Welcome to this issue of
Qué tal in the Current Skies

Here you will find useful observing information about the visible planets, our Moon and other moons, the Sun, as well as various 'things' celestial. Among these web pages you will find monthly star maps for either the northern or southern hemisphere that are suitable for printout. Animated images are utilized to illustrate celestial motions such as orbital motions of the planets, and other solar orbiting objects, or apparent and real motions along the ecliptic and the local horizon. Regular features include plotting the monthly positions of the visible planets using heliocentric coordinates; following moon phases; conjunctions; the sun's apparent motion and the Earth's real motion along the ecliptic.
Scroll down for more web site information, resources, and a link to the previous month issue.

Volume 25          Issue 1
January 2019
   Month at a Glance:
This month
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.


Total Lunar Eclipse - January 20th to 21st
Click here to learn more about the total lunar eclipse.
Visible from all of the continental U.S.A.

Mercury is visible as a morning planet for about the first half of the month as it moves toward superior conjunction on the 30th
Venus is very visible as a morning planet and this month has several encounters with the Moon and planets.
Mars is visible over the south to southwestern horizon at sunset and is easily seen but not very bright.
Dwarf Planet Ceres is over the southeastern horizon several hours before sunrise but with an apparent magnitude arund 7.0 it may be difficult to observe.
Jupiter rises a few hours before the Sun rises and is visible over the southeastern horizon.
Saturn is still too close to the Sun but by the end of the month it will start becoming visible in the morning skies over the southeastern horizon before sunrise.
Star Maps and More
Visit bobs-spaces for regular updates on what is up.
Contact Me

E-Mail Starwalk
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Previous Issue

Click on this link to read the Previous Issue of Qué tal? in the Current Skies

Credits and Privacy

Click here to read the Privacy Statement for this web site (I don't bite!!), and about this web site and me.
Did you know?
Qué tal in the Current Skies was selected by Sky & Telescope Magazine as one of the "Seven Best of the Web" personal Astronomy web sites.


      
January Sky Calendar

1. Waning Crescent Moon near Venus
     New Horizons flyby of Kuiper Belt Object Ultima Thule
2. Saturn in Conjunction with Sun
3. Earth at Perihelion: 0.98330 AU
     (147,099,586 km; 91,403,445 mi.)
     Waning Crescent Moon near Jupiter
4. Quadrantid meteor shower peak
6. New Moon
      Partial solar eclipse
      Venus at Greatest Western Elongation
      
      
      
      
      
7. Moon at Descending Node
9. Moon at Apogee: 406,116 km (252,349 mi.)
12. Mercury at Aphelion
      Waxing crescent Moon near Mars
14. First Quarter Moon
      Moon near Uranus
17. Waxing Gibbous Moon near Aldebaran
20. Moon at Moon at Ascending Node
      Sun Does not enter the Astrological Sign of
      Aquarius the Water Bearer
      The Sun Enters the Astronomical Sign of
      Capricornus the Sea Goat
      
      
      
      
21. Total lunar eclipse
      Full Moon
      Moon at Perigee: 357,345 km (222,044 mi.)
22. Waning gibbous Moon near Regulus
23. Venus–Jupiter Conjunction
27. Last Quarter Moon
30. Mercury at Superior Conjunction
      Waning Crescent Moon near Jupiter
31. Waning Crescent Moon near Venus
      
      
      
      
      
      
January 1January 1 - 5:00 am CST
January 2January 2 - Saturn at Solar Conjunction
January 3January 3 - Earth at Perihelion
0.98330 AU - (147,099,586 km; 91,403,445 mi.)
January 3January 3 - 7:15 am CST
January 6January 6 - Venus at Western Elongation
January 9January 9 - Apogee Moon
406,116 km (252,349 mi.)
January 12January 12 - 7 pm CST
January 14January 14 - 7 pm CST
January 17January 17 - 7 pm CST
January 21January 21 - Moon at Perigee
357,345 km (222,044 mi.)
January 22January 22 - 9 pm CST
January 23January 23 - 6 am CST
January 30January 30 - Mercury at Superior Conjunction
January 30January 30 - 6 am CST
January 31January 31 - 6 am CST
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Above the Solar System at 10 day Intervals

Heliocentric Coordinaes

Name January 01 January 11 January 21 January 31
Mercury 225o 40' 253o 51' 281o 44' 312o 55'
Venus 140o 18' 156o 33' 172o 47' 188o 58'
Earth 100o 15' 110o 27' 120o 38' 130o 48'
Mars 041o 40' 047o 21' 052o 56' 058o 26'
Ceres 215o 45' 217o 40' 220o 10' 222o 35'
Jupiter 246o 45' 247o 32' 248o 19' 249o 06'
Saturn 281o 29' 281o 47' 282o 06' 282o 24'
Plot planet positions using polar graph paper that you can download from this web site - or at that web site create your own.


Above the Terrestrial Planets at 10 day Intervals
Local Time CST (UT-6)


Some Astronomy Web Links


    Click here.

Credits and Privacy

Click here to read the Privacy Statement for this web site (I don't bite!!), and about this web site and me.

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