If you are planning to ring in the New Year by watching the sun rise on January 1, don't miss the two planets that escort it upwards into the morning sky. Jupiter lies low in the southeast, shining at a bright -1.8 magnitude as it rises around 5 a.m. Next to appear above the horizon is Mars at magnitude 1.5, rising just before 6 a.m. Then comes the Sun, washing out all the planets and stars as it makes its way above the horizon at 7:23 a.m. local time.
Catch the northernmost Moon the next night, on January 2. Full Moon occurs at 8:57 a.m. EST on January 3. This is the same day that Earth reaches perihelion, or its closest point to the sun in its yearlong orbit. Earth will lie .9 AU from the Sun on January 3. This is a good reminder that it is not Earth's distance from the Sun that gives us the seasons, otherwise we would not be shivering in the northern states right now. It is the tilt of the Earth's axis and the angle of the sun's rays hitting Earth that determines the seasons.
The New Moon occurs at 11:01 p.m. EST on January 18. New Moon is a popular observing time for amateur astronomers: they are not bothered by bright moonlight while trying to search out the faint nebula and galaxies in the universe. Also on January 18 you can find faint Neptune within 1.4 degrees of Venus just after sunset. Venus is a blinding magnitude of -4 while Neptune is a mere 8th magnitude, requiring a telescope. But the bright beacon of Venus is a good guidepost for finding Neptune. Keep Venus out of the field of view so it does not wash out the fainter planet. Neptune should be a little above and to the right of Venus.
The next evening, January 19, right after sunset, see if you can spot Venus, with Neptune now directly to its right, and an infant Moon rising with Mercury to their lower right. On the following day, January 20, the Moon will have jumped to a spot a little above Venus with Neptune pulling just a little below right of Venus. Mercury will continue to improve its appearance throughout the end of the month. On the 26th it will be Mercury and Neptune which are now side-by-side. Mercury will shine at a magnitude of -1. But again, if you are hoping to see Neptune, make sure you have a telescope handy.
By the end of the month on January 31, a partially visible line of planets will rise up from the west southwestern horizon. The sun sets with Neptune close behind, then Mercury, Venus, and Uranus, which has been lying in Aquarius all month right next to Lambda Aquarii. Venus has been rushing up to meet it and will make a close encounter with Uranus on February 7. But back on January 31, the moon lies in the opposite side of the sky with Saturn just rising in the east where it will make its slow steady crossing of the sky over the course of the night.
In the beginning of January ou have the opportunity to catch a comet in binoculars or even with the unaided eye if you look in just the right place and just the right time. Read the Comet McNaught article and give it a try.
Watch for next month's sky highlights as the moon rendezvous with the Beehive Cluster (M44) once at the beginning and once at the end of February.
