* Astronomy

Blobrana · L

RE: January 2016

Blobrana · L

Bright Asteroids at Opposition

Asteroid (198) Ampella is at Opposition in the constellation Gemini on the 1st January 2016.
Magnitude: 11.3
Distance to Earth: 1.477 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.459 AU

Asteroid (202) Chryseis is at Opposition in the constellation Gemini on the 7th January 2016.
Magnitude: 11.2
Distance to Earth: 1.819 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.797 AU

Asteroid (247) Eukrate is at Opposition in the constellation Camelopardalis on the 8th January 2016.
Magnitude: 11.4
Distance to Earth: 1.399 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.239 AU

Asteroid (88) Thisbe is at Opposition in the constellation Gemini on the 13th January 2016.
Magnitude: 11.4
Distance to Earth: 2.201 AU
Distance to Sun: 3.184 AU

Asteroid (116) Sirona is at Opposition in the constellation Gemini on the 13th January 2016.
Magnitude: 10.9
Distance to Earth: 1.485 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.467 AU

Asteroid (12) Victoria is at Opposition in the constellation Canis Minor on the 13th January 2016.
Magnitude: 11.2
Distance to Earth: 1.860 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.832 AU

Asteroid (30) Urania is at Opposition in the constellation Gemini on the 14th January 2016.
Magnitude: 10.0
Distance to Earth: 1.289 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.272 AU

Asteroid (115) Thyra is at Opposition in the constellation Cancer on the 25th January 2016.
Magnitude: 9.8
Distance to Earth: 1.228 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.213 AU

Asteroid (389) Industria is at Opposition in the constellation Cancer on the 26th January 2016.
Magnitude: 11.1
Distance to Earth: 1.534 AU
Distance to Sun: 2.516 AU

Blobrana · L

There are many meteor showers this month...
The Quadrantids Meteors Shower Peaks at 08:00 UT, January 4th. 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. 4	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 not revealed until 1609/10 when Galileo became the first person to see it through a telescope.
Using binoculars, you should find about 80 stars (many more, if you're using a telescope). Since the Beehive is about 577 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 to Pluto on the 23rd January. Mercury is at Perihelion on the 8th. Mercury is at inferior conjunction on the 14th. Mercury is stationary on the 25th.
(On January 16th, RA=20h43m07s Dec=-20°11.0' (J2000) Distance=1.289AU Phase k=92% Diameter=5.2")

Venus: is at magnitude -4.0. The planet is in constellation Libra at the start of the month. It is best seen from 05:30 -13:20 UT. The Moon is close to Venus on the 6th. Venus is in Conjunction with Saturn on the 9th.
(On January 1st, RA=16h01m49s Dec=-18°38.3' (J2000) Distance=1.168AU Phase k=77% Diameter=14.3")

Earth: The Earth is at Perihelion (closest to the sun) at 22:49.1 UT, 2nd January, 2016. The Earth-Moon barycentric perihelion is at 03:31.1 UT, 4th January.

The Moon: Last Quarter Moon is at 05:30.4 UT, 2nd January, 2016. New Moon is at 01:30.5 UT, 10th January. Lunar perigee is at 02:06 UT, 15th. First Quarter Moon is at 23:26.4 UT, 16th January. Full Moon is at 01:45.7 UT, 24th January. Lunar apogee is at 11:53.5 UT, 2nd January, and again at 09:06.9 UT, 30th.

Mars: at magnitude 1.3 starts the month in the constellation Virgo. Martian Summer (southern hemisphere) starts on the 3rd. The Moon is close to Mars on the 3rd.
(On January 1st, RA=13h47m40s Dec= -9°30.1' (J2000) Distance=1.683AU Phase k=91% Diameter=5.6")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Leo. At magnitude -2.2, the planet is best seen from 22:50 - 08:25 UT. Jupiter is stationary: resuming retrograde motion on the 8th.
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=11h36m00s Dec= +3°56.7' (J2000) Distance=5.049AUDiameter=39.0")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.5 sits in the constellation Ophiuchus. The planet is best seen from 06:30 - 08:25 UT.
(On January 1st, RA=16h38m30s Dec=-20°28.2' (J2000) Distance=10.858AU Diameter=15.2")

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= 1h01m14s Dec= +5°50.5' (J2000) Distance=19.839AU Diameter=3.5")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.9 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen from 17:40 - 19:25 UT.
(On January 1st, RA=22h37m22s Dec= -9°33.0' (J2000) Distance=30.486AU Diameter=2.2")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.3). Pluto is in conjunction with the Sun on January 6th. Mercury is close to Pluto (separation 1.7°) on the 23rd, and again close to Pluto (separation 30.7') on the 30th. Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.1" diameter dwarf planet.
(On January 1st, RA=19h03m39s Dec=-21°02.1' (J2000) Distance=33.992AU Diameter=0.1")

The Sun enters the zodiac sign of Aquarius at 15:27 UT on the 20th January.