January’s nights are cold, and usually cloudy. But the winter nights present some excellent stargazing when skies are clear. When you get the chance, bundle up and head outside for a bit!
The planet Mars will be at its best in January. Mars makes its closest approach to Earth on the 15th. Mars will be in “opposition” on that date — the planet will be opposite the Sun in our skies. That means Mars will be in the night sky all night, rising at sunset and setting at about sunrise. The red planet will be easy to spot, about as bright as Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky.
The planet will move during the month from left to right, moving out of the constellation Cancer and into Gemini. Check out the visual with this column to see where it will be. Mars is distinctly reddish, which helps in identifying it. It will still be small, appearing only about 1/100 as wide as the full Moon in our sky.
The gas giants Jupiter and Saturn are also still in the evening sky in January. Saturn will be low in the southwest, growing fainter as it moves away from us. Saturn will appear close to Venus in mid-month, and will pass Venus as it grows lower in the sky. Jupiter continues to ride high in the constellation Taurus, above Orion. Jupiter is the brightest object in the southern sky. Look for the reddish star Aldebaran, just below Jupiter. It can be easy to imagine the blood-red eye of a bull!
Our Moon will be full on Jan. 13, with new Moon following on the 29th. The Moon will be between Venus and Saturn on Jan. 3, and to the left of Jupiter on the 10th. On the 13th, the full Moon will pass in front of Mars, an occultation. If skies are clear (never a sure thing in January), look for the occultation starting at about 6:15 p.m., ending at about 6:45 p.m. The Moon will be low in the east. The bright full Moon may make it difficult to see Mars, but binoculars could help. A Moon filter can help too, cutting down on the brightness of the Moon.
January is prime-time for viewing the winter constellations, including the bright stars of Orion, Taurus, and Gemini. See if you can locate all six — Rigel, the brighter “leg” of Orion; Aldebaran, the brightest star in Taurus; Capella, the brightest star in Auriga; Pollux, one of the “twins” in Gemini; Procyon, the brightest star in Canis minor; and Sirius, the brightest star in Canis major. The hexagon contains the brightest star in the night sky (Sirius), the sixth brightest (Capella); the seventh (Rigel); the eighth (Procyon); 14th (Aldebaran) and the 17th (Pollux). You can identify the stars using one of many smartphone identification apps, such as “Skyview,” or you could use a planisphere. You can purchase a planisphere online, or make your own (in-the-sky.org/planisphere). Give it a try on a clear winter night!
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