The brightest star in the sky in January. A year of a thousand years

In January, in the evening sky, Mars and Venus take turns passing close conjunctions with Neptune, for observations of which you will need a telescope, since distant Neptune is inaccessible to weak optical instruments, especially in the evening sky. Mercury visible for about an hour against the background of the morning dawn at the very southwestern horizon. Venus sparkles as a bright Evening Star above the southwestern horizon, first in the constellation Aquarius, moving to the constellation Pisces by the end of the month. Mars observed in the evening sky above the southwestern horizon in the constellations Aquarius and Pisces. Jupiter visible above the southeastern horizon for the second half of the night in the constellation Virgo, moving above its bright star Spica. Saturn visible in the morning sky low above the southeastern horizon. Uranus And Neptune visible in the evening and at night in the constellations Pisces and Aquarius.

Moon will approach the indicated planets: January 2 in the evening with a lunar phase of 0.15 - with Venus, January 3 in the evening with a lunar phase of 0.23 - with Mars and Neptune, January 6 in the evening with a lunar phase of 0.57 - with Uranus, January 19 in the morning with lunar phase 0.60 - with Jupiter, January 24 in the morning with a lunar phase of 0.15 - with Saturn, January 26 in the morning with a lunar phase of 0.04 - with Mercury, January 30 in the evening with a lunar phase of 0.05 - with Neptune. For observations, it is better to choose nights when the Moon does not pass near the observed planet near its full phases.

Visibility conditions are given for the middle latitudes of Russia (about 56° N). For cities to the north and south, the celestial bodies will be located at the indicated time, respectively, slightly lower or higher (by the difference in latitude) relative to their places in the Bratsk sky. To clarify the local visibility conditions of planets, use planetarium programs.

MERCURY moves backward along the constellation Sagittarius, changing its movement to direct on January 8. The planet is visible at dawn throughout the month, reaching a maximum western elongation of 24 degrees on January 12, and then returns to approach the Sun, ending visibility. The apparent diameter of Mercury decreases from 9 to 5 arcseconds as its brightness increases from +3.2m to -0.3m. The phase of Mercury changes from 0.05 to 0.8 per month. To successfully observe Mercury during periods of visibility, you need binoculars, an open horizon and a clear twilight sky.

Position of Mercury in the morning sky of January 2017 during the period of maximum elongation

VENUS moves in the same direction as the Sun through the constellations Aquarius and Pisces. The planet is visible at dawn above the southwestern horizon, reaching its maximum angular distance from the Sun of 47 degrees on January 12, after which it will begin its return approach to the Sun. The duration of visibility of Venus against the background of the twilight sky reaches 4 hours by the end of the month. The angular dimensions of the planet's disk increase from 21 to 30 arcseconds. The phase of the planet decreases from 0.57 to 0.4 with increasing brightness from -4.5m to -4.8m. Such brightness and angular distance from the Sun make it possible to observe Venus during the day with the naked eye (provided there is a transparent, clear blue sky).

On January 13, Venus will make a close approach to Neptune, reaching an angular distance in the sky of 0.35 degrees

MARS moves in the same direction as the Sun through the constellations Aquarius and Pisces. It can be observed in the evenings for 4-5 hours above the southwestern horizon. The planet's brightness decreases over the course of a month from +1m to +1.2m, and the angular diameter remains at 5". For observations, a telescope with a lens diameter of 60-90 mm is required. The best time to observe details on the disk of Mars is the moment of opposition, which occurs every two years. At other times, Mars appears through a telescope as a tiny reddish disk with no details. The closest opposition of Mars will occur on July 27, 2018 (Great Opposition!).

On January 1, Mars will make a close approach to Neptune, reaching an angular distance of 0.016 degrees in the sky

JUPITER moves in the same direction as the Sun in the constellation Virgo (above *Spica). The gas giant rises above the southeastern horizon at night and increases visibility from 6 to 8 hours by the end of the month. The angular diameter of the giant planet in the sky increases from 35 to 38 arcseconds, and its brightness from -1.8m to -2.0m.

Jupiter's position in the morning sky January 2017

Through binoculars, four bright satellites of the giant are visible - due to the rapid orbital motion, they noticeably change their position relative to each other and Jupiter during one night (the configurations of Io, Europa, Ganymede and Callisto can be found in astronomical calendars or in planetarium programs).

The telescope distinguishes stripes (northern and southern equatorial stripes), shadows from satellites periodically pass across the disk of the planet, as well as the famous huge oval cyclone GRS (Great Red Spot), making a full revolution along with the planet’s atmosphere in 9.5 hours. The current longitude of the BKP can be found on the website http://jupos.privat.t-online.de/rGrs.htm. The BCP appears approximately 2 hours before passing through the meridian and disappears 2 hours later (goes beyond the disk).

