1. Highlighting the Near and Deep Sky
What’s Up E W
Highlighting the Near and Deep Sky
January , 2017 S

2. General Information January 2017
January is the month when . . .
Earth is closest to the Sun! (So, why’s it so cold???)
The Sun rises latest for the year. (Does the Sun sleep in or what?)
The first of the ten or so major annual meteor showers peaks.
The Sun passes from Sagittarius to Capricornus (rather than from Capricorn to Aquarius, as in astrology).
Sunset Range: 5:13 p.m. (Jan. 1st) to 5:44 p.m. (Jan. 31st).
End of Astronomical Twilight (Full Darkness* – Sun 18° below horizon): 6:47 p.m. (Jan. 1st) to 7:13 p.m. (Jan. 31st).
* Usually dark enough for observing about a half hour before this.

3. Moon Phases January 2017 Thu., 5th – First Quarter
Thu., 12th – Full Moon
Thu., 19th – Last Quarter (Fri./Sat. observing opportunities Jan. 20th/21st)
Fri., 27th – New Moon (Fri./Sat. observing opportunities Jan. 27th/28th)
Roughly speaking:
First Quarter Moon is highest at sunset and sets at midnight
Full Moon rises at sunset and is in the sky all night
Last (“Third”) Quarter Moon rises at midnight and is highest at dawn
New Moon sets at sunset and is absent from the sky all night

4. Celestial Events January 2017
Mon., 2nd – Line-up of Mars, the waxing crescent Moon and Venus in the southwest at dusk. Here’s more of interest . . .
Tue., 3rd – Latest sunrise for 2017 (7:34 a.m. for Roanoke).
Tue./Wed., 3rd/4th – Quadrantid Meteor Shower. Best midnight to dawn on the 4th; 50+ meteors/hr. Waxing crescent Moon sets at 10:47 p.m. on 3rd.
Wed., 4th – Earth at perihelion (1.7% closer than average distance).
Tue., 10th – Moon at perigee; Earth-radii distance.
Sat., 21st – Moon at apogee; Earth-radii distance (11.5% farther than on the 10th.)
Wed., 31st – Crescent Venus, gibbous Mars and the waxing crescent Moon form a tight triangle within a 5.5º circle in the west-southwest.

5. (~30 min. before full darkness)
Jan. 15th, 6:30 p.m.
(~30 min. before full darkness)
For tonight, Dec. 19th, 6:00 p.m. is about 30 min. before full darkness.
Milky Way (galactic equator) E W
Ecliptic
Uranus
Mars
Venus
Neptune S

6. What’s Up programs are posted on the RVAS Website!
Find them under “Tips and Topics” or at:
Questions
???