Thursday January 12^th the gas giant planet Jupiter reaches the point along its orbit around the Sun where Jupiter would be described as being at western quadrature. It is at a 90^o angle relative to the Earth and the Sun.
   Also on this day the inner planet Venus reaches a point in its orbit known as eastern elongation. This puts Venus at somewhere around a 90^o angle relative to the Earth and the Sun when viewed looking down from above the solar system but Venus is on the other side of the Sun from where Uranus is currently located.
   In terms of elongation Venus is 47.2^o to the east of the Sun. In terms of viewing angle you are the point of a triangle with Venus at the left base corner and the Sun at the right base corner. The angle between the Sun and Venus is the elongation angle, and at 47.2^o Venus sets around 3 hours after sunset as its seting motion or speed is (15^o per hour based on Earth rotation rate.
   Where is Jupiter currently? Jupiter rises around midnight local time and is located high above the southern horizon at sunrise local time near the blue-white star Spica in Virgo the Harvest Maiden.
   And Venus? Can’t miss this planet as it is the brighest stellar object over the western horizon at sunset.
   
   
   

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