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General Introduction To the Year 2017

What 2017 is treating us with? As Venus will be a morning star March-November this year, Saturn is reaching a year of its rings' maximal tilt. Three minor planets will reach their opposition, or best, in 2017 as, in terms of great astronomical events, two Moon eclipses will be of interest, a solar annular eclipse and, mostly, the total solar eclipse of August 21st, 2017, one of the most anticipated astronomical events in decades in the U.S.A.! In space you will not miss the Grand Finale of the Cassini mission in the Saturnian system, beginning in April 2017 with a terminal fiery plunge into Saturn's atmosphere on September 15th, 2017! All in all, a fine year in terms of astronomy!