Telescope Reviews: January 2011 Celestial Calendar

January Celestial Calendar by Dave Mitsky

All times are UT (subtract five hours, and one calendar day when appropriate, for EST)

1/2 Uranus is 0.6 degree north of Jupiter at 13:00; Mercury is 4 degrees north of the Moon at 15:00
1/3 The Earth is at perihelion (147,105,721 kilometers or 91,407,282 miles distant from the Sun) at 19:00; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Io’s shadow follows Ganymede’s) begins at 19:11
1/4 The Quadrantid meteor shower (40 to 120 or more per hour) peaks at 1:00; a partial solar eclipse takes place in western Asia, the Middle East, northern Africa, and most of Europe beginning at 6:40; New Moon (lunation 1089) occurs at 9:03
1/5 The latest sunrise of 2011 at latitude 40 degrees north occurs today
1/8 The latest onset of morning twilight of 2011 at latitude 40 degrees north occurs today; Neptune is 5 degrees south of the Moon at 0:00; Venus is at greatest western elongation (47 degrees) at 16:00
1/9 Mercury is at greatest western elongation (23 degrees) at 15:00
1/10 A double Galilean satellite transit (Europa follows Callisto) begins at 3:50; the Moon is at apogee, subtending 29 arc minutes from a distance of 404,977 kilometers (251,641 miles), at 5:37; Uranus is 7 degrees south of the Moon at 15:00; Jupiter is 7 degrees south of the Moon at 17:00; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Io’s shadow follows Ganymede’s) begins at 21:07
1/12 The Lunar X (the Purbach or Werner Cross), an X-shaped illumination effect involving various rims and ridges between the craters La Caille, Blanchinus, and Purbach, is predicted to occur at 00:02; first Quarter Moon occurs at 11:31
1/14 Mercury is 1.9 degrees north of the bright emission nebula M8 (the Lagoon Nebula) in Sagittarius at 8:00
1/15 The Moon is 1.3 degrees south of the bright open cluster M45 (the Pleiades) in Taurus at 