* Astronomy

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January 2014

Blobrana · L

Maximum eastern lunar libration at 20:43.7 UT. Look towards Mare Crisium

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Mercury is in conjunction with Venus (6.5° separated) at 22:02 UT, 7th January.

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Eyes on the Sky: Jan 6 thru Jan 12

Spoiler

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Maximum Southerly lunar libration at 00:49.2 UT, 3rd January. (The South Pole is tipped towards us)

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Eyes on the Sky: Dec 30 thru Jan 5

Spoiler

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Bright Asteroids at Opposition

Asteroid (51) Nemausa is at Opposition in constellation the Monoceros on the 2nd January 2014
Magnitude: 10.4
Distance to Earth: 1.359 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.319 AU

Asteroid (1021) Flammario is at Opposition in constellation the Gemini on the 5th January 2014
Magnitude: 11.4
Distance to Earth: 1.235 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.215 AU

Asteroid (19) Fortuna is at Opposition in constellation the Gemini on the 8th January 2014
Magnitude: 9.7
Distance to Earth: 1.299 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.282 AU

Asteroid (11) Parthenope is at Opposition in constellation the Gemini on the 11th January 2014
Magnitude: 9.9
Distance to Earth: 1.673 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.656 AU

Asteroid (345) Tercidina is at Opposition in constellation the Canis Minor on the 18th January 2014
Magnitude: 11.5
Distance to Earth: 1.248 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.206 AU

Asteroid (18) Melpomene is at Opposition in constellation the Cancer on the 28th January 2014
Magnitude: 9.3
Distance to Earth: 1.376 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.357 AU

Blobrana · L

There are many meteor showers this month...
The Quadrantids Meteors Shower Peaks at 20:00 UT, January 3rd. It is active from January 1 through January 5.

Shower	Activity Period	Maximum	Radiant		Velocity	ZHR
		Date	R.A.	Dec.	km/s
Zeta Aurigids	Dec 11-Jan 21	Dec. 31/Jan. 1
Quadrantids	Jan 1-5	Jan. 3	16.3h	56.6°	52.1	114.2
Gamma Velids	Jan 1-17	Jan. 5-8
Rho Geminids	Dec 28-Jan 28	Jan. 8/9
January Draconids	Jan10-24	Jan. 13-16
January Bootids	Jan 8-18	Jan 8	13.9h	-12.0°	19.4
Eta Craterids	Jan 11-22	Jan. 16/17
Delta-Cancrids	Dec 14-Feb 14	Jan. 17	128°	+20°	20.4	4
Coma Berenicid	Dec8 - Jan 23	Jan 18	165°	+30°		6
Alpha Hydrids	Jan 15-30	Jan. 20/21
Eta Carinids	Jan 14-27	Jan. 21/22
Canids	Jan13-30	Jan. 24/25
Alpha Leonids	Jan13-Feb 13	Jan. 24-31
Aurigids	Jan-Feb 23	Jan. 31				bolids
Orionids		Jan. 31	15.4h	-15.3°	29.9	24.3

Blobrana · L

January Highlights

The Beehive Cluster
Otherwise known as M44. This is an open cluster and is a wonderful object for binoculars or a small telescope. It contains nearly 200 stars. At a magnitude of 3.7, the cluster should be visible to the naked eye as a fuzzy patch of light, and as such was known to the ancients and actually included in some of their myths. Hipparchus in 130 BC called it "the little cloud". Its true nature was never revealed until 1610 when Galileo became the first person to ever see it through a telescope.
Using your binoculars, you should find about 80 (many more, if you're using a telescope). Since the Beehive is about 450 light years away the light you are seeing tonight left before Galileo first lifted his telescope toward the sky.

