January Skylights by Mark Dawson, Whitby & District Astronomical Society
I suppose we had better start with comet ISON, which we hoped would become a spectacular sight during December. Unfortunately ISON’s close shave with the Sun resulted in the comet’s ultimate disintegration into a debris and rubble pile. Shame, but that’s how the cookie (or comet) crumbles sometimes. Look for the demise of ISON on the Internet; it is quite spectacular. Having been so conspicuous in the evening twilight sky, Venus sinks toward the SW horizon as we head into the New Year and is lost in solar glare by mid- January. At the end of January Venus emerges into the morning sky. A crescent moon lies close by on January 2nd. Residing in Gemini, prominent Jupiter dominates the evening sky coming to opposition on the 5th and is therefore visible all night. Look for the dark bands across the disk and nearby Galilean moons should you have a telescope or good pair of binoculars. The moon lies nearby on the 14th.
Mars is still really a morning object, rising shortly before midnight. The red planet is starting to brighten, although telescopically it remains very small and pretty featureless. By the end of January Mars lies very close (just to the left) of the chief star in Virgo, Spica. The moon joins them on the 23rd and 24th.
Mercury rushes up into the evening twilight sky from mid-January until the first week of February, putting on its best show this year. Look for it 45 minutes
after sunset low in the SSW no more than a fist height at arm’s length above the horizon. Mercury will be brightest at the start of the apparition, but will be lower down. A good period to observe will be between the 20th and 28th. A slim crescent moon lies lower right on the 31st.
With a New Moon on January 1st, should you spot any meteors just into the New Year, especially on the evening of the 3rd, they will most probably belong to the Quadrantids meteor shower which peaks that night. The peak is quite short lived. However the shower is quite prolific with rates approaching 80 per hour, although actual observed rates will be a third of this. Look mid-way up in the sky in any direction but the NW.
Finally the Earth reaches perihelion with the Sun on January 4th when it will be at its closest, just 97 3⁄4 million miles away.
Happy New Year to you all – wish for clear skies.
www.whitby-astronomers.come to edit.
Mars is still really a morning object, rising shortly before midnight. The red planet is starting to brighten, although telescopically it remains very small and pretty featureless. By the end of January Mars lies very close (just to the left) of the chief star in Virgo, Spica. The moon joins them on the 23rd and 24th.
Mercury rushes up into the evening twilight sky from mid-January until the first week of February, putting on its best show this year. Look for it 45 minutes
after sunset low in the SSW no more than a fist height at arm’s length above the horizon. Mercury will be brightest at the start of the apparition, but will be lower down. A good period to observe will be between the 20th and 28th. A slim crescent moon lies lower right on the 31st.
With a New Moon on January 1st, should you spot any meteors just into the New Year, especially on the evening of the 3rd, they will most probably belong to the Quadrantids meteor shower which peaks that night. The peak is quite short lived. However the shower is quite prolific with rates approaching 80 per hour, although actual observed rates will be a third of this. Look mid-way up in the sky in any direction but the NW.
Finally the Earth reaches perihelion with the Sun on January 4th when it will be at its closest, just 97 3⁄4 million miles away.
Happy New Year to you all – wish for clear skies.
www.whitby-astronomers.come to edit.
Archive
Dec 2013 Planetary Skylights
Nov 2013 Planetary Skylights
Oct 2013 Skylights and Signposts in the Sky
Sep 2013 Skylights
Nov 2013 Planetary Skylights
Oct 2013 Skylights and Signposts in the Sky
Sep 2013 Skylights
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