Stargazer or not, 2009 may be the last chance to witness the most spectacular cosmic show of a lifetime, and all that is needed is to go outdoors and look up at the sky. So special is the occasion that the UN has designated this year the International Year of Astronomy.

For starters, the longest total solar eclipse of the 21st century will take place on July 22, lasting six minutes and 39 seconds. People in Korea will not get to see the sun completely covered by the moon's shadow, but if they miss it they have to wait another 26 years.

Also, the planets Jupiter and Mercury will be in plain view until this Saturday in the southwestern sky.

Mercury and Saturn will be closest to each other on the early morning of Oct. 8, and on Oct. 14 Saturn and Venus will be seen huddled together.

Come Nov. 17 the night sky will be invaded by thousands of shooting stars, which are meteors entering the Earth's atmosphere.

Astronomers predict there will be up to 500 shooting stars per hour, and the shower will last until the following morning.

On Sept. 4, Saturn's rings will seem to be disappearing because the decreasing ring tilt provides an edge-on view which only happens once every 14 years.

Arirang News