Moments of the passage of the BKP through the central meridian of Jupiter in January 2017 (universal time UT)
To get the time for Bratsk, you need to add 8 hours to universal time

Current longitude of BKP 262°

SATURN moves in the same direction as the Sun through the constellation Ophiuchus. The planet is observed in the morning near the southeastern horizon, increasing the duration of visibility from 1 to 2 hours throughout the month. The angular diameter of Saturn is 15 arcseconds at a magnitude of +0.6m.

In a small telescope, the ring around the planet and the satellite Titan (+8m) are clearly visible. The apparent dimensions of the planet's ring are about 40x16 arcseconds. Currently, the planet's rings are open to 27° and the northern pole of the gas giant is illuminated by the Sun.

Saturn's position in the morning sky in January 2017

URANUS moves in the same direction as the Sun in the constellation Pisces. The planet can be observed from late evening to midnight during moonless periods (i.e. at the beginning and end of the month). The planet's brightness is +5.8m with an angular diameter of 3".

During periods of opposition, Uranus can be observed with the naked eye in a clear, transparent sky, in the absence of illumination from the Moon (near the new moon) and away from city lights. In a 150-mm telescope with a magnification of 80x and higher, you can see the greenish disk (“pea”) of the planet. The satellites of Uranus have a brightness less than +13m.

The position of Uranus and Neptune, Mars and Venus in the evening sky at the end of January 2017

NEPTUNE moves in the same direction as the Sun along the constellation Aquarius near the star Lambda (3.7m). The planet is visible in the evening sky, the duration of visibility decreases from 5 to 2 hours. The planet's magnitude is +7.9m with an angular diameter of about 2".

Binoculars or a telescope using star charts and a clear, transparent and moonless sky will help you find Neptune during periods of visibility. To view the disk of the planet, you need a 200 mm telescope with a magnification of 100 times or higher (with a clear sky). Neptune's satellites have a brightness less than +13m.

In January, you have the opportunity to observe both well-known constellations: Taurus and Orion, as well as less familiar ones: Incisor, Doradus, Table Mountain and Reticulum.

Firstly, you can find the Pleiades star cluster and the bright Orion diffusion nebula, famous for the Horsehead - a gas and dust formation that adorns many printed publications with its photographs. Residents of the Southern Hemisphere, observing the constellations in January, have the opportunity to admire the Magellanic clouds - dwarf galaxies that are satellites of the Milky Way.

Under the sign of Taurus

Taurus in the Northern Hemisphere is visible throughout the winter and part of the spring. For residents of southern latitudes it is available from November to February. One of the versions of the origin of the name is associated with the story of the abduction of a Phoenician princess named Europa, who was stolen by Zeus who turned into a bull - it is believed that it personifies this ancient Greek deity. The most famous objects of the constellation are the Crab Nebula and the Pleiades. Between the horns of Taurus, clearly visible in the shape of the letter V, are the Hyades, the closest open star cluster to the Solar System.

The constellation Orion can be observed from October to March in both hemispheres. In the winter sky, this is one of the brightest star formations. Orion's belt of three stars serves as a guide to its location. The nebula of the same name, together with two stars, forms the Sword of Orion. These objects are very visible to the naked eye, unlike the Horsehead, which requires good optics to observe in detail. It looks especially good in infrared photographs and really looks very similar to the head of a foal.

Star Cutter

The Cutter is a constellation of 21 faintly luminous objects. In the Northern Hemisphere, it is partially observed south of the 63rd parallel, and becomes fully visible below 40° N. w. You need to look for it between Eridanus and Dove. The group of stars owes its name to the scientist and priest Lacaille, who, while engaged in geodetic work in southern latitudes, introduced many similar technical terms to designate celestial objects. Therefore, below the equator there is much less mythology in the names of the constellations, but there are quite a lot of names like Pump, Cutter, Compass, Furnace and Microscope.

Heavenly Dorada

The name of the constellation Golden Fish (Dorado) was given by the Dutchman Peter Plancius in 1589, although many sources continue to attribute primacy to the German Johann Bayer, who used it in his atlas 14 years later. Johannes Kepler suggested the name Swordfish, but in the end the first one stuck. The main thing is that astronomers had no doubts that the constellation looked exactly like an inhabitant of the aquatic environment. It can be observed from November to January at latitudes south of 20° N. w. The constellation contains the Large Magellanic Cloud, a neighboring galaxy visible to the naked eye, located at a distance of 50 kpc.

Space Summit

To observe Table Mountain, the constellation so named by the Frenchman Lacaille, you will need to travel to the Southern Hemisphere or at least to the equator. It really resembles the peak of the same name in southern Africa, where astronomical observations were made. Consists of a constellation of 24 unremarkable dim stars visible to the naked eye. What is interesting to observers is that it partially houses the Large Magellanic Cloud, serving as a bridge between it and Dorado.

