Monthly Night Sky Report: January 2022

Introduction

    Thanks to a stormy end to December, I missed out on Comet Leonard. Utah desperately needs as much precipitation as it can get, so I suppose me missing out on a comet is acceptable! I was able to view Venus, Saturn, and Jupiter shortly after sunset, however. Orion the Hunter was also an easy target to see between the clouds. I also missed the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on the 25th, but have been keeping up-to-date on the mission. So far everything is looking good! I'm excited for the discoveries this massive telescope will reveal. 

    January will hopefully continue to bring in the needed precipitation, even though I am anxious to do some astrophotography.  The first month of 2022 will show us Mercury, Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn forming a line in the early evening sky. The early risers may also notice Mars returning to the sky. Observers will also be in for a treat during the first few days of the month with the Quadrantid meteor shower peaking without the brightness of the Moon interfering.   

             

Mercury

    Mercury will be found between brilliant Venus and Saturn during the first week or so of the month. Mercury will continue to climb higher in the early evening sky until the 7th when it reaches greatest eastern elongation from our vantage point. Mercury and Saturn will continue to move closer together until the 13th when the pair can be found within 4°. The inner planet will now fall quickly towards the Sun and will reach inferior conjunction on the 23rd. At this time, Mercury will be lost from view.

  

Venus

    Venus will be found close to the Sun this month as it reaches inferior conjunction with our nearest star on the 8th. Our sister planet will return to the morning sky around the middle of the month. Venus will continue to move away from the Sun making it easier to spot before sunrise.

    

Mars

    Mars  returned to the morning sky in December. The Red Planet will continue to rise before the Sun each morning while also rising slightly earlier with each passing day. During the first week, Mars and Antares will be found close in the morning sky before sunrise. By the end of the first week, Mars will have moved away from this red star and will continue to do so all month. Near the 20th, Venus will be found in the morning sky close to Mars. The brilliance of our sister planet will likely draw your attention away from the dim red glow of Mars. Onward form the 20th, Venus and Mars will approach each other in the morning sky until February, when Venus will be found higher in the sky.    

Jupiter

Saturn

    Jupiter and Saturn will be easy to spot after sunset. The two gas giants are falling closer to the Sun from our vantage point and will soon be lost from view for a short time. 

    Jupiter will be brighter and found higher in the sky than Saturn after sunset. January will be a great time to get your last views of Jupiter and the Galilean Moons before it's lost from view. The Moon will join Jupiter in the evening sky on the 5th. 

    Saturn will be found in the west shortly after sunset. Like Mercury, you will have to view this planet shortly after sunset before it sinks below the horizon. This pair of planets will be found close in the sky on the 13th but by the 20th, both planets will be found too close to the Sun to be viewed.    

   

Neptune

Uranus

    

    The outer two planets are best viewed through a telescope but can still be seen through a pair of binoculars.  Uranus can be found high in the sky after sunset. The Pleiades will continue to follow this ice giant through the sky this month. The Moon will join Uranus on the 11th in the night sky.

    Neptune continues to trail behind Jupiter but ahead of Uranus this month.  This most distant planet will be joined by the Moon on the 7th.  

Meteor Shower 

    This year will start off running with a great meteor shower, the Quadrantids. The Moon will not interfere with this shower, as has been the case for several past showers. The Quadrantids will be active between the 28th of December until the 12th of January, with the peak date falling on the morning of the 3rd. The peak date will bring the chance to see up to 120 meteors per hour if you are able to get away from city lights. The current weather forecast shows that we may have some clouds on the 3rd with a low temperature of 31°, just below freezing. This will likely change, as do all weather forecasts, so be sure to check the weather before heading out to watch this meteor shower! These meteors will appear to radiate from Bootes, which can be found high in the sky around 4 in the morning. This constellation consists of the bright star Arcturus, so look towards this star and you should see some meteors! 

Spot Me....🕵️  

    I've had you try to spot quite a few different objects in the night sky, most of which require a telescope. With the cold and storms that plague Utah during this time of year, I encourage you to view some easy targets again this month. During the first part of the month, try to view Mercury, Venus, and Saturn before they dip below the western horizon. While you are looking at these planets, you might as well catch a glimpse of Jupiter, which will be found higher in the sky. If you miss Venus, try again towards the end of the month when it rises before the Sun. I also challenge you to view Mars before sunrise which will be joined by Venus towards the end of the month.

