January will be a special month with several interesting events. Brilliant Venus will be unmistakable at its highest point in the sky and setting after it is fully dark. Although Venus will be moving eastward in its orbit, from our perspective it will appear to be almost motionless while the dim background stars slowly stream past it. Most notably, bright Saturn, which is almost motionless in its slow orbit, will seem to approach Venus and pass it on January 17. The two planets will be close for a few days before and after the meeting, and then Saturn will move away and lower in the western sky.

Meanwhile, very bright Jupiter will be high in the evening sky, moving very slowly in retrograde (or western) motion. During January, this motion will take it across the upper or western horn of Taurus (the Bull). The horn is formed by an imaginary line that extends between the upper star in the bull’s “V” shaped face and a brighter star, Elnath, to the left of Jupiter that represents the tip of the horn. This star is shared with a five-sided polygon that extends above and to the left of Elnath and makes up the constellation Auriga (the Charioteer).

Bright reddish Mars will follow Jupiter and will also be in retrograde motion, but its motion will be more rapid than Jupiter’s and will be easier to follow. However, in addition to its retrograde motion, Mars will be a part of another special event. On the evening of January 13, the full Moon will pass over Mars, hiding it for up to about an hour. This will happen at about the same instant all over the country, although the time will vary somewhat by the location of the observer and the path of occultation. For example, in Des Moines, Iowa, the Moon will cover Mars from about 8:00 until about 9:08 CST, but in Seattle, Washington, which is near the northern edge of the path, Mars will be hidden from about 6:20 until about 6:39 PST and in Miami, Florida, which is near the southern edge, Mars will be hidden from about 9:30 to about 9:53 EST. Since the times vary, observations should begin at least several minutes before the expected time. Also, because of the bright glare of the Moon, binoculars will be needed. Placing the Moon on the edge of the field of view should make it easier to see Mars.

The retrograde motion of Mars will take it past the bright twin stars of Gemini (the Twins). On January 15, it will be close below Pollux and in line with Pollux and Castor above. This is also the night when Mars will be at opposition when it will be opposite the Sun in the sky. It will rise at sunset, set at sunrise, and shine at its brightest, much brighter than the twin stars.

Observing Highlights

-Jan. 2-3: The Quadrantid meteor shower will have about a 6-hour peak tonight centered on just after midnight. We should see up to a meteor per minute from this best meteor shower of the winter. Meteors will be seen all over the sky, but if their trails are traced backward, they will seem to have come from near the end of the Big Dipper’s handle. The Moon will not interfere.

-Jan. 3: In the evening, the crescent Moon will be to the upper left of brilliant Venus and farther to the lower right of Saturn.

-Jan. 4: The Moon will be close to the upper left of Saturn.

-Jan. 10: The Moon will be in line with Jupiter to its lower right and Aldebaran to Jupiter’s lower right. All will be in Taurus (the Bull).

-Jan. 13: The full Moon will occult Mars, moving in front of the very bright planet and hiding it from view.

-Jan. 15: Mars will be at opposition and at its brightest for the year. It will be in line with Pollux close above it and Castor above Pollux, the bright twin stars of Gemini (the Twins).

-Jan. 15: After they rise at about 8:00, the Moon will be above Regulus, the brightest star of Leo (the Lion). The Moon will follow Regulus into the sky on the 16th.

-Jan. 17: Brilliant Venus will pass very close to Saturn in the western sky. They will be close from January 15 to 18.

-Jan. 21: Before dawn, the Moon will be close below Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo (the Maiden).