Skywatch Line for Monday, and Tuesday, January 13th and 14th, written by Joe Slomka
This is the Skywatch Line for Monday, and Tuesday, January 13th and 14th, written by Joe Slomka
The Sun sets at 4:45 PM; night falls at 6:25. Dawn begins at 5:43 AM and ends with the Sun rising at 7:24.
The Moon was closest to Earth on Sunday. Monday’s Wolf Moon sets in Gemini at 7:36 AM and rises at 4:19 PM; by 7 PM it is 25° high in the East, appears 31 arc-minutes in size, appears Full, anchors stars Castor, Pollux and Mars; Mars and the “Beehive” star cluster are 10° apart. Tuesday moves the Moon to Cancer, sets at 8:16 AM, rises at 5:32 PM, by 7 PM 13° high, slightly smaller, 99° lit and sets Wednesday at 8:47 AM. The “Beehive” cluster is now 4° apart.
Southwestern Aquarius is shared by Venus and Saturn. Venus rises at 9:40 AM, by 7PM, blazes with minus 4th magnitude, 26 arc-seconds in size, highest at 3:11 PM and by 7 PM is 17° high and sets at 8:21 PM. Saturn rises 20 minutes after Venus, by 7 PM it shines with 1st magnitude, 16 arc-seconds, highest at 3:30, 21° high and sets at 9:01 PM. Neptune lies 12° from Saturn, rising in Pisces at 10:22 PM, 8th magnitude, 2 arc-seconds, highest at 4:13 PM, 31° high and sets at 10:03 PM.
Southern Uranus rises in Aries at 12:33 PM, shines with 5th magnitude, 3 arc-seconds, highest at 7:43 PM, 65° at 7 PM and sets at 2:57 AM.
Giant Jupiter is brightest, once Venus sets; it rises at 1:36 PM, glimmers with minus 2nd magnitude, a large 46 arc-seconds, 63° highest at 9:01 PM and sets at 4:30 AM. Monday, Europa begins a trek across the planet at 10:44 PM and ends at 1:17 AM. Tuesday’s shadow begins at 12:28 AM and ends at 3:03 AM; the Great Red Spot becomes visible at 2:46 AM; Io is occulted at 5 AM.
Mars, nearing “Opposition”, inhabits Gemini, rising at 4:38 PM, glitters with minus 1st magnitude, 14 arc-seconds, 72° highest at 12:23 AM and sets at 8:04 AM. Mars exhibits a host of events; Monday the Moon “occults” Mars between Sunset and 1 AM. On the night of the 13th and 14th, observers can see the North Polar Cap, the Polar Hood, sand dunes, dark features, Syrtis Major and other changes. The 15th is the Opposition.
“Occult” means that a feature is hidden by another feature.
“Eclipse” refers to the Sun being hidden; “occultation” covers every other shrouding event.
Opposition means that the planet is in line with the Sun and Earth; it also is usually the ideal time to observe the planet.
Clear Skies Joe Slomka