Five Celestial Happenings in the Colorado Sky You Don’t Want to Miss in 2017

Many star-gazers look forward to the Perseid Meteor Show each year when the late-night sky is filled with as many as 90 or more shooting stars each hour. This year's shower, however, could be a bit disappointing as the brightness of the moon will likely obscure all but the brightest of the meteors. You will for sure need to get away from the lights of Grand Junction.

This is the big one we have been waiting on for nearly 40 years. Although western Colorado does not sit on the "path of totality" a 70-mile wide path stretching from coast to coast, it will be the next best thing and we will be experiencing a rare and spectacular sight. This will be the first time in modern history that this path crosses the United States and no other country.

If you have even a small telescope, this is going to be sensational as Saturn's ring system tilts toward earth as much as possible. The opening of the rings takes place from June to October peaking on October 17 and offering the best view of the rings since 2003.

Early morning risers will have a chance to see Venus and Jupiter rise together about 45 minutes before sunrise. You're likely going to have to leave your house and find a location with no obstructions of the east/southeast horizon.

This could be the best meteor shower of the year with as many as 120 slow moving meteors filling the early morning sky. The best time for viewing will be around 2 AM, and the best news is the moon will be a narrow crescent, giving us a dark sky for ideal viewing conditions.