Monthly Night Sky Report: January 2023

Introduction

    Utah ended 2022 with a few rain/snow storms and cloudy skies, less than ideal weather for stargazing. The week leading up to the stormy weather was quite pleasant with a few nights allowing astronomers to peer at the stars between the clouds. I was able to continue to see the Belts of Venus in the morning and Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in the evening. The winter constellations were easy to pick out, especially Orion. Unfortunately, the Geminids and the Ursids were unable to be viewed at my location due to cloudy weather. 

    A new year is upon us once again, offering many of the same sights as 2022 but also a few chances to see sights that are out of the ordinary. A future post will discuss the upcoming highlights in 2023. I will slow down on the Messier objects for the next few posts as we wait for the Spring constellations to climb higher in the early evening sky. January will offer a conjunction between Venus and Saturn, the Quadrantid Meteor Shower, a string of planets, and another chance to watch the Moon occult Mars.  

             

Mercury

      Mercury starts the year off as an evening star which will remain above the western horizon about 20 minutes after sunset. The innermost planet will likely become too dim to view by the 3rd of January and will reach inferior conjunction four days later on the 7th. By the middle of the month, Mercury will return to the sky but will be found above the eastern horizon shortly before sunrise. Mercury will increase its magnitude during the time it spends in the early morning sky. A thin, crescent Moon will pass close by on the 20th.

  

Venus

    Brilliant Venus will remain in the evening sky throughout January. Venus will be found about 15° above the horizon as the month begins and will slowly rise higher in the sky each evening, ending the month about 25° above the horizon. As Venus climbs higher, Saturn will sink closer to the horizon with the two meeting on the 22nd. The pair of planets can be found in a single field of view while using a telescope. The Moon will join Venus and Saturn the following evening, being about 4° away.

    

Mars

    Mars reached opposition on the 8th of December and will continue to be a favored target of many observers. The Red Planet is nearly 70° above the horizon, placing it in an ideal location for telescopic views. Mars can also be found near Aldebaran and less than 10° from M45 (Pleiades) in Taurus. The Moon will join Mars in the sky on the 3rd and 30th of this month. During the encounter on the 30th, the Moon will occult Mars for those below 37° north latitude. For those above this latitude, like Utahns, the Moon and Mars will be less than a degree apart.

Jupiter

Saturn

     

    Jupiter will remain a great target this month as it can be found high in the sky after sunset. Jupiter shines brightly and will be easy to spot on clear nights. The Galilean Moons can easily be seen through a pair of binoculars while a telescope will offer observers the chance to see the shadow of these moons transit the surface of the planet, as well as the cloud band features and the Great Red Spot. The Moon will join Jupiter in the sky on the 25th.

    Saturn is best viewed during the first week of January as it can be found higher in the sky. By the second week of the month, Saturn will be found too low in the sky, allowing the Earth’s atmosphere to interfere with views through a telescope. Saturn will be in conjunction with Venus on the 22nd, a highly recommended event to see. A day later, the Moon will pass close by this pair of planets. Saturn will be in conjunction with the Sun next month.

   

       

Neptune

Uranus

    

    The two outermost planets can be viewed through a pair of binoculars but will look their best through a telescope. Uranus can be found in southern Aries this month. This time around the Sun, Uranus will be a hard target to locate unless an observer is using a Go-To telescope or an app. The Moon can help observers on the 1st and 28th when Uranus can be found less than 1° below.

   

    Neptune can be found just 8° to the left of Jupiter, in a region of the sky that does not have any bright stars. Use this information to help find the most distant planet. The best chance of viewing this planet is earlier in the month when it can be found high in the sky. The Moon will pass close by on the 25th. 

Meteor Shower 

   January brings the return of one of the best meteor showers of the year, the Quadrantids. This shower will peak on the 3rd of January. Typically, observers would be able to see over 100 meteors per hour, but unfortunately, a nearly Full Moon will be in the sky. Observers willing to brave the cold temperatures could be rewarded by some bright meteors during the Quadrantids. Interested observers should dress warmly, get away from as much light pollution as possible, and look towards Boötes above the eastern horizon around midnight. More meteors will become visible as this constellation rises higher in the sky.  