Diamond Network

Striving for maximum accuracy of determination, Lacaille called the constellation he described of 22 stars of the Southern Hemisphere the Diamond Reticulum for its similarity to the notches of a telescope eyepiece. As a result, the name was simplified to Setki. Interestingly, Isaac Habrecht, who previously united only four stars of this site, called them Rhombus. Either the scientists thought the same thing, or the Frenchman knew about the German’s work. It is not of particular interest to observation enthusiasts, but it is interesting because it contains a double system consisting of stars similar to the Sun.

The clear, clean winter air of January creates excellent conditions for observing the winter sky, if it is not overcast.

Moscow sky January 12, 2019 20 o'clock, west. Moon and Mars in Pisces. Neptune in Aquarius and Uranus on the border of Pisces and Aries

Moscow sky January 18, 2019 0 h, south. Moon in Taurus near the Hyades and Aldebaran. Orion, Unicorn, Canis Minor and Canis Major, Eridanus and Hare

Moscow sky January 22 8.30, southeast. Venus and Jupiter in Ophiuchus. Saturn and Pluto in Sagittarius, Ceres in Libra. Pallas in Virgo.

The Rosette Nebula from the constellation Monoceros. At its center is the open star cluster NGC 2244.

Open cluster M 50 (NGC 2323) from the constellation Monoceros

Excellent objects for observation in the frosty winter air are Taurus with the Hyades, Pleiades and the famous Crab Nebula M 1. Auriga and Orion are moving behind Taurus. The stellar Twins float above Orion. Below Gemini, to the left of Orion is Canis Minor. The Unicorn lurks between Orion and Canis Minor.

The Orion constellation, rich in bright stars, looks magnificent. The sky hunter delights us with his appearance on frosty winter evenings and looks great even in a foggy city sky. A kind of heavenly bow. At the top are the Shoulders of Orion - Betelgeuse (0.45 m, M4) and Bellatrix, at the bottom - Saif and Rigel. In the middle between these two bases three stars lined up in a row are visible - Orion's Belt. The belt points in the direction of the brightest star in our sky - Sirius, α Canis Major (- 1.46 m, A0). Sirius, Procyon (α Canis Minor, 0.4 m, F5) and Betelgeuse make up the so-called winter triangle. From Betelgeuse to Bellatrix 5°. Moving 30° to the left from Betelgeuse, we find Procyon, the brightest star in the constellation Canis Minor.

Below Orion's Belt hangs a sword of three stars aligned in a perpendicular direction. Near the middle sword star you can find the famous Orion Nebula M 42. This is the brightest diffuse nebula with a magnitude of about 4 m and a size of approximately 80' x 60', which is more than 4 times the area of ​​​​the full Moon. Thanks to this, the nebula looks good through binoculars even in brightening skies. M 42 is located about 1,344 light-years from Earth and is 33 light-years across.

If we extend the line from Bellatrix through Betelgeuse further, we will get to the Unicorn and his treasures. On the way we must meet the star Epsilon Monoceros. Check out this constellation, named after a mythological animal. In Latin its name is Monoceros, abbreviated as Mon. The constellation is quite extensive, 482 square degrees, 35th in area, but poor in bright stars. There are only two stars brighter than 4m. But it is located within the Milky Way and is rich in star clusters and nebulae. The Monoceros Nebula contains the Rosette Nebula, the Cone Nebula (NGC 2264), the Hubble Variable Nebula (NGC 2261) and others. In ancient times, such a constellation was not known. It was introduced in the first half of the 17th century. German astronomer Jacob Bartsch (Barchius). Sometimes the authorship is attributed to Jan Hevelius. The Catholic Church associated the unicorn with the idea of ​​the virginity of the Mother of God and the incarnation of Christ.

A very interesting object to observe is the already mentioned giant Rosette Nebula - a region of molecular hydrogen where star formation processes take place. The nebula is located at a distance of about 5,200 light years from Earth (estimates vary widely). Its diameter is approximately 130 light years, and its mass is about 10 thousand solar masses. Due to the abundance of hydrogen, the nebula appears red in most photographs. At the center of the nebula are the bright blue stars of the open cluster NGC 2244. The angular diameter of the cluster is 24′, almost the size of a full moon. Gloss 4.80 m. The cluster is separated from us by 5,200 light years. Radial speed 34 km/s. The cluster is moving away from us, albeit not very quickly. Spectral type determined by the hottest of the O5 stars. Its age is 3 million years.

The open cluster M 50 (NGC 2323) in the constellation Monoceros stands out well in a star-poor part of the sky. It was first discovered by Giovanni Cassini (before 1711) and then independently discovered by Charles Messier in 1772. This may not be the most remarkable cluster, but it is in winter that it is most accessible for observation. It contains up to 50 stars of different brightness and color (12 m - 16 m), but to see them all, you need a telescope with a magnification of at least 60. The total brightness is 6.3 m. When observed through binoculars, among the mostly blue-white stars, one red one stands out. Guide star θ Canis Majoris.

