The moon at the beginning of January is at perigee, 358,033 kilometres from Earth, and Jan. 2 is at new phase. Jan. 3, Mercury is three degrees north of the thin sliver of the moon; Saturn is four degrees north Jan. 4; and Jan. 5, Jupiter is four degrees north. All of these could be a good photo opportunity to capture the three planets and the moon in close proximity.
It also means that the two gas-giant planets are getting closer and closer to the horizon, soon to be morning objects. Jan. 11, Uranus is 1.5 degrees north of the moon. On the following day, the minor planet Ceres is occulted for observers in western Canada; for the rest of the country, Ceres is 1.2 degrees south of the moon. Jan. 15, the moon is 1.8 degrees north of the cluster M35. The moon is full Jan. 17 — the smallest appearance in 2022. By Jan. 29, Mars is once again nearby, two degrees north. And, Jan. 30, the moon is at perigee, 362,252 kilometres from Earth.
Mercury, as noted above, will be just a little north of the moon Jan. 3; by Jan. 7, Mercury reaches its greatest elongation east (GEE), becomes stationary Jan. 13, then gradually moving closer and closer to Earth as it swings westward in its orbit.
Venus is too close to the sun for observing safely. However, it is worth noting that, Jan. 8, the bright planet will be at the closest to Earth of any planet in a century.
Mars is gradually emerging from behind the sun, shining weakly, though. By month-end, it will be two degrees north of the thin crescent moon.
Jupiter begins the year nearing the horizon, and shining brightly at dusk. Jan. 5, the gas giant is four degrees north of the moon.
Saturn, like Jupiter, nears the horizon at dusk, is overtaken by the moon Jan. 4, becoming lost in the sun’s glare by mid-January.
Uranus is well placed in the constellation Aries during the evening hours, bright enough to be seen with the unaided eye.
Neptune can be seen with optical aid among the stars of the constellation Aquarius.
The Quadrantid meteors peak Jan. 3 at 21 UT (3 p.m. CST).
James Edgar has had an interest in the night sky all his life. He joined the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada in 2000, was national president for two terms, is now the editor of the Observer’s Handbook, and production manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour and he was recently awarded a Fellowship of the RASC.