Spot Me....🕵️  

    I am nearing the end of the Messier objects which are best viewed during the winter months so I will only highlight one constellation for the next few posts. This month I will highlight the Lepus constellation which can be found near Orion. The image below shows the night sky at midmonth as an observer looks southeast.

 

Looking southeast after sunset around mid-January.

    The following image is the same as above only with constellation lines and labels to help identify the location of Lepus.

Looking southeast after sunset with constellation lines and labels to help identify Lepus.

    The only Messier object belonging to Lepus is M79 (aka NGC 1904). This object is a globular star cluster like M13 (Great Globular Cluster in Hercules) but does not look quite as big through a telescope. To find M79, connect the two central stars with an imaginary line and extend this line away from Lepus. By extending about the same distance that is between these two central stars, an observer should come across the location of M79. See the images below for the location of the Messier object belonging to Lepus.

Location of M79 in Lepus.

Location of M79 in Lepus with constellation lines and labels.

    

    The images in the "Spot Me..." section are provided by Stellarium, a free planetarium software. Here is an updated file of the Messier Catalog. Be sure to come back around the 15th of January for a new post!

Monthly Breakdown

January 01: Moon passes within 1° of Uranus 
January 03: Moon passes within 1° of Mars

January 03: Quadrantid Meteor Shower peaks. Look towards Boötes
January 06: Full Moon 🌕 
January 07: Mercury reaches inferior conjunction with the Sun 
January 14: Last Quarter Moon🌗
January 20: Moon passes within 7° of Mercury
January 21: New Moon 🌑
January 22: Conjunction of Venus and Saturn 
January 23: Moon passes within 3° of Venus
January 23: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn
January 25: Moon passes within 2° of Jupiter
January 25: Moon passes within 3° of Neptune
January 28: First Quarter Moon 🌓

January 28: Moon passes within 1° of Uranus 
January 30: Moon passes within 1° of Mars 

 

       

    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 were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.

    

Midmonth Check-In: December 2022 with Cancer and Monoceros

 

Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    

    December started off with cloudy skies, fog, rain, and snow over much of Utah. Of course, the precipitation is good for the state, but the cloudy skies prohibit astronomers from enjoying the wonders of the night sky. Through the break in the clouds, I could spot Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars, as well as view the brighter constellations like Orion, Taurus, Ursa Major, and Cassiopeia. 

    Observers will still be able to watch the Ursid Meteor Shower which peaks on the 23rd with a New Moon. Mars reached opposition a few short days ago and will still shine brightly in the night sky after sunset. Of course, many of the Messier objects mentioned will also be able to be viewed, if an observer can catch a break in the stormy weather.

Messier Targets 🔭

    

    The Messier Catalog contains 110 objects to view throughout the year. Most of these objects require a telescope or a pair of binoculars. As with all DSOs, observing from a location with minimal light pollution will enhance your views. If using a telescope, I recommend using a low-power eyepiece to help find the object, then increasing the power to bring out more detail. So far, I have highlighted the Messier objects belonging to Hercules, Draco, Lyra, Serpens, Scorpius, Scutum, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Cygnus, Vulpecula, Aquarius, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Capricornus, Cetus, Pegasus, Perseus, Triangulum, Orion, Gemini, Taurus, Auriga, and Pisces. 

    This December mid-month post will highlight the Messier objects belonging to Cancer the Crab and Monoceros. Both of these constellations can be found rising above the eastern horizon between 9:00 and 10:00 PM. The longer an observer waits, the higher these constellations will be in the night sky, providing a better view of the Messier objects associated with them. See the images below for what the night sky will look like at this time.

 

The night sky as an observer faces East during December.

December night sky with constellation lines and labels.

   This post will begin its journey with Cancer the Crab which contains two Messier objects. The first is M44 (aka Beehive Cluster, NGC 2632) which is one of my favorite open star clusters. The Beehive Cluster can be found between the two stars that make up the body of Cancer. I recommend using a low-power, wide field-of-view eyepiece for this object which will allow more stars to be visible. See the image below for the location of M44.