4° from ε Mon in the zenith direction will lead to the white star 13 Mon (4.47 m, A0). The open cluster NGC 2251 is located 1° above it. Magnitude 7.3 m. Age 300 million years. The cluster is moving away at a speed of 8 km/s.

Venus shines in the morning sky. It appears around 5 o'clock in the morning and is perfectly visible in the Moscow sky. In January, perhaps, the best conditions for observing it in 2019. It is visible even after sunrise in the morning. The brightness of Venus drops from −4.6 m to −4.3 m over a month, but will still give odds to any other planet or star. The apparent diameter of the nearest inner planet decreases from 26″ to 20″. Aphrodite is moving away from us in space. The Venusian phase increases from 0.48 to 0.62. The height above the horizon promises to exceed 5°.

Beautiful Aphrodite celebrates the New Year in the southeast, the constellation Libra. On January 10, it moves from Libra to Scorpio, on January 15 it moves to Ophiuchus and at the very end of the month it approaches Sagittarius. On January 22, Venus will float just 2° above Jupiter. The meeting of these brightest planets will decorate any photo.

The main, largest planet of the solar system, Jupiter appears in the morning sky in the company of Venus. Not as bright as the beautiful Aphrodite, but distinguishing it from the starry background will not be difficult. Venus catches up and overtakes him. At the beginning of this year, Jupiter's new location is Ophiuchus. Southeast side. Ahead is Sagittarius. Jupiter's brightness and apparent size increase slightly from −1.6 m to −1.7 m and from 32″ to 34″, respectively. The meetings between Jupiter and the Moon on January 3 and 31 are noteworthy.

An hour before sunrise, Mercury can be seen in the constellation Sagittarius. A very good moment for observations; its brightness grows from −0.4 m to −1.5 m over the month. Brighter than Mars! The apparent diameter slowly decreases from 5.2″ to 4.8″.

Mars celebrates the New Year in the constellation Pisces. Only on January 11 will it touch the corner of the constellation Cetus. Mars has moved away from Neptune and is rushing in a direct motion to meet Uranus. Evening visibility until midnight. Over the course of a month, the brightness of Mars decreases before our eyes from +0.5 m to +0.9 m, the apparent diameter decreases from 7″ to 6″, and the Martian phase from 0.87 to 0.89. Mars becomes similar to Saturn, and in apparent diameter tends to Uranus. But high above the horizon.

At the limit of visibility, low on the horizon before sunrise near the end of January, there is a chance to see Saturn. January 1st was Conjunction. Saturn's location is Sagittarius, south of the light yellow star Albaldakh, π Sag (2.85 m, F2). The brightness of Saturn is about +0.6 m, and the diameter is 15″..

In the company of Saturn, Pluto, the god of the underworld and guardian of the boundaries of the solar system, moves through Sagittarius. You need to look for it 3° to the left of the star Albalda. Pluto's brightness is about 14.3 m.

Evening visibility of the “invisible” giants of the solar system is still excellent, but their duration of visibility is inevitably decreasing. Neptune is floating in the constellation Aquarius, western side. The movement is direct between Hidor (λ Aqr) and φ Aqr towards the latter. Mars can be used as a reference point. The magnitude of Neptune is about 7.9 m. The apparent size remains stable at 2″. The height above the horizon reaches 27°. The sky god Uranus, more accessible to amateur technology, continues to move between the constellations of Pisces and Aries. Look for it one degree from the star Torcularis Septintriionalis, Omicron Pisces, ο Psc (4.26 m, K0). The brightness of Uranus is 5.8 m. The visible diameter is kept at 4″. The height of Uranus above the horizon reaches 45°.

The dwarf planet Ceres, former asteroid No. 1, is also moving behind Venus in the constellation Libra, slowly falling behind. Visibility after midnight. The brightness of Ceres grows from 8.88 m to 8.59 m in two months. Observation conditions are improving. Height up to 18°. Almost until the end of January, immediately after sunset, Vesta can be observed in Capricorn. Gloss about 7.9 m, height up to 9°. On January 25, she moves into Aquarius. Another asteroid, Pallas, is moving through the constellation Virgo, passing between the stars Spica and Heza. The magnitude of Pallas varies from 8.86 m to 9.06 m. The apparent diameter of all three objects, as well as the vast majority of asteroids, is indistinguishable from zero.

The moments of sunset and sunrise of representatives of the solar system in the Moscow sky in hours and minutes are shown in the table in chronological order. Five minute accuracy.

