Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All times and dates are given in Universal Time (UT). Daily darkness estimates are calculated for Greenwich, London (51.5° N, 0° W).
Calendar of Events - January
| Date | Event |
|---|
| 3 | Sat |
Moon at apogee |
| 4 | Sun |
Because the orbit of the Earth around the Sun is elliptical instead of circular, the distance between our planet and our star varies during the year. Perihelion, when the Earth is closest to the Sun, always occurs in the first few days of January. |
| The Moon is in the sky virtually all night, making this a very poor year to view the Quadrantids meteor shower. |
| 7 | Wed |
Full Moon |
| 9 | Fri |
Binoculars or a small telescope will be necessary to see seventh-magnitude 1 Ceres at opposition in the constellation Gemini. |
| 15 | Thu |
Last Quarter Moon |
| 17 | Sat |
Mercury at greatest elongation west |
| 19 | Mon |
Moon at perigee |
| 21 | Wed |
New Moon |
| 29 | Thu |
First Quarter Moon |
| 31 | Sat |
Moon at apogee |
The Solar System
The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.
- Sun
- Location: Sagittarius -> Capricornus
- Mercury
- Location: Sagittarius
The closest planet to the Sun is an evening sky object, low (but rising) in the west shortly after sunset.
- Venus
- Location: Capricornus -> Aquarius
The "evening star" is readily seen after sunset, high in the western sky.
- Mars
- Location: Pisces
Setting before midnight, the red planet can be found in the west at nightfall.
- Jupiter
- Location: Leo
Look for the largest planet in the solar system rising in the east during mid-evening.
- Saturn
- Location: Gemini
Having reached opposition only late last month, the ringed planet can be observed all night.
- Uranus
- Location: Aquarius
This distant gas giant is difficult to observe in the west at sunset as it approaches conjunction with the Sun next month.
- Neptune
- Location: Capricornus
With conjunction taking place early next month, Neptune is unobservable in January.
- Pluto
- Location: Serpens (Cauda)
With a brightness of around fourteenth magnitude, the smallest planet in the solar system can be seen only through a good-sized telescope. However, because it was at conjunction with the Sun only last month, it may be difficult to see just before sunrise.
The Celestial Sphere
Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.
Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)
Northern Hemisphere : 45° N
- 1730 hours (1830 hours daylight savings)
- 1930 hours (2030 hours daylight savings)
- 2130 hours (2230 hours daylight savings)
- 2330 hours (0030 hours daylight savings)
- 0130 hours (0230 hours daylight savings)
- 0330 hours (0430 hours daylight savings)
- 0530 hours (0630 hours daylight savings)
Southern Hemisphere : 30° S
- 1730 hours (1830 hours daylight savings)
- 1930 hours (2030 hours daylight savings)
- 2130 hours (2230 hours daylight savings)
- 2330 hours (0030 hours daylight savings)
- 0130 hours (0230 hours daylight savings)
- 0330 hours (0430 hours daylight savings)
- 0530 hours (0630 hours daylight savings)
For More Information...
- Consult our online glossary for non-technical explanations of many of the astronomical terms used in these pages.
- Blue moons, eclipses, the dates of Easter and much more can be found at the Interactive Astronomy Pages.
- For more information about the objects and events described in SkyEye, visit these astronomy-related sites.
Credits
Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of your favourite amateur astronomy magazine available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.
The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Used with permission.
Copyright © 1995-2004 by David Harper and L.M. Stockman
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Obliquity
Last modified on 31 December 2003
https://www.obliquity.com/skyeye/archive/2004/jan2004.html