On Sunday, an annular eclipse of the sun will cross Arizona shortly before sunset.
And your last chance to see Venus cross the sun takes place next month.
Want more? A Tucson group is planning one of the world's largest star parties at the Grand Canyon.
There's a lot to see in the coming weeks - here are some ways to make the most of views that are literally out of this world.
Adam Block plans to be on top of Mount Lemmon when the sun, the moon and the Earth align on Sunday.
While the alignment won't be precise over Tucson - the moon will cover about 87 percent of the sun's light - it will still be a spectacular sight.
"This is a very busy astronomical time between now and the Perseids," said Block, who manages the public observing programs at the University of Arizona's Mount Lemmon SkyCenter.
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The annular eclipse and Venus transit have generated a lot of excitement. The planned landing of NASA's Curiosity Mars rover on the red planet in August is also expected to capture the nation's attention.
The SkyCenter lets people explore the universe every night of the year - weather permitting - using the Schulman Telescope, which is the largest dedicated public telescope in the Southwest.
At 9,157 feet, the SkyCenter is at a unique vantage point to watch the moon obscure most of the setting sun Sunday.
In addition to enhancing its popular evening viewing program, the SkyCenter will stream images of the eclipse to the world online at nightskiesnetwork.com (click on the channel that says SkyCenter to watch the view from the top of the mountain).
"We will do our best to provide video throughout the entire length of the eclipse," Block said, until the sun sets behind mountains west of Tucson. It will resemble a broken ring.
A couple weeks later, Venus passes in front of the sun, which will not happen again until 2117.
"It's a once-in-a-lifetime event," Block said.
Part of the luck of the two solar events is that they are taking place before the traditional start of the monsoon.
"It's about the best date it could fall on in terms of the weather," Block said. Tucson's skies are clear about 80 percent of the time in May and June, he said.
The SkyCenter offers viewing every night of the year. Each session is limited to 20 people, and typically books about a month in advance. As of Tuesday, there were still tickets available for Sunday's enhanced viewing.
A noted astrophotographer, Block was eager to catch the sun starting to set over the western horizon. Participants will also receive images that Block will take to record the event.
He's also already looking forward to Aug. 21, 2017, when there will be a total eclipse visible in the mainland United States.
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PERSEIDS METEOR SHOWER
The annual Perseids meteor shower will peak around Aug. 12-13, and if the monsoon cooperates, the viewing should be good.
The crescent moon won't rise until 1 a.m. Aug. 12, leaving a dark sky for a shower that usually has 60 to 70 meteors visible per hour.
During a meteor shower, most of the meteors appear to come from a point in the sky. The Perseids are named for the constellation from which they appear to originate.
Even though the Perseids radiate from Perseus, they can be seen in a greater area after 10 p.m. or so - look in a wide area in the eastern, northern and overhead sky.
The Perseids are one of three prominent meteor showers every year that are predictably good most of the time. The Leonids in late November and the Geminids in mid-December are the others.
"We usually recommend that folks find a spot on the far east side of the city away from city lights as much as possible," said Michael V. Magee, the technical director at Flandrau Science Center. "You can see the meteors anywhere in the sky, but they are easiest to see in the northeast sky about halfway between the horizon and overhead."
SkySpy columnist Tim Hunter contributed to this report.
Flandrau Science Center
1601 E. University Blvd.
The Flandrau is a premier university science center that also offers star parties, fabulous planetarium shows, unique exhibits, lectures and many other activities.
The observatory's 16-inch telescope is open for free viewings (donations appreciated) from about 7 to 10 p.m. Wednesdays through Saturdays after sunset, all year long - weather permitting and excluding major holidays. An expert astronomer or telescope operator is always on hand.
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IF YOU GO
Mt. Lemmon SkyCenter
9800 Ski Run Road on Mount Lemmon.
Buy tickets at skycenter.arizona.edu/ visit/tickets or 626-8122.
Annular solar eclipse
• When: 2-10 p.m. Sunday.
• Cost: $75.
• Details: includes eclipse viewing, dinner, in addition to regular night viewing program.
Transit of Venus
• When: Noon-10:30 p.m. June 5.
• Cost: $100; $50 ages 6-17.
• Details: Watch the transit with solar telescopes along with spectacular views of sunset from the summit, followed by the SkyNights nighttime stargazing program. Dinner is included.
Perseid meteor shower
• When: 4:45 p.m. Aug. 11 into the early morning hours.
• Cost: $75.
• Details: Includes a discussion about meteor showers.
