by Dennis Herrmann
Nice views of several planets in January usher in the year 2012; a year that will provide skywatches some opportunities for exciting views of our universe’s wonders. The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter, are prominent this month as darkness falls. Mars will grow brighter and rise earlier through the month, as it approaches opposition in March, while Saturn will rise up to some prominence in the southeastern sky before dawn.
Brilliant Venus is the exceptionally bright light one can see in the western sky after sunset. At magnitude -4.0,
Venus really dazzles, and through the month it draws farther away from the Sun in its orbit, making it set nearly 3 hours after sunset by the end of the month (an hour later than at the beginning of January). On January 26th notice the waxing crescent Moon just 7 degrees above Venus.
Jupiter is nearly due south at nightfall, about 60 degrees above the horizon, and bright; at -2.5 magnitude. On
January 2nd the waxing gibbous Moon will be seen very close to Jupiter; just 5 degrees above it.
Mars will nearly double in brightness in January, going from magnitude +0.2 to -0.5. Earth’s orbital motion is taking us closer to Mars. Mars will peak for us at opposition on March 3rd. Look for Mars in the east sky after 10 pm on January 1st; and after 8 pm on January 31st.
Still the best time to view Mars this month will be from midnight to dawn as it needs to appear to rise above the horizon for us. Those rather uncomfortable viewing hours for most of us will improve in February as Mars will come up earlier.
Saturn will be nearly halfway up in the southeastern sky by dawn in January and seen some 7 degrees above (east) of Spica in Virgo at magnitude +0.7. The last quarter Moon will be seen below Saturn and Spica on the morning of January 16th before sunrise.
A quick summary of 2012’s skywatch events include several oppositions for planets(times when they are best seen).
MARS: March 3rd; SATURN: April 15th; JUPITER: December 2nd. There will be two Full Moons in calendar month August; on August 1st and 31st. The second Full Moon in a calendar month is often called a “Blue Moon.” Venus will be prominent from January to May after sunset in the west, and then again before dawn in the east from July to December.
Good meteor showers are April 22nd: the LYRIDS; August 12th: the PERSEIDS; November 17th: the LEONIDS; and December 13th: the GEMINIDS. On May 20th an annualar solar eclipse will brush southwestern USA, but be seen mostly out over the Pacific Ocean, while a total solar eclipse on November 13th will be seen in Australia. Partial lunar eclipses happen June 4th and November 28th —- we may only be able to see the June 4th event.
The biggest event may be the Venus Transit of the Sun, June 5/6. This is when it is possible with adequate eye protection in place to see Venus passing directly in front of the Sun, appearing as a black dot against the yellow Sun. This will be the last time such an event will happen until 2117!
I will keep all you faithful readers informed on details of these and other events to come through the year. Keep looking up!
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