Event January 1 January 15 January 31
Sunset 16.00 16.25 17.00
Set of Mercury 14.45 15.20 16.55
Set of Neptune 22.05 21.15 20.10
Pallas rising 1.40 0.55 23.40
Set of Mars 23.50 23.50 23.55
Sunset of Uranus 2.35 1.45 0.40
Ceres Rising 4.25 4.00 3.25
Venus Rising 4.50 5.15 5.40
Jupiter rising 6.45 6.15 5.20
Saturn rising 9.10 8.15 7.15
Pluto rising 9.40 8.50 7.45
Rising of Eunomia 9.15 8.35 7.50
Mercury rising 8.00 8.45 8.50
Sunrise 9.10 9.00 8.45

The year begins with eclipses. A partial solar eclipse is expected on January 6, 2019. In Russia, residents of the south of Eastern Siberia, the Far East and Kamchatka can see the eclipse. The residents of the Kuril Islands and Sakhalin will be lucky. The maximum phase of the eclipse of 0.725 will occur in the east of Yakutia.

A total lunar eclipse is expected on January 21. Residents of the European part of Russia will be able to observe the total phase of the eclipse, the Urals and Western Siberia will have the penumbral phase, and residents of the Far East, Kamchatka and Chukotka Peninsulas will only see its end. Chronology of the eclipse according to Moscow time

Beginning of the penumbral eclipse 5:36
Partial shadow eclipse begins 6:33
Beginning of total eclipse 7:41
Maximum phase 8:12
End of total eclipse 8:43
End of partial umbral eclipse 9:50
End of the penumbral eclipse 10:48

A new moon is expected on January 6, and a full moon on January 21. The second and last quarters will be January 14 and 28, respectively.

The approach of celestial objects to the Moon.

Object Date Distance Constellation Visibility
Venus 2.01 0.7° S Libra −
31.01 0.4° S Sagittarius −
Jupiter 3.01 2.2° S Ophiuchus −
31.01 2.2° S Ophiuchus −
Mercury 4.01 2.2° S Sagittarius −
Saturn 5.01 0.3° S Sagittarius −
Hyades 17.01 0.9° S Taurus +
Aldebaran 17.01 1.0° S Taurus +
Nursery 21.01 1.3° C Cancer +
Regulus 23.01 1.7° S Leo +

Of the meteor showers, you should pay attention to the Quadrantids in the constellation Bootes; The stream activity occurs between December 28 and January 12; maximum: January 4 ZHR = 120 (can vary from 60 to 200).

Happy observing!

Selected astronomical events of the month (Moscow time):

1st of January— close approach of Mars and Neptune (up to 1 arc minute!),
January 2— Moon (Ф= 0.15+) near Venus,
January 3— maximum effect of the Quadrantids meteor shower (ZHR=120),
January 3— lunar coverage (Ф = 0.23+) of Neptune and Mars with visibility in Indonesia and Oceania,
4 January— Earth at perihelion (maximum visible diameter of the Sun),
5 January— Moon in first quarter phase,
6th January— Moon (Ф= 0.53+) near Uranus,
January 8— Mercury in standing with the transition from retrograde motion to direct motion,
January 9— coverage of Aldebaran by the Moon at a phase of 0.88 (visibility in the Central Asian countries of the CIS, in southern Siberia and Primorye),
January 10— Moon (Ф= 0.93+) at perigee,
January 11— Moon (Ф= 0.96+) at maximum declination,
January 12- full moon,
January 12— Venus at maximum eastern (evening) elongation 47 degrees,
January 12— Venus passes 0.4 degrees north of Neptune,
January 15— lunar coverage (Ф = 0.91-) of the star Regulus with visibility in South America,
January 16— long-period variable star RS Scorpii near maximum brightness (6m),
January 17— the maximum divergence of all bright satellites of Jupiter,
January 18— asteroid Vesta (6.2m) in opposition to the Sun,
January 19— Mercury at maximum western (morning) elongation 24 degrees,
January 19— The Moon is in its last quarter phase near Jupiter,
January 22— Moon (Ф= 0.30-) at apogee,
January 22— occultation by the Moon (Ф = 0.30-) of the gamma Libra star with a magnitude of 3.9m with visibility in Siberia,
January 23— long-period variable star RT Sagittarius near maximum brightness (6m),
January 24— Moon (Ф= 0.12-) near Saturn,
The 25th of January— Moon (Ф= 0.1-) in minimum declination,
January 26— Moon (F = 0.05-) near Mercury,
28 January- new moon,
January 29— long-period variable star V Bootes near maximum brightness (6m),
January 30— lunar coverage (Ф = 0.05+) of Neptune with visibility in Africa and Central Asia,
January 31— Moon (Ф= 0.15+) near Venus.

Sun moves through the constellation Sagittarius until January 20, and then moves into the constellation Capricorn. The declination of the central luminary gradually increases, and the length of the day increases, reaching 8 hours 32 minutes by the end of the month. latitude of Moscow. The midday altitude of the Sun will increase from 11 to 16 degrees over the month at this latitude. January is not the best month for observing the Sun, however, you can observe new formations on the surface of the daylight star with a telescope or binoculars. But we must remember that a visual study of the Sun through a telescope or other optical instruments must be carried out (!!) using a solar filter (recommendations for observing the Sun are available in the Nebosvod magazine http://astronet.ru/db/msg/1222232).

