Whatever happens on Earth, space is going to keep doing its thing, from shooting stars to meteor showers and phases of the moon.

Here's what astronomical events are coming up this year - and there's no chance of them being cancelled...

February 27: Snow Moon

Also known as the Hunger Moon, the second full moon of the year is named after the snow that Native American tribes regularly faced in late winter.

March 20: March equinox and a chance to see Venus

The year’s first equinox signals the start of spring in the Northern Hemisphere and autumn in the Southern Hemisphere. Look for the sun rising due east and setting due west. March 20 is also a good time to spot Venus, which will be at its highest point above the horizon shortly before sunrise.

March 28: Worm Moon

March’s full moon is traditionally called the Worm Moon, though it has a number of other names. It is so called because Native American tribes saw earthworms appearing as the ground softened in spring.

April 22: Lyrids meteor shower peaks

Annually from April 16, the Lyrid shower of shooting stars occurs when dust from a comet enter the atmosphere and burn up, peaking on the night of April 22-23. That night there's also a chance to see extra-bright ‘fireballs’ after midnight.

April 27: Supermoon

Supermoons happen when the full moon is closest to the Earth. This one is the first of three this year.

May 6: Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks

Named after the constellation Aquarius, the shooting stars are made dust from Halley’s Comet. They run each year from April 19 to May 28, but are at their most impressive after midnight on the night of May 6-7.

May 26: total lunar eclipse and supermoon

The full moon of May 2021 will coincide with a total lunar eclipse, as the moon passes completely through Earth’s shadow, resulting in a spectacular darkening on its surface, followed by a red tinge. It will also occur when it is at its closest point to the Earth, making it a supermoon for the second month in a row.

June 10: solar eclipse

Although the solar eclipse on June 10 won’t be a total eclipse, it’s still set to be spectacular. The sky will darken and a ring of light will show around the outside.

June 20: June solstice

The summer solstice is the longest day of the year. In 2020, the summer solstice sunrise was broadcast live from Stonehenge.

June 24: Supermoon

Traditionally called a Strawberry Moon, June’s moon is also known as a Rose Moon, Honey Moon and Hot Moon. This one's the last of 2021’s three supermoons – the full moon being at its nearest point to the earth.

August 12: Meteor shower peaks

The Perseid shooting stars are debris from the tail of the Swift-Tuttle comet, visible between July 17 and August 24, and peaking on the night of August 12-13. They’re one of the brightest meteor showers, especially for us in the Northern Hemisphere.

August 19: a chance to see Jupiter

The largest planet in our solar system, Jupiter is easiest to spot tonight. It’s at its closest to Earth and will be lit up by the sun all night, making for excellent viewing if you have a telescope.

August 22: Blue Moon

August’s full moon is traditionally called a Sturgeon Moon, but this one is a Blue Moon, because it’s an extra full moon in between the solstice and the equinox – an event that only happens once every 2.7 years. However, it won't actually look blue.

September 20: Harvest Moon

The Harvest Moon is a name given to whichever full moon falls closest to the September equinox. It is also known as the Corn Moon or Barley Moon.

September 22: September equinox

There are two equinoxes each year, the March equinox and September equinox. In the Northern Hemisphere the September equinox is known as the autumn equinox and heralds the start of the new season. Wherever you are, on this day the sun will rise due east and set due west.

October 7: Draconids meteor shower peaks

This annual meteor shower is so called because the shooting stars appear to originate from near a constellation called Draco the Dragon. Appearing each year from October 6-10, the peak night will be October 7-8. The display will be made more spectacular because the moon will be almost at its darkest - catch it in the evening.

October 21: Orionids meteor shower peaks

This annual meteor shower is the second created by the trail left by Halley’s Comet. The shooting stars can be seen from October 2 to November 7, with the best viewing after midnight on the night of October 21-22.

November 4: Taurids meteor shower peaks

Running annually from September 7 to December 10, this year's show will be good as November’s new moon leaves the skies as dark as can be on the peak night.

November 17: Leonids meteor shower peaks

Known for its fast, bright meteors which peak every 33 years, the Leonid shower seems to radiate from the Leo constellation. They run annually from November 6-30, peaking in mid-November, though this almost coincides with the full moon, which will make the meteors harder to spot. A dark-sky location after midnight will be your best bet.

December 4: Total solar eclipse

Possibly the most spectacular astronomical show of all, a total solar eclipse happens when the sun, the moon and the Earth are aligned. The only bit of the sun visible will be its fiery ‘corona’ or crown. It will mostly only be visible from Antarctica but it’s likely to be livestreamed by Nasa.

December 13: Geminids meteor shower peaks

You can expect to see over 100 bright shooting stars an hour at this one's peak. The meteor shower runs from December 7 to 17, with the peak on the night of December 13-14. Head to a dark location after midnight for your best shot.

December 19: Cold Moon

This is the moon nearest to the Northern Hemisphere’s winter solstice, also called Long Nights Moon.

December 21: December solstice

This is the winter solstice, marking the shortest day of the year.

Here, chairman of Mid-Kent Astronomical Society, Ian Hargraves, gives us his highlights for the coming months.

Until February 14: CPRE Star Count 2021.

On any clear night between the two dates, go outside, let your eyes become dark adapted (no bright lights for 20 mins), then count the stars that you can see with your naked eye, inside the body of the constellation of Orion. Go to takeaction.cpre.org.uk to sign up. The data that you collect will then be used by CPRE to monitor how light polluted skies across the UK are.

February 18: The Moon and Mars will appear close together (conjunction) in the evening sky in the South West at around 7.30pm with Mars, the red object just above the Moon. Looking to the East of Mars is another bright red object Aldebaran, the eye of the bull constellation Taurus.

April 21-22: A tip to enjoy the Lyrids is to watch for some meteors up to one week before and after the peak, just in case of a cloudy peak night. Try to find a Moon shadow in your garden to observe from.

May 6-7: A tip for seeing the Eta Aquarids meteor shower peaks is that they are best seen after 1am as the night side of the Earth will be heading directly into the trail of dust left behind by Halley’s Comet.

May 18: Another of the planets Mercury will appear furthest from the sun together with Venus. Look for them low on the western horizon after the sun has set at around 8.45pm. They will form a straight line where the sun is, below the horizon.

May 26: The so-called supermoon will only be 357,314km from Earth, making it look slightly bigger and brighter than usual. See if you notice the difference. Best time to see this is around 9.30pm from Kent.

The full moons are all named, many after ancient Native American folklore. Visit collections.rmg.co.uk by James Reynolds for more.

The Mid-Kent Astronomical Society (MKAS) normally meets in Bredhurst Village Hall but is currently meeting on Zoom. To join, email chairman@midkentastro.org.uk

* Never look at the sun through binoculars or a telescope or stare at it for a long time as you will seriously damage your eyesight.

For more things to do in 2021 across Kent click here