* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: January 2015

Blobrana · L

Maximum easterly lunar libration is at 07:09.9 UT, 28th January 2015. Look towards Mare Smythii

Blobrana · L

Asteroid (346) Hermentaria is at Opposition in constellation Gemini on the 3rd January 2015.
Magnitude: 10.6
Distance to Earth: 1.738 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.720 AU

Asteroid (69) Hesperia is at Opposition in constellation Canis Minor on the 3rd January.
Magnitude: 10.3
Distance to Earth: 1.502 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.469 AU

Asteroid (337) Devosa is at Opposition in constellation Cancer on the 22nd January.
Magnitude: 11.0
Distance to Earth: 1.112 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.084 AU

Asteroid (3) Juno is at Opposition in constellation Hydra on the 29th January.
Magnitude: 8.1
Distance to Earth: 1.334 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.300 AU

Blobrana · L

There are many meteor showers this month...
The Quadrantids Meteors Shower Peaks on January 3rd., and 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 -0.8, starts the month in the constellation of Sagittarius. Mercury is close (separation 38.5') to Venus on the 11th January. Mercury is at its Greatest Elongation (18.9° East) on the 14th. Mercury is at Dichotomy (Half phase) on the 16th. Mercury is at Perihelion on the 21st. Mercury is at inferior conjunction on the 30th.
(On January 16th, RA=20h43m07s Dec=-20°11.0' (J2000) Distance=1.289AU Phase k=92% Diameter=5.2")

Venus: is at magnitude -3.9. The planet is in constellation Sagittarius at the start of the month. It is best seen from 10:00 -16.50 UT.
(On January 1st, RA=19h58m58s Dec=-22°01.7' (J2000) Distance=1.613AU Phase k=96% Diameter=10.3")

Earth: The Earth is at Perihelion (closest to the sun) on the 4th January, 2015.

The Moon: New Moon is at 13:13.7 UT, 20th January, 2015. Lunar perigee is at 20:00.2 UT, 21st. First Quarter Moon is at 04:48.4 UT, 27th January. Lunar apogee is at 18:10.8 UT, 9th January. Full Moon is at 04:53.3 UT, 5th January. Last Quarter Moon is at 09:46.5 UT, 13th January.

Mars: at magnitude 1.1 starts the month in the constellation Capricornus. Martian Summer (southern hemisphere) starts on the 11th. Mars is in conjunction (separation 12.8') with Neptune on the 20th.
(On January 1st, RA=21h36m35s Dec=-15°26.5' (J2000) Distance=1.973AU Phase k=94% Diameter=4.7")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Leo. At magnitude -2.5, the planet is best seen from 19:25 - 08:25 UT.
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= 9h36m35s Dec=+15°09.2' (J2000) Distance=4.536AU Diameter=43.4")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.6 sits in the constellation Libra. The planet is best seen from 05:25 - 08:25 UT.
(On January 1st, RA=15h56m14s Dec=-18°25.4' (J2000) Distance=10.681AU Diameter=15.5")

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= 0h46m41s Dec= +4°17.6' (J2000) Distance=19.954AU Diameter=3.5")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.9 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen from 17:40 - 19:10 UT.
(On January 1st, RA=22h29m11s Dec=-10°17.3' (J2000) Distance=30.530AU Diameter=2.2")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.2). Pluto is at its farthest distance from Earth (distance: 33.775 AU) on the 6th January. Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet.
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The Sun enters the zodiac sign of Aquarius at 09:43 UT on the 20th January.