The moon will begin to move across the January sky in the constellation Capricorn with a growing phase of 0.07. Having increased the phase to 0.15, the young month on January 2 will move into the constellation Aquarius, passing north of Venus. Here the crescent moon, decorating the evening sky, will spend two days, approaching Mars and Neptune on January 3 at a phase of 0.23, which it will cover with visibility in Indonesia and Oceania. These days, the Moon increases in height above the horizon, gradually moving away from bright Venus. Having moved into the constellation Pisces on January 4, the lunar crescent will increase its phase to almost 0.4 and rush to the first quarter phase, which it will take on January 5. In the constellation Pisces, the lunar oval on January 6 will pass south of Uranus, around midnight on January 7 it will move to the constellation Cetus, and after some time to the constellation Aries. On January 8, the Moon will reach the constellation Taurus at a phase of 0.77. Here, on January 9, Aldebaran will once again be covered by the Moon at phase 0.88 (visibility in the Central Asian CIS countries, southern Siberia and Primorye), and then the bright lunar disk will continue its journey to the constellation Orion, which it will visit on January 11 at phase 0. 97. During this period, the night luminary rises to its greatest height above the horizon. The Moon will spend January 11 and 12 in the constellation Gemini, entering the full moon phase here on January 12, and then move into the constellation Cancer. Here the lunar oval will remain until January 14, then entering the constellation Leo at a phase of about 0.95. Having passed south of Regulus on January 15 (the occultation of the star when visible in South America), with a phase of about 0.9, the night star will continue to move through the expanses of the constellation Leo until January 17, when it reaches the constellation Virgo. Here the Moon will enter its last quarter phase on January 19, showing off in the predawn sky near Jupiter and Spica. On January 20, the large lunar crescent will move into the constellation Libra and travel through it until January 22, covering on that day at a phase of 0.3 the gamma-ray Libra star with a magnitude of 3.9m (visibility in Siberia). On the same day, the Moon will visit the constellation Scorpio at a phase of more than 0.2, then moving (already on January 23) to the constellation Ophiuchus. Having approached Saturn here in the morning sky on January 24, the thin crescent will enter the constellation Sagittarius, where it will pass north of Mercury on January 26. The next day, the thinnest morning sickle will reach the constellation Capricorn, where it will enter the new moon phase on January 28. In the evening sky, the Moon will appear on January 29 already in the constellation Aquarius, where the next race will cover Neptune on January 30 at a phase of 0.05. Perhaps this is the most successful coverage for observations in the sense that the brightness of the Moon will not interfere with observing both the coverage and the discovery of the planet. Unfortunately, this coverage will not be observed in Russia (the visibility band will pass through Africa and Central Asia). By the end of the day on January 31, the young month will move into the constellation Pisces at a phase of 0.15 and will end its journey across the January sky near Venus against the backdrop of the evening dawn.

Major planets of the solar system.

Mercury moves backward through the constellation Sagittarius, changing its movement to direct on January 8. The planet is in the morning sky, and its visibility in the middle latitudes of the country exceeds half an hour. Mercury's western elongation reaches a maximum value of 24 degrees on January 19, and then the fast planet begins its approach to the Sun and by the end of the month almost completes morning visibility (in the mid-latitudes of the country). The apparent diameter of the fast planet varies from 10 to 5 arcseconds over the course of a month with increasing brightness from +3m to -0.2m. The phase increases from 0.0 to 0.8, i.e. Mercury, when observed through a telescope, has the shape of a sickle, turning into a half-disc at maximum elongation, and then into an oval. In May 2016, Mercury passed across the disk of the Sun, and the next transit will take place on November 11, 2019.

Venus moves in the same direction with the Sun through the constellation Aquarius until January 23, when it moves to the constellation Pisces, where it will spend the rest of the period described. The Evening Star increases its angular distance east of the Sun until January 12, and on this day it will reach a maximum elongation exceeding 47 degrees (after which it will begin to decrease). At this angular distance from the daylight, Venus can be observed with the naked eye even at midday. In the evening, the planet is visible in the twilight and night sky near the southwestern horizon (visibility up to 4 hours). The apparent diameter of Venus increases from 22 to 31 arc. sec., and the phase decreases from 0.57 to 0.40 at a magnitude of about -4.7m. The telescope observes a half-disk that turns into a crescent within a month.

Mars moves in the same direction with the Sun through the constellation Aquarius, moving into the constellation Pisces on January 19. On January 1, Mars will pass 1 arc minute south of Neptune. The planet is observed in the evening above the southwestern horizon for more than four hours. The planet's brightness decreases from +0.9m to +1.1m, and its apparent diameter decreases from 5.7 to 5.1 arcsec. sec.. Mars is gradually moving away from the Earth, and the opportunity to see the planet near opposition will appear next year. Details on the surface of the planet (large) can be visually observed using an instrument with a lens diameter of 60 mm, and, in addition, photographically with subsequent processing on a computer.