The Orion Nebula
Orion is a favourite target of telescope owners. In the centre of Orion's sword, just below the 'belt', lies the great Orion Nebula. Even small 60mm telescopes will show the brightest regions of the nebula and the "Trapezium"; a grouping of the brightest blue stars near the centre. The nebula glows because of the intense energy being radiated by them. The red light shows the location of the hydrogen gas, the blue light is light being reflected from the Trapezium. The blue colour has the same origin as the blue light of our daytime sky, the dust particles in this nebula, reflect blue light more readily than red.

Blobrana · L

Mercury: at magnitude -0.4, starts the month in the constellation of Sagittarius. Mercury is in conjunction with Venus (6.5° separated) at 22:02 UT, 7th January.
(On January 16th, RA=20h43m07s Dec=-20°11.0' (J2000) Distance=1.289AU Phase k=92% Diameter=5.2")

Venus: is at magnitude -4.4. The planet is in constellation Sagittarius at the start of the month. It is best seen from 8.9h -17.5h. The Moon is close to Venus on the 2nd and the 29th January. Venus makes its closest approach to the Earth (distance: 0.266 AU) on the 10th January. The planet is at inferior conjunction on the 11th, and at Perihelion on the 24th.
(On January 1st, RA=19h52m10s Dec=-18°11.7' (J2000) Distance=0.279AU Phase k=3% Diameter=59.8")

Earth: The Earth is at Perihelion (closest to the sun) at 11:59.2 UT, 4th January, 2014.

The Moon: New Moon (diameter: 33.452') at 11:14.2 UT, 1st January, 2014. Lunar perigee (distance to moon center: 356926.2 km, apparent diameter: 34'05.4") at 20:52.6 UT, 1st and at 09:52.2 UT, 30th January. First Quarter Moon (declination: 8.34°) at 03:39.3 UT, 8th January. Lunar apogee (distance to moon center: 406533.2 km, apparent diameter: 29'51.8") at 01:35.2 UT, 16th January. Full Moon (diameter: 29.384', declination: 16.09°) at 04:52.2 UT, 16th January. Last Quarter Moon (declination: -12.79°) at 05:19.0 UT, 24th January.

Mars: at magnitude 0.8 starts the month in the constellation Virgo. Mars is at Aphelion (distance to sun: 1.6661 AU) on the 3rd January. The Moon is close to Mars (4.17° Separation) on the 23rd January.
(On January 1st, RA=12h45m32s Dec= -2°31.9' (J2000) Distance=1.365AU Phase k=90% Diameter=6.9")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Gemini. At magnitude -2.7, the planet is best seen from 16.4h - 8.2h. Jupiter makes its closest approach to the Earth (distance: 4.210 AU) on the 4th January. The planet is at opposition on the 5th. The Moon is close to Jupiter (5.56° Separation) on the 15th January.
Transit times of the Great Red Spot are posted in a separate thread.
Jupiter's satellite positions are posted in this thread.
(On January 1st, RA= 7h08m43s Dec=+22°37.4' (J2000) Distance=4.212AU Diameter=46.7")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.6 sits in the constellation Libra. The Moon is close to Saturn (3.86° Separation) on the 24th January. The planet is best seen from 4.0h - 8.0h.
(On January 1st, RA=15h13m21s Dec=-15°41.7' (J2000) Distance=10.480AU Diameter=15.8")

Uranus: is in the constellation Pisces. Uranus at magnitude 5.8, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.5 arcseconds wide.
(On January 1st, RA= 0h32m16s Dec= +2°44.2' (J2000) Distance=20.054AU Diameter=3.5")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.9 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen from 17.8h -18.1h.
(On January 1st, RA=22h20m57s Dec=-11°00.7' (J2000) Distance=30.575AU Diameter=2.2")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.2). Pluto is in Conjunction on the 1st January. Pluto is at it farthest distance from Earth (distance: 33.555 AU) on the 3rd January. Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet. The dwarf planet is best seen from 17.8h - 6.5h.
(On January 1st, RA=18h47m16s Dec=-20°14.5' (J2000) Distance=33.554AU Diameter=0.1")

The Sun enters the zodiac sign of Aquarius at 03:51 UT on the 20th January.