SkyEye

The Calendar

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. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Sagittarius → Capricornus

The Earth makes its annual closest approach to the Sun on 2 January. The date of perihelion can range from New Year's Day to 5 January.

Mercury Sagittarius → Capricornus

Beginning the year as an evening sky object low in the southwest, it is soon lost to view as it reaches inferior conjunction on 14 January. It reappears late in the month in the east before sunrise.

Venus Libra → Scorpius → Ophiuchus → Sagittarius

The morning star is slowly descending towards the eastern horizon for the first five months of this year. It appears slightly higher in the sky when viewed from the southern hemisphere than from the north.

C/2013 US10 Catalina Boötes → Ursa Major → Draco → Camelopardalis

An Oort cloud denizen, comet C/2013 US10 Catalina is making its first and only pass through the inner solar system. Discovered in 2013 by the Catalina Sky Survey, it has an inclination of 149° and a perihelion distance of just over 0.8 AU. It may reach sixth or even fifth magnitude this month. It passes very close to Arcturus on the first day of the month.

Mars Virgo → Libra

Still a morning sky object, Mars rises just after midnight.

Jupiter Leo

The largest planet in the solar system was at west quadrature last month and now rises before midnight. After Venus, Jupiter is the brightest planet seen in the night sky. (Technically, Mercury can outshine Jupiter but only when Mercury is very near superior conjunction and too near to the Sun to actually observe.)

Saturn Ophiuchus

You will have to get up early to spot the ringed planet. It is a morning sky object and rises well after midnight. It can be found near Venus on 9 January.

Uranus Pisces

This ice giant is at east quadrature on the seventh day of the month and sets around midnight.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. However, with solar conjunction approaching next month, it may be too close to the Sun to easily observe.