Jupiter moves in the same direction as the Sun in the constellation Virgo (near Spica). The gas giant is visible in the night and morning skies, increasing its visibility to eight hours by the end of the period described. The angular diameter of the largest planet in the solar system increases from 35.5 to 38.9 arc. sec. at a magnitude of about -2m. The planet's disk is visible even through binoculars, and through a small telescope, stripes and other details are visible on the surface. Four large satellites are already visible with binoculars, and with a telescope in good visibility conditions you can observe the shadows of the satellites on the planet’s disk. Information about satellite configurations is in this CN.

Saturn moves in the same direction as the Sun through the constellation Ophiuchus. The ringed planet can be found in the morning sky above the southeastern horizon, and by the end of the month its visibility will increase to almost two hours. The planet's brightness is about +0.5m with an apparent diameter of about 15.5 arcsec. sec.. With a small telescope you can observe the ring and the Titan satellite, as well as some of the other brightest satellites. The apparent dimensions of the planet's ring are on average 40x16 with an inclination of 27 degrees to the observer.

Uranus(5.9m, 3.4) moves in the same direction with the Sun in the constellation Pisces (near the star zeta Psc with a magnitude of 5.2m). The planet is visible most of the night, rising quite high above the southern horizon towards midnight. Uranus, rotating on its side, is easily detected with binoculars and search maps, and a telescope with a diameter of 80 mm or more with a magnification of more than 80 times and a clear sky will help you to see its disk. The planet can be seen with the naked eye during new moon periods in dark, clear skies, and this opportunity will present itself at the beginning and end of the month. The satellites of Uranus have a brightness less than 13m.

Neptune(7.9m, 2.3) moves in the same direction as the Sun along the constellation Aquarius near the star lambda Aqr (3.7m). The planet is visible in the night and evening sky. To search for the planet, you will need binoculars and star maps from the Astronomical Calendar for 2017, and the disk will be visible in a telescope of 100 mm in diameter with a magnification of more than 100 times (with a clear sky). At the very beginning of the month, Mars will come close to Neptune. The series of occultations of Neptune by the Moon continues. Neptune can be captured photographically with the simplest camera (even a stationary one) with a shutter speed of about 10 seconds. Neptune's moons have a brightness of less than 13m.

From comets, visible in January from the territory of our country, at least two comets will have an estimated brightness of about 12m and brighter: Johnson (C/2015 V2) and P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova (45P). Comet P/Honda-Mrkos-Pajdusakova (45P) moves through the constellations Capricorn and Aquarius. The comet's brightness is about 8m. The celestial wanderer Johnson (C/2015 V2) moves through the constellation Bootes, having a magnitude of about 11m. Details of other comets of the month (with maps and brightness forecasts) are available at http://aerith.net/comet/weekly/current.html, and observational results are available at http://cometbase.net/.

Among the asteroids the brightest in January will be Vesta (6.2m), reaching opposition in the middle of the month, and Ceres (8.6m). Vesta moves through the constellation Cancer and Gemini, and Ceres moves through the constellation Cetus and Pisces. In total, six asteroids will exceed 10m in magnitude in January. Maps of the paths of these and other asteroids (comets) are given in the appendix to the KN (file mapkn012017.pdf). Information on asteroid occultations of stars at http://asteroidoccultation.com/IndexAll.htm.

Of the relatively bright long-period variable stars(observed from the territory of Russia and the CIS) the maximum brightness this month according to AAVSO data was reached: X GEM(8.2m) January 3, R VUL(8.1m) January 4, S SCL(6.7m) January 6, U ARI(8.1m) January 7, RPER(8.7m) January 8, S LAC(8.2m) January 11, R DEL(8.3m) January 15, RS SCO(7.0m) January 16, S CAM(8.1m) January 18, RS VIR(8.1m) January 21, RT SGR(7.0m) January 23, V CMI(8.7m) January 25, S UMA(7.8m) January 25, S MIC(9.0m) January 25, Z CYG(8.7m) January 26, S LIB(8.4m) January 27, V BOO(7.0m) January 29. More information at http://www.aavso.org/.

Clear skies and successful observations!

View of the sky in January in the middle latitudes of Russia around midnight

This article will help you navigate star maps:
"How to use the star map"

We remind you: true midnight in Bratsk occurs around 1 am local time!
why so, we read in the material: Games with time. When is noon in Bratsk? ,

and after October 26, 2014 we read in the material: Clocks in the Irkutsk region will be changed once and for all

THE PATH OF THE CIRCUPOLAR CONSTELLATIONS

Ladle Ursa Major begins its journey in the evening to the right of Ursa Minor, balancing on the handle of the Bucket, turns around overnight North Star counterclockwise by about 120 degrees, while rising higher and higher above the northeast, by the middle of the night it completely overturns the Bucket, approaching the zenith above North Star . By the morning Big Dipper moves to the northwestern part of the sky, scratching the zenith with its handle.