Location of M44 in Cancer the Crab.

    The other Messier object in Cancer is M67 (aka Golden-Eye Cluster, Pac-Man Cluster, King Cobra Cluster, NGC 2682) which is also an open star cluster. This cluster is more compact than the Beehive Cluster and will allow an observer to use a higher-power eyepiece to "zoom" in on its stars. The Pac-Man Cluster can be found near the back, right leg of The Crab. See the image below for the location of M67.  

Location of M67 in Cancer the Crab.

    We will end our journey this month in the constellation of Monoceros. Here, we can find M50 (aka Heart-Shaped Cluster, NGC 2323) another open cluster. Like the Pac-Man Cluster in Cancer, M50 can be viewed with a higher-powered eyepiece to "zoom" in on its stars. See the image below for the location of M50. 

Location of M50 in Monoceros.

    The images below can be used as a quick guide for finding the Messier objects discussed in this post.

Messier objects of Cancer and Monoceros.

Messier objects of Cancer and Monoceros with constellation lines and labels.

    The January Monthly Night Sky Report will continue to highlight the Messier objects which are best viewed during the winter months. All of the above images were provided by Stellarium, a free planetarium software that can be found online, downloaded, or installed as an app on your favorite mobile device. My updated Messier list can be found here. 

     

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!

Monthly Night Sky Report: December 2022

        Introduction

    November offered Utahns very cold weather and few chances of clear skies for stargazers. I was, on occasion, able to view Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in the evening sky and the Mars, Aldebaran, and Betelguese triangle in the morning sky. I was also able to see the Belt of Venus in the west as the sunlight began to brighten the sky in the east. 

    December will offer many of the same sights as November, such as Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars in the evening sky, and the joining of Mars, Aldebaran, and Betelguese in the sky. This month will bring the return of the Geminid Meteor Shower, one of the year's best meteor showers, offering a high number of meteors. The Ursid Meteor Shower will also peak this month, giving observers the chance to view two separate showers. Mars will reach opposition in early December, making it the best time for viewing the Red Planet. The Winter Solstice will occur near the end of the month, marking the longest period of darkness for those in the Northern Hemisphere. Typically, the temperatures drop even lower for Utahns in December, as well as an increase in stormy weather. Observers in Utah should take every chance they are given to view the night sky this month.

             

Mercury

      Mercury returns to the evening sky this month. Each passing day will find the innermost planet climbing higher in the sky. By the 21st, Mercury will reach its greatest eastern elongation, placing it as high above the horizon as it will get. A thin Crescent Moon will join Mercury in the sky on the 24th. 

  

Venus

    Venus will return to the evening sky this month, joining Mercury. The pair of inner planets can be seen close by in the sky on the 28th of this month. Venus will be much easier to spot in the twilight due to its high reflectivity. Observers may use this to their advantage in locating Mercury. A thin Crescent Moon will join Venus and Mercury on the 24th.  

    

Mars

    Mars will likely be the highlight this month for many observers. The Red Planet reaches opposition on the 8th, allowing the Sun to illuminate more surface detail for Earthlings to see. I suggest viewing the Red Planet several times this month, or even several times during the week to see the different features, such as the polar ice caps, Olympus Mons, and Valles Marineris. Observers in Utah will be in for an astronomical treat on the 7th. The nearly Full Moon will join Mars in the sky and will occult (pass in front of) Mars, blocking it from view. This will occur around 8:00 PM. If the weather permits, I suggest looking for Mars around 7:30 to observe this rare phenomenon. Mars will begin to reappear around 8:30. 

Jupiter

Saturn

    Saturn is moving closer to the Sun from our Earthly vantage point and will sink below the horizon earlier with each passing day. Due to this, I think observers should view Saturn early in the evening while waiting for Mars to climb higher in the sky, escaping as much of the interference caused by our atmosphere as possible. The Moon will join Saturn in the sky on the 26th.

