto the Moon about one month later, this small lander will analyse the lunar surface for future resource usability.
From Astrobotic, the Peregrine lunar lander is set to be among the first to launch and attempt to safely land on the Moon in 2024
China's ambitious Chang'e 6 Lunar Sample Return mission launches in May 2024. This daring mission will send a lander to the far side of the Moon, collect samples and return them to the Earth for analysis.
In the autumn, three missions aim to put landers and rovers onto the Moon as part of the CLPS program. Firefly's Blue Ghost lunar Lander-1 sets down in Mare Crisium and will analyse the Moon's surface dust, a significant issue for human expeditions. Japan-lead iSpace launch their Mission-2 to the Moon in late 2024, comprised of the Resilience Lander as well as a micro-rover. In November, NASA's Ames Research Centre send the sophisticated VIPER rover to the south-polar region in search of water-ice so vital for future human missions.
2004's lunar activities culminate with the November launch of Artemis II. NASA's gigantic SLS rocket will send four astronauts on a 10-day mission to the Moon, where their Orion spacecraft will orbit the Moon before returning to Earth. Artemis II heralds a new era in deep-space human exploration, with Artemis III to land two astronauts on the lunar surface in 2027 followed thereafter by near-annual missions.
Nasa tests VIPER rover on moon-like terrain on Earth
Europe's Ariane 6 rocket
June 2024 sees the maiden launch of Europe's much anticipated Ariane 6 rocket. Capable of launching up to 25 tonnes of cargo into Earth orbit, each Ariane 6 launch will cost half of its predecessor Ariane 5 at about €75 million per launch, setting Europe on a competitive path for space launches into the future. Other rocket launches to watch out for in 2024 include multiple SpaceX Starship test launches, Blue Origin's New Glenn rocket maiden launch in August and the first ever vertical rocket launch from the UK, set for the summer from the Shetland Islands.
Planetary missions
The most exciting planetary mission of 2024 is NASA's Europa Clipper which will launch in October. This important mission will take six years to reach Jupiter where it will then make 44 fly-bys of Jupiter's moon Europa, a large moon with a global temperate sub-surface ocean of liquid water. Recently detected carbon on the surface of Europa by the James Webb Space Telescope raises hopes that microbial life may even be possible in Europa's ocean. Europa Clipper will analyse one of the most intriguing worlds of our Solar System, laying the foundations for a future mission to drill though the moon's surface-ice and into the ocean itself.
Other planetary missions to watch out for include NASA's EscaPADE, two identical low-cost Mars orbiters to launch by August 15th on board Blue Origin's New Glenn maiden voyage. ESA's Hera asteroid mission is due to launch in October and will visit the near-Earth double asteroids Didymous and Dimorphus which the NASA Dart mission intentionally crashed into in September 2022.
Sky events, from shooting stars to eclipses
2024 will have some intriguing sky events to watch out for, especially if you live in the west of Ireland which is blessed with some of the best dark sky viewing in all of Europe, as exemplified by the International Dark Sky Places-certified Kerry Dark Sky Reserve.
Why not start 2024 with a quick but enthralling shower of meteors (shooting stars)? The Quadrantids meteor shower commenced on November 17th and reaches a peak of activity this week. Look to the northeast - just below the handle of the famous Plough constellation - and you may see upwards of 100 meteors per hour. Wrap up well and give your eyes 15 minutes to dark-adapt!
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Ray D'Arcy Show, Dr Kevin Nolan on how many meteors have landed in Ireland
Of course the favourite meteor shower every year are the Perseids, named because all shooting stars from this shower emanate from the region of sky occupied by the Perseus constellation. The Perseids are a firm favourite because they peak on the night of August 12th and into the morning of August 13th - favourable weather means they can be enjoyed for hours on end.
Three partial eclipses are on view in Ireland through 2024. In April, there's a partial eclipse of the Sun where the Moon passes between the Earth and Sun and blocks part of the Sun's disc. On this occasion we only get to see the very end of the eclipse, but it may turn out to be a visually stunning sight for those living in the west of Ireland.
A total eclipse of the sun in the United States earlier on April 8th ends just as the Moon's shadow reaches the eastern Atlantic at 8.13pm Irish time, just seven minutes before sunset. Those in the northwest of Ireland - at elevation or with a clear horizon - may witness the Moon cutting into the bottom of the Sun's disc as it sets. It must be emphasised that you should never look at the Sun through a telescope, binoculars or a camera - even when setting - where instant blindness results.
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From RTÉ Radio 1's Ray D'Arcy Show, Dr Kevin Nolan talks about the perseid meteor shower
Two partial eclipses of the Moon are on view too. On March 25th, a Penumbral Lunar Eclipse will be on show looking west from about 5am, where the Moon will pass through the Earth's shadow and dim slightly. On September 18th, a partial eclipse of the Moon will be visible to all looking south after 2am, again with the Moon only partially entering the Earth's shadow and hence only dimming slightly here also.
On April 10th, look east at about 6am to see Mars and Saturn less that the width of the Moon apart as they rise together above the horizon before the Sun. Promising to be most beautiful of all is the appearance of Mars, Jupiter and a waning crescent Moon close to the Hyades and Pleiades star clusters in the constellation of Taurus in the east before sunrise on the mornings of July 30th and 31st. This will be a spectacular pre-dawn sight if it lives up to expectation.
There is nothing quite like looking to the sky to trigger a sense of delight and a much needed broader perspective. With so many nations and projects putting their best foot forward into Space throughout 2024, there surely can't be a more engaging pursuit to keep an eye on as we proceed into the new year.
The views expressed here are those of the author and do not represent or reflect the views of RTÉ
