Second New Moon of December
Second New Moon of December
The moon cycles through its phases every 29.5 days, allowing a phase to repeat if it first occurs early in a calendar month. For the second time in December, the…
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Monthly Night Sky information provided by Chris Vaughan (@Astrogeoguy) at Starry Night Education (@StarryNightEdu).
Astronomical Events
Calendar of Events
S Sun
M Mon
T Tue
W Wed
T Thu
F Fri
S Sat
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The Pleiades (all night)
In the evening during early January, the prominent open star cluster known as the Pleiades, the Seven Sisters and Messier 45, is climbing the southeastern sky. The stars of its…
2 events,
The Andromeda Galaxy (all night)
After the sky fully darkens in early January, the Andromeda Galaxy is positioned near the zenith, which is ideal for viewing it through a minimum of Earth’s atmosphere. The galaxy…
3 events,
Quadrantids Meteor Shower Peak (all night)
Named for a now-defunct constellation called the Mural Quadrant, the Quadrantids meteor shower runs from December 26 to January 16 every year. Quadrantids meteors always radiate from a point in…
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Crescent Moon Meets Venus (early evening)
Crescent Moon Meets Venus (early evening)
The southwestern sky will provide a beautiful photo opportunity on Friday evening, January 3 when the slender waxing crescent moon will shine near the brilliant planet Venus. They’ll be close…
3 events,
Earth at Perihelion (at 8 a.m. EST)
Earth at Perihelion (at 8 a.m. EST)
The Earth will reach perihelion, its minimum distance from the sun for the year, on Saturday, January 4 at 8 a.m. EST, or 5 a.m. PST, or 13:00 GMT. At…
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Waxing Moon joins Saturn (evening)
Waxing Moon joins Saturn (evening)
In the southwestern sky after sunset on Saturday, January 4, the yellowish dot of Saturn will appear several finger widths below (or celestial WSW of) the waxing crescent moon –…
1 event,
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Watch Algol Fade (from 6:42 to 11:42 pm EST)
Watch Algol Fade (from 6:42 to 11:42 pm EST)
The star Algol in the constellation of Perseus represents the glowing eye of Medusa from Greek mythology. Also designated Beta Persei, it is among the most accessible variable stars for…
1 event,
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First Quarter Moon (at 23:56 GMT)
First Quarter Moon (at 23:56 GMT)
The moon will complete the first quarter of its 29.53-day journey around Earth on Monday, January 6 at 6:56 p.m. EST, or 3:56 p.m. PST, or 23:56 GMT. At first…
1 event,
The Goat Star and Her Kids (all night)
On early-January evenings, the constellation of Auriga, the Charioteer is positioned high in the eastern sky. The constellation is dominated by the very bright (magnitude 0.05), yellow, sun-like star Capella,…
2 events,
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The Stars of Orion’s Belt (evening)
The Stars of Orion’s Belt (evening)
The three stars in Orion’s belt may look the same at a glance, but they are actually quite different under closer inspection. Magnitude 1.85 Alnitak (Zeta Orionis) on the left…
1 event,
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Moon Crosses the Pleiades (evening)
Moon Crosses the Pleiades (evening)
Skywatchers in the Americas on Thursday evening, January 9 can watch the orbital motion of the bright, 82%-illuminated gibbous moon carry it through the Pleiades star cluster (aka Messier 45,…
2 events,
Bright Moon Joins Jupiter (all night)
At dusk on Friday, January 10, look to the east for the brilliant planet Jupiter shining several finger widths to the lower right (or celestial south) of the bright, waxing…
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Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation (after sunset)
Venus at Greatest Eastern Elongation (after sunset)
On Friday, January 10, Venus will officially reach its widest separation of 47 degrees east of the sun. Viewed in a telescope (inset), the planet will exhibit a half-illuminated phase.…
2 events,
Mars Closest to Earth (overnight)
A few days before Mars reaches opposition on January 15-16, the red planet will be closest to Earth on Saturday, January 11 in the Americas. That night, Mars will be…
2 events,
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Full Moon in the Winter Football (evening)
Full Moon in the Winter Football (evening)
From Friday until Sunday night, January 12, the nearly full moon will shine inside the Winter Football asterism, also known as the Winter Hexagon and Winter Circle. The asterism is…
2 events,
Full Wolf Moon with Mars (at 22:27 GMT)
Full Wolf Moon with Mars (at 22:27 GMT)
The January full moon, which always shines in or near the stars of Gemini or Cancer, will occur on Monday, January 13 at 5:27 p.m. EST, 2:27 a.m. PST, or…
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Full Moon Occults Mars (10 p.m. EST)
Full Moon Occults Mars (10 p.m. EST)
On Monday evening, January 13, observers across the continental USA, northern Mexico, south and eastern Canada, and northwestern Africa will be treated to the full moon passing in front of,…
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1 event,
Mars at Opposition (all night)
Mars will officially reach opposition at 10 p.m. EST on Wednesday, January 15. On that night, the bright red planet will rise with the stars of Gemini at sunset, climb…
1 event,
1 event,
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Venus Kisses Saturn (evening)
Venus Kisses Saturn (evening)
After several months of courtship, the motion of the bright planet Venus will pass only a generous thumb’s width (or 2 degrees) from 200 times fainter Saturn on Friday evening,…
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2 events,
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Crescent Moon nears Spica (wee hours to sunrise)
Crescent Moon nears Spica (wee hours to sunrise)
Early risers on Tuesday morning, January 21 can see the pretty, waning crescent moon shining in the southeastern sky just below (or celestial east of) Virgo’s brightest star, Spica. If…
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Third Quarter Moon (at 20:31 GMT)
Third Quarter Moon (at 20:31 GMT)
The moon will complete three quarters of its orbit around Earth, measured from the previous new moon, on Tuesday, January 21 at 3:31 p.m. EST or 12:31 p.m. PST, or…
1 event,
Mars Close to Pollux (all night)
From mid-January to mid-April Mars’ retrograde loop will carry it through the stars of Gemini. On Wednesday, January 22, the bright red planet will pass only 2.4 degrees from Gemini’s…
1 event,
1 event,
Moon Attacks the Scorpion (pre-dawn)
Moon Attacks the Scorpion (pre-dawn)
In the southeastern sky before dawn on Friday morning, January 24, the waning crescent moon will be shining among the medium-bright stars that form the claws of Scorpius, barely missing…
1 event,
The Spectacular Orion Nebula (all night)
The bright stars of mighty Orion, the Hunter, shine in the southeastern sky during evening in January. Orion’s sword, which covers an area of 1.5 by 1 degrees (about the…
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New Moon (at 12:36 GMT)
New Moon (at 12:36 GMT)
The moon will reach its new phase on Wednesday, January 29 at 7:36 a.m. EST, 4:36 a.m. PST, or 12:36 GMT. At that time our natural satellite will be located…
1 event,
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Uranus Stands Still (evening)
Uranus Stands Still (evening)
On Thursday, January 30, the motion of the distant, blue-green planet Uranus through the background stars of eastern Aries will slow to a stop - completing a westward retrograde loop…
1 event,
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Crescent Moon Shines with Saturn and Venus (early evening)
Crescent Moon Shines with Saturn and Venus (early evening)
The western sky on Friday, January 31 after sunset will offer a pretty sight and photo opportunity when the slim crescent of the waxing moon will shine below Saturn, with…
