Eclipses and far-away missions: Four big things to look forward to in space in 2019

PHOTOS: Big things to look for in space in 2019 >>> Here's what you can expect PHOTOS: Big things to look for in space in 2019 >>> Here's what you can expect Photo: NASA, AFP/Getty Images Photo: NASA, AFP/Getty Images Image 1 of / 38 Caption Close Eclipses and far-away missions: Four big things to look forward to in space in 2019 1 / 38 Back to Gallery

Perpetual stargazers and NASA nerds have a few things to look forward to in 2019, including a total lunar eclipse and a glimpse of Mercury that may not come around for another 13 years.

The year ended on a high note for NASA scientists on Monday, when they guided a spacecraft to the orbit of Bennu, an asteroid between Earth and Mars. It became the smallest celestial body ever orbited, and scientists hope it will teach them more about where humans come from, according to previous stories in the Chronicle.

RELATED: Boeing, SpaceX plan to fly first human missions to space in summer 2019

By the time 2019 started, NASA's New Horizons zoomed past Ultima Thule, a rock located a billion miles beyond Pluto. The flyby became the farthest humanity had ever explored, and it will take months to download all the data and images from that mission, according to NASA.

For the stargazers, a total lunar eclipse is in store for Jan. 21. It has been dubbed a "super wolf blood moon" in part because of its proximity to the Earth. Mercury also will be visible while passing in front of the sun in November — a phenomenon that only occurs about 13 times every century.

Click through the slideshow above to see more details.

Julian Gill is a digital reporter in Houston. Read him on our breaking news site, Chron.com, and on our subscriber site, houstonchronicle.com. | julian.gill@chron.com | Text CHRON to 77453 to receive breaking news alerts by text message