 

   Jupiter is another great target to view while waiting for Mars to climb higher in the sky. I recommend switching between Mars and Jupiter since the surface features will change frequently throughout the night, especially on Jupiter. The largest planet in the solar system completes one axial rotation in under 10 hours, while the Earth takes nearly 24 hours. The Moon will join Jupiter on the 1st and again on the 29th.  

   

       

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 in Aries which is between Jupiter and Mars. The nearly Full Moon will pass close by on the 5th.

   

    Neptune can be found between Jupiter and Saturn but will be much closer to Jupiter in the night sky. The Moon can be found close by on the 28th.

Meteor Shower 

   December offers the opportunity to view two separate meteor showers! The first is the Geminid Meteor Shower which is typically one of the best showers of the year. Unfortunately, this shower peaks on the 14th which coincides with the Last Quarter Moon. This will wash out most of the meteors, but some bright fireballs may still be seen. Under a Moon-free sky, this shower offers up to 150 meteors per hour. I would recommend viewing a few days after the peak date for the chance to see some of the dim meteors from this shower.

    The second meteor shower is known as the Ursids. This shower peaks on the 23rd, which coincides with the New Moon. Observers can expect to see around 10 meteors per hour. Occasionally this shower has outbursts that produce many more meteors, however, such an occurrence is not expected this year. 

Spot Me....🕵️  

    This post will highlight the Messier objects belonging to Gemini and Orion. Gemini is the focal point for the Geminid Meteor Shower this year. This creates a great opportunity to view some DSOs while looking for meteors! The image below shows what the night sky looks like while facing east around 9:00 PM in Utah. Observers should be able to see the "Red Star Triangle" made up of Mars, Aldebaran, and Betelguese. The "red Star Triangle" will change nightly as Mars moves against the background stars.

Night sky facing East around 9:00 PM in Utah. Notice the "Red Star Triangle."

    The image below shows the same region of the sky with constellation lines and labels to aid in identifying the constellations.

Night sky facing East around 9:00 PM in Utah with constellation lines and labels.

     The only Messier object in Gemini is M35 (aka Shoe-Buckle Cluster, NGC 2168) which is an open star cluster. See the image below for the location of M35.

Location of M35 in Gemini.

    Orion, one of the easiest constellations to identify in the night sky, has three Messier objects, two of which are located in the sword, just below Orion's Belt. M42 (aka Great Orion Nebula, Orion Nebula, NGC 1976) can be seen with the unaided eye at a dark sky location. M43 (aka De Mairan's Nebula, NGC 1982) can be found inside the Orion Nebula. See the image below for the location of M42 and M43. 

Location of M42 and M43 in Orion

    The final Messier object, M78 (aka Casper the Friendly Ghost Nebula, NGC 2068) can be found on the opposite side of Orion's Belt from M42 and M43. See the image below for the location of M78.

Location of M78 in Orion.

    The images below show the location of the four Messier objects discussed in this post, M35, M42, M43, and M78. Notice that M42 and M43 are grouped together.

Location of the Messier objects in Gemini and Orion.

Location of the Messier objects in Gemini and Orion with constellation lines and labels.

    The images in the "Spot Me..." section are provided by Stellarium, a free planetarium software. Here is an updated file of the Messier Catalog. Check back around the 15th of December for more Messier objects!

Monthly Breakdown

December 01: Moon passes within 3° of Neptune 
December 01: Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter
December 05: Moon passes within 1° of Uranus
December 07: Moon occults Mars
December 07: Full Moon 🌕 
December 08: Mars reaches opposition 
December 14: Geminid Meteor Shower peaks
December 16: Last Quarter Moon🌗
December 21: Mercury at greatest eastern elongation
December 21: Winter solstice 
December 23: New Moon 🌑
December 23: Ursid Meteor Shower peaks 
December 24: Moon passes within 3° of Venus
December 24: Moon passes within 4° of Mercury
December 26: Moon passes within 4° of Saturn
December 28: Moon passes within 3° of Neptune
December 29: Moon passes within 2° of Venus
December 29: Moon passes within 3° of Jupiter 
December 30: First Quarter Moon 🌓 

 

       

    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 were taken by NASA.

Andrew vs. the Cosmos was taken by Jeff Greenland.

