International Lunar Research Station Permanent Habitation
China National Space Agency and international partners plan for the International Lunar Research Station, near the Moon South Pole region, to be permanently inhabited by crew starting this year.
Asteroid 99942 Apophis Close Earth Flyby
Asteroid 99942 Apophis, 370 meters in diameter & previously known as 2004 MN4, predicted to make 2nd pass by Earth missing by ~50 million km.
Korea to Launch Mars Lander & Rover
China to Launch Spacecraft to Uranus
China National Space Agency planning to launch its first mission to Uranus this year under the deep space program Tianwen.
Fully Operational Space Elevator Planned
NASA to Launch Interstellar Mission to Alpha Centauri
NASA is planning to send spacecraft to Alpha Centauri system 4.4 LY away to search for life, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of the first Moon landing; aiming for craft to travel at a minimum of 10% of the speed of light on a 44-year trip, reaching nearest neighbor Star system by 2113.
Galaxy Evolution Explorer (GALEX) to Reenter Earth Atmosphere
Transit of Earth, Moon, Phobos
Longest Solar Eclipse of Century
The longest solar eclipse of the Century at 7 minutes 29 seconds; may be longest eclipse during 10,000-year period from 4000 BC to AD 6000.
Earth + Mars Reach Record-Breaking Distance
Planets reach record-breaking distance for opposition at ~55.69 million km, will appear extra bright in sky.
Partial Transit of Mercury
Earth + Mars = Minimum Distance Reached
Distance between Earth & Mars reaches new minimum at 55,651,033.122 km on this date during perihelion.
Gamma Cephei Becomes ‘North Star’
Voyager 1 to Pass "Near" Star AC+79 3888
Around 42013, NASA Voyager 1 spacecraft is predicted to come within 1.7 LY of star AC+79 3888, also known as Gliese 445, in the constellation Ursa Minor (the Little Dipper).
Voyager 2 to Pass "Near" to Star Ross 248
Around 42013, NASA Voyager 2 spacecraft is predicted to come within 11.7 LY (9.7 trillion miles) of the star Ross 248 (also known as HH Andromedae or Gliese 905), located 10.3 LY from Earth.
Laser Geodynamics Satellite 1 to Reenter Earth Atmosphere
Laser Geodynamics Satellite 1 (LAGEOS-1) laser ranging satellite mission, carrying plaque designed by Carl Sagan, predicted to reenter Earth atmosphere close to this date; launched May 4, 1976 to 5,900-km altitude orbit.
1100000000
~1.1 Billion Years
Solar Luminosity Reach 10% Increase
2000000000
~2 Billion Years
Milky Way + Large Magellanic Cloud May Collide
4500000000(~22 Galactic Years)
4.5 Billion Years
Milky Way + Andromeda = 50/50 Chance of Swooping By Each Other
Andromeda approaching MWG at 110 km/sec, these 2 largest galaxies in Local Group have 50/50 chance to swoop past each other about this time when Andromeda will become tidally stretched and Milky Way becomes warped.
5000000000
5 Billion Years
The Sun Becomes Red Giant Star
The Sun, now about 9.6 billion years old, is predicted to have grown into a red giant star by this point, and have expanded more than a hundred times larger than its current size, while experiencing an intense mass loss through a very strong stellar wind; it will engulf Mercury and Venus (and possibly Earth).
7000000000 (~30 Galactic Years)
7 Billion Years
Milky Way + Andromeda Supermassive Black Holes Predicted to Converge
If merger of Galaxies occurs, the 2 central supermassive black holes of MWG and Andromeda should converge near center of newly forming ‘Milkomeda’ or ‘Milkdromeda’ Galaxy.
7000000000 (~30 Galactic Years)
7 Billion Years
The Sun to Collapse into White Dwarf
10300000000 (~45.7 Galactic Years)
10.3 Billion Years
Potential Merger of Milky Way + Andromeda = Milkomeda / Milkdromeda Galaxy
If merger of MWG and Andromeda occurs, it is predicted to be nearly complete around this date forming a giant elliptical, large lenticular or super spiral galaxy; simulations indicate whatever remains of our Solar System might be brought near center & ejected entirely out of Galaxy.