January Moon at Ascending Node

Posted on January 23, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Sunday January 24^th the 12-day old waxing gibbous Moon will be crossing the plane of the ecliptic moving north. This is known as the ascending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path has with the ecliptic. The ecliptic is actually the Earth’s orbit, and the Moon’s orbit is inclined about 6^o from the ecliptic. So there are two node intersections, the ascending and descending nodes.

On the day of the node crossing the 12-day old waxing gibbous Moon will be over the southeastern horizon around sunset local time. Mars is higher over the southern horizon while Mercury is low over the western horizon. In between are three outer planets, Uranus, Neptune, and Dwarf Planet Ceres.

Uranus has an apparent magnitude of 5.8 and could be viewed with binoculars and certainly with larger aperture instruments and camera time exposures.

   Does our Moon actually go around the Earth as many graphics show? From our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle around the Earth. However, in reality, the Moon orbits the Sun together with the Earth^*
^*Click here to read my Scope on the Sky column “The Real Shape of the Moon’s Orbit”. (PDF)








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Conjunction – Elongation – Conjunction

Posted on January 22, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Saturday evening watch for the 11-day old waxing gibbous Moon to be in conjunction with and about 3^o from the reddish star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus the Bull.

Earlier in the evening the innermost planet Mercury was visible over the western horizon shortly after sunset. Mercury, on this date, will be at its Easternmost Elongation for this orbit. At elongation, eastern or western, Mercury, and also Venus, will be as far ‘out’ from the Sun to the right or left as we see the inner planets from Earth. At eastern elongation the inner planets follow the Sun across the sky during the day and appear as evening planets over the western horizon. At western elongation the inner planets ‘lead’ the Sun across the Sky during the day which means they rise ahead of the Sun and are seen as morning planets.

But Wait – there’s still more!
Saturn reaches solar conjunction on this date. During solar conjunction for an outer planet that outer planet will either be too close to the Sun to be seen or is on the opposite side of the Sun. When an outer planet reaches solar conjunction it moves from the evening skies to the morning skies.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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January Apogee Moon

Posted on January 20, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Our Moon reaches apogee, (furthest from Earth), for this orbit, on Thursday January 21^st. For this apogee the 9-day old waxing gibbous Moon will be at a distance of 31.70 Earth diameters, 251,282 miles (404,400 km) from the Earth.

On the date of the apogee, and high above the southwestern horizon, is the 8-day old waxing gibbous Moon. The Moon will be about 7^o to the east from the planet Mars, and about 9^o from the outer planet Uranus.

Does our Moon actually go around the Earth as this graphic shows? From our perspective on the Earth the Moon appears to circle around the Earth. However, in reality, the Moon orbits the Sun together with the Earth^*
^*Click here to read my Scope on the Sky column “The Real Shape of the Moon’s Orbit”. (PDF)

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to go to bobs-spaces.

Also Follow me and other great resources at Feedspot.

Moon-Mars-Uranus Conjunction

Posted on January 19, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Wednesday evening January 20^th the 8-day old first quarter Moon will be about 4^o from the outer planet Uranus and about 6^o from Mars. Over the next couple of days Mars and Uranus will be separated by about 1-2^o as the faster moving Mars passes by Uranus.
Earlier in the evening outer Planet Neptune and two Dwarf Planets, Eris and Ceres are also above the horizon. However with apparent magnitudes ranging from 8.0 to 19.0 none of these three would be visible without some sort of optical assistance,

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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Sun Is in Capricornus not Aquarius

Posted on January 18, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Tuesday January 19^th at 15 UT the Sun in its apparent eastward motion along the ecliptic enters the boundaries of the constellation Capricornus the Sea Goat. This is the actual location of the Sun.
Interestingly, according to the pseudoscience of astrology, 6 hours later, at 21 UT Tuesday January 19^th, the Sun should be entering the constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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Waxing Crescent Moon – Mercury Conjunction

Posted on January 13, 2021 by Bob Riddle

   Did you miss the 27-day old thin waning crescent Moon conjunction with Venus this past Monday morning? I did!
   Well there is an opportunity to see the thin crescent Moon on this side of new phase this Thursday evening January 14^th. The 1.7-day young waxing crescent Moon will be over the western horizon in a line-up of sorts with Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn all angled downward toward the western horizon. From Saturn to the Moon will span about 13^o with Mercury, about 3-4^o to the west, (down to the right) being the closest of the 3 planets.

   This animated graphic is set for 2-minute intervals starting at 5:30 pm CST.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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Morning and Evening Conjunctions

Posted on January 11, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Monday morning and evening, January 11^th, offer an opportunity for catching a pair of conjunctions. Low over the eastern horizon at sunrise is the 27.7-day old very thin waning crescent Moon about 3-4^o from the inner planet Venus.

This could be a chance to see the Moon when it is about 24-hours from its new phase.

Low in the western horizon at sunset is the ongoing triple conjunction between Mercury, Jupiter, and Saturn. Monday evening will be the closest Mercury and Jupiter will be as Mercury continues moving eastward away from the two giant planets.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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January Moon at Descending Node

Posted on January 9, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Sunday January 10^th the nearly 27-day old waning crescent Moon crosses the plane of the ecliptic moving south. This is known as the descending node, one of two intersections the Moon’s orbital path (dark green line) has with the ecliptic.

On the date of the descending node the 26.7-day old thin waning crescent Moon will be over the eastern horizon at sunrise local time. Just appearing above the horizon is the inner planet Venus.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to return to bobs-spaces.

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January Moon at Perigee

Posted on January 8, 2021 by Bob Riddle

Our Moon reaches perigee, (closest to Earth), for this orbit, on Saturday January 9^th. At that time the Moon will be at a distance of 28.8 Earth diameters, 228,292 miles (367,400 km) from the Earth.

On the day of the perigee Moon the 25.5-day old thin waning crescent Moon will be over the eastern horizon an hour or so before the Sun rises. And just coming into view over the eastern horizon is the inner planet Venus.

Click here to go to the Qué tal in the Current Skies web site for monthly observing information, or here to go to bobs-spaces.

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Grand Conjunction Part 2: A Triple Conjunction!

Posted on January 7, 2021 by Bob Riddle

   Just when you thought it was over, it is not! Yes Jupiter and Saturn are certainly low over the western horizon and both are setting closer to sunset, however…
   The innermost planet Mercury will be passing by Saturn then Jupiter over the next several evenings (January 7^th to 12^th) in a series of conjunctions as the graphics below are showing.
   Each of the conjunctions brings the three planets all within the field of view of binoculars and should make for an interesting contrast in apparent magnitudes. Jupiter: -1.94; Saturn: 0.60; Mercury: 0.89.