    

Midmonth Check-In: November 2022 with Taurus and Auriga

     

Introduction and Monthly Reminders   

    

    For Utahns, the month of November has started off cold, rainy, and snowy. Unfortunately, this weather prohibited the last Total Lunar Eclipse until 2025, to be viewed from the mountainous regions of Utah. Personally, I was able to view the nearly Full Moon through the clouds a couple of days before the eclipse, as well as the Red Triangle, made up of Mars, Aldebaran, and Betelgeuse. This triangle has been one of my favorite objects to view in the morning sky while at work before sunrise. 

    Observers will still have the opportunity to view the Orionid Meteor Shower which peaks on the 17th. For those fortunate enough to have clear skies and willing to brave the cold temperatures, the Messier objects highlighted so far are still visible in the night sky. Many other DSOs are also available to be viewed, however, they will require a telescope. Jupiter, Saturn, and Mars will also be excellent targets on cold winter nights.   

Messier Targets 🔭

    

    The Messier Catalog contains 110 objects to view throughout the year. Most of these objects require a telescope or a pair of binoculars. As with all DSOs, observing from a location with minimal light pollution will enhance your views. If using a telescope, I recommend using a low-power eyepiece to help find the object, then increase the power to bring out more detail. So far, I have highlighted the Messier objects belonging to Hercules, Draco, Lyra, Serpens, Scorpius, Scutum, Ophiuchus, Sagittarius, Cygnus, Vulpecula, Aquarius, Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Capricornus, Cetus, Pegasus, Perseus, Triangulum, and Pisces. 

    This post will highlight the Messier objects belonging to Auriga and Taurus. The Stellarium image below shows what the night sky looks like during a mid to late November evening in Utah. This image shows the night sky as an observer faces east after sunset. 

 

November night sky as an observer faces east after sunset.

    Notice the three red stars that form a triangle in the center of the image. The rightmost star is Aldebaran. The leftmost "star" is actually Mars, and the lower star is Betelgeuse. The image below is the same as above only with constellation labels and lines to help identify the constellations in this region of the sky.

Looking east after sunset with constellation lines and labels.

    The first Messier object in this post is actually the first object on Messier's list, M1. This object is a supernova remnant which is known as the Crab Nebula and NGC 1952. Mars is in a great position in the sky to help observers find M1. After locating Mars in the evening sky, drop down slightly to find the Crab Nebula. Personally, I have never viewed this object through my telescope, but it is one of the targets near the top of my list of things to view. See the image below for the location of M1. 

    

    

Location of M1 in Taurus the Bull.

    The next object in Taurus is M45 (aka Pleiades, Seven Sisters, Subaru) is an open cluster of young stars. The Pleiades are visible with the unaided eye. Personally, I can count six stars with my eyes, but other observers may be able to see a different amount, depending on their eyesight. The Pleiades are best viewed through a pair of binoculars or a low-power eyepiece in a telescope. See the image below for the location of M45. 

Location of M45 in Taurus the Bull.

    The next three objects are located in Auriga, the constellation to the left of Taurus in the images provided in this post. The first object, M36 (aka Pinwheel Cluster, NGC 1960) is an open cluster like M45. See the image below for the location of M36.

Location of M36 in Auriga.

    The next object, M37 (aka NGC 2099) another open cluster, is located just below M36 in Auriga. As with most Messier objects, I recommend beginning with a low-power eyepiece to locate the object before bumping up the power to bring out more detail. See the image below for the location of M37.

Location of M37 in Auriga.

    The final object for this post, M38 (aka Starfish Cluster, NGC 1912) is also an open cluster. This object can be found just above M36 in Auriga. See the image below for the location of M38.

Location of M38 in Auriga.

    The images below can be used to find the location of the Messier objects covered in this post. 

Messier objects that are located in Taurus and Auriga.

Messier objects that are located in Taurus and Auriga with constellation lines and labels.

    The December Monthly Night Sky Report will continue to highlight the Messier objects which are best viewed during the winter months. All of the above images were provided by Stellarium. My updated Messier list can be found here. 

     

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!