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…
Monthly Night Sky information provided by Chris Vaughan (@Astrogeoguy) at Starry Night Education (@StarryNightEdu).
Astronomical Events
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1 event,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,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,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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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,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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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 –… |
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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… |
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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,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,… |
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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… |
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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,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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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,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… |
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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,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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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 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… |
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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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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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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,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… |
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1 event,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 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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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… |
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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… |
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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… |
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The western sky after sunset on Saturday, February 1 will offer a pretty sight when the slim crescent moon will shine close to the brilliant planet Venus, while the medium-bright,… |
