Volume 31 Issue 1
January 2025
January 2025
Month at a Glance:
This month planet viewing is divided between Mercury as the lone morning planet, and the other visible planets visible after sunset. One of the highlights of the new year could be the Quadrantid meteor shower is a spectacular annual celestial event that occurs every January. It’s known for its bright, fireball-like meteors, which can create stunning streaks across the night sky.
The shower peaks around January 3rd to 4th, but it has a relatively short peak period compared to other meteor showers—lasting only a few hours.
What makes the Quadrantids unique is their potential for producing over 100 meteors per hour at their peak, given ideal viewing conditions. The meteors originate from a section of the sky once occupied by a now-defunct constellation called Quadrans Muralis, hence the name “Quadrantid.” The parent body of the Quadrantid meteors is believed to be the asteroid 2003 EH1, which might be a piece of a comet that broke apart several centuries ago.
Where to look?
Look towards the northeastern sky and locate the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) and follow the handle’s arc to the bright star Arcturus in Boötes. The radiant is just above this area, near the constellation Draco
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.
What is this? "It's a prediction of when Lees Summit, MO, will have good weather for astronomical observing." Click on the graphic to go to the Clear Sky web site.
This month planet viewing is divided between Mercury as the lone morning planet, and the other visible planets visible after sunset. One of the highlights of the new year could be the Quadrantid meteor shower is a spectacular annual celestial event that occurs every January. It’s known for its bright, fireball-like meteors, which can create stunning streaks across the night sky.
The shower peaks around January 3rd to 4th, but it has a relatively short peak period compared to other meteor showers—lasting only a few hours.
What makes the Quadrantids unique is their potential for producing over 100 meteors per hour at their peak, given ideal viewing conditions. The meteors originate from a section of the sky once occupied by a now-defunct constellation called Quadrans Muralis, hence the name “Quadrantid.” The parent body of the Quadrantid meteors is believed to be the asteroid 2003 EH1, which might be a piece of a comet that broke apart several centuries ago.
Where to look?
Look towards the northeastern sky and locate the Big Dipper (Ursa Major) and follow the handle’s arc to the bright star Arcturus in Boötes. The radiant is just above this area, near the constellation Draco
Click here for the month at a glance calendar.
What is this? "It's a prediction of when Lees Summit, MO, will have good weather for astronomical observing." Click on the graphic to go to the Clear Sky web site.
Mercury is nicely placed over the eastern horizon as it rises around 1-2 hours before the Sun rise, at your local time. The innermost planet will remain as a morning planet for most ft he month.
Venus shines very brightly over the western horizon at sunset local time and will remain the bright evening planet for the next several months.
Mars will be visible as an evening planet, as it will be moving in retrograde motion amongst the stars of the Gemini Twins during the next couple of months.
Dwarf Planet Ceres is low over the western horizon at sunset local time. But has an apparent magnitude making it too dim to be visible without optical assistance.
Jupiter will be visible over the southern horizon at sunset local time and will remain visible amongst the stars of Taurus the Bull for the next couple of months.
Saturn will remain visible as an evening planet over the western horizon at sunset local time. Watch for a close conjunction with Mercury at the end of February.
Uranus is located near the eastern edge of Taurus near the Aries border and is still moving in retrogrademotion. With an apparent magnitude of 6.7 or so it may be seen with the unaided eye in dark enough skies.