    I also encourage you to view the Quadrantid Meteor Shower around the peak date of the 3rd. I don't think that you will be disappointed, as long as the weather permits it. Remember to look east towards Arcturus which will rise at around 1 on the morning of the 3rd. The higher this star climbs into the sky, the more meteors you should be able to spot. Be sure to dress warmly! 

Monthly Breakdown

    

   January 02:  New Moon 🌑

    January 03:  Quadrantid Meteor shower peaks

    January 03:  Moon passes within 3° of Mercury

    January 04:  Moon passes within 4° of Saturn

    January 05:  Moon passes within 4° of Jupiter

    January 07:  Moon passes within 4° of Neptune

    January 07:  Mercury reaches greatest eastern elongation

    January 08:  Venus in inferior conjunction

    January 09:  First Quarter Moon 🌓

    January 11:  Moon passes within 2° of Uranus

    January 17:  Full Moon 🌕 

    January 23:  Mercury in inferior conjunction

    January 25:  Last Quarter Moon 🌗

    January 29:  Moon passes within 2° of Mars

    January 29:  Moon passes within 10° of Venus

    January 30:  Moon passes within 8° of Mercury

       

    Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts.  You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.  

    

Now get outside and look up!

Planet images taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos taken by Jeff Greenland.

    

Midmonth Check-In: December 2021and Upcoming Events of 2022

  

Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    

    The clouds continue to plague the night sky. I've been unable to do any imaging or stargazing due to the clouds and the cold temperatures. The current weather forecast is continued cloud cover, rain, and snow for the next ten days or so. Obviously this can change since the weather is so hard to predict. Much like the brightness of a comet! It seems that Comet Leonard has started to dim ahead of the predications. 

    Stargazers can catch the stragglers from the Geminids, if the clouds allow it. A pair of binoculars or a telescope will be required to view Comet Leonard, due to its dimming. Observers will still have the chance to watch the launch of the James Webb Space Telescope on the 22nd, as long as there are no more delays. If the weather permits it, stargazers can also still catch the close encounter of Mars and Antares during the dawn hours of the 25th. Evening observers will still be able to see the close approach of Mercury and Venus on the 28th as well.  

Think About This....💡

    

    A new year is nearly upon us. Since this is the last post of the year, I will give a brief overview of what you can look forward to in 2022. First, a short disclaimer. This overview will not include any comets since they are so unpredictable. Some comets have not been discovered yet so there is always the potential for an unaided eye comet to appear. If such an occurrence happens, I will let you know! 

    Starting with the planets, Venus will soon move from being the "Evening Star" to the "Morning Star." This will happen in January of 2022 and will remain the "Morning Star" until September. At this time, it will return as the "Evening Star." 

    Mars recently returned to the morning sky and will continue to be found there in early 2022. As the year progresses, Mars will climb higher in the sky and will reach opposition in December. At this time, Mars will shine brightly in the sky, begging for your attention.

    Jupiter will move to the morning sky in 2022, but return to the evening sky later in the year. It will reach opposition in September, offering great views. School will be in session by this time, so don't hesitate to spend the last few nights of summer out late to view this giant planet. Any instrument will reveal the Galilean Moons while a small telescope can reveal the cloud bands. 

    Saturn will be just a few weeks ahead of Jupiter, moving to the morning sky, then reach opposition in August. Use any clear night to view the rings of Saturn as it will surely not disappoint. 

    

    During the early part of 2022, observers willing to brave the cold can view the Pleiades and the Orion Nebula. As the Northern Hemisphere tilts towards the Sun and the warmth of Spring arrives, look to the sky for one of my favorite deep sky objects, the Beehive Cluster. During May, Utahns will be able to witness a total lunar eclipse. 

    As summer rolls around, so do more of my favorite deep sky objects. The Hercules Cluster, Ring Nebula, and the Wild Duck Cluster will be high in the sky and easy to spot with your telescope. Towards the end of summer, be sure to watch for the Perseid Meteor Shower, one of the best of the year. In autumn, observers can get the last of their viewing in before the cold sets in and snow covers the ground. This is the time when it's best to view the Andromeda Galaxy and the Double Cluster, more of my favorites. November will bring a second opportunity for Utahns to see a total lunar eclipse. 

    As a parting gift for the year, here is my favorite image that was taken in 2021. This image is from Cedar Breaks National Monument, a dark sky park. If you get the chance, be sure to visit this park at night for spectacular views of the night sky.   

Milky Way band with twilight glow from Cedar Breaks National Monument.

Remember to follow me on Instagram @CosmicLure01 to receive notifications for new posts.  You may also follow me on Twitter @CosmicLure.  

    

Now get outside and look up!