Starry sky in January from the northern horizon in the middle latitudes of Russia:

Other circumpolar constellations make the same turn. Cassiopeia, whose figure lines are similar to the letter "M" or "W", shines to the left in the evening sky Polar in the northwestern part of the sky, descending towards the northern horizon in the morning (letter "W"). The Dragon with an easily distinguishable trapezoid of the head in the evening encircles Ursa Minor from below near the northern horizon, by morning reaching its tail into the zenith above North Star. "House" Cepheus, located between Cassiopeia And Dragon makes the same circuit around Polar on the left, moving to the northeastern part of the sky by morning.

The constellation is very noticeable above the northwestern horizon in the evenings Swan(in the form of a huge cross) with a bright star Deneb, and a star sparkles at the very northern horizon Vega from the summer constellation Lyres.

FROM THIS EVENING...

In the evening, the constellation begins its ascent over the eastern horizon Leo, and bright winter constellations sparkle above the south: Taurus, Gemini, Orion, Canis Major and Canis Minor. The constellation is leaning towards the west Pisces and Square Pegasus. They sparkle at the zenith Auriga with a bright star Capella and constellation Perseus. Located high in the southwestern sky Andromeda(between Perseus and Pegasus). Under Andromeda two bright stars are visible Aries. The constellation rising above the northeastern horizon Bootes with a bright orange star Arcturus .

Evening sky in January at the middle latitude of Russia (56 N):

from the eastern horizon around 21:00:

from the southern horizon around 21:00:

around 21:00:

This is a favorable period for observations of one of our closest galactic neighbors Andromeda Nebula (M31). It is easily distinguishable even with binoculars as a large elongated nebulous spot above the star ν Andromeda. This beautiful spiral galaxy is located at a distance of 252 million light years from Earth. Its extent is 260 thousand light years, which is 2.6 times longer than the Milky Way. In the Earth's sky, it occupies an area of ​​3.2° × 1.0°. The magnitude is +3.4m.

The Andromeda nebula and its position in the constellation

The magnificent scattering of Pleiades stars (M45), similar to a small bucket, is easily visible with a simple glance in the constellation Taurus (in September it rises around midnight). The nine brightest stars of the cluster received their names in honor of the seven sisters of the Pleiades of ancient Greek mythology: Alcyone, Keleno, Maia, Merope, Sterope, Taygeta and Electra, as well as their parents - Atlas and Pleione. Long exposures reveal glowing blue nebulae that envelop the stars. The Pleiades star cluster is about 12 light-years in diameter and contains about 1,000 stars. The age of the Pleiades is estimated at 100 million years, and the distance to them is approximately 440 light years. Previously, it was believed that the dust that forms the nebula is the remnants of the material from which the stars of the cluster were formed. However, within 100 million years, this material would be dispersed by the pressure of stellar radiation. Apparently, the Pleiades are simply now moving through a region of space saturated with cosmic dust.

The open star cluster Pleiades (old Russian name Stozhary) and its position in the constellation.

AT NIGHT...

Be sure to look at the three stars just below Orion's Belt. The middle of them is resolved through binoculars to a blurred spot of irregular shape, called Great Orion Nebula M42, where very young stars are currently developing, is a sort of cosmic nursery. This is the most attractive object in the northern sky for astronomy lovers.

Orion constellation over Lough Eske in Ireland

In average amateur telescopes, the nebula appears in the form of a bat - with a bright center and rapidly decreasing brightness of the “wings”. A trapezoid of four young stars is visible in the center of the nebula. It was here that the Hubble Telescope spotted a protoplanetary disk. The distance to the Orion Nebula is about 1350 light years and is 33 light years across. Adjacent to the northern part of M42 is a sort of “comma” - a small emission nebula, designated M43.

The Great Orion Nebula and its position in the constellation

photo: Svetlana Kulkova (Bratsk)

At night, in the southeastern sky there is a trapezoidal constellation Leo with a bright star Regulus. Orange sparkles in the east Arcturus from the constellation Bootes. The constellation moves near the southern horizon Canis Major with the brightest star in the sky Sirius. Stars sparkle in the southwest Orion, and high above the western horizon is a bright orange star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus, above them a star sparkles Chapel from Charioteer. They come in the northwest Andromeda With Aries, high above them accompanies them Perseus.

from the western horizon around 7 o'clock:

In the first days of the new year, the Quadrantid starfall is active. The largest number of shooting stars (up to two hundred per hour) can be seen on the night of January 3-4, flying from the constellation Bootes.

Wishing you clear skies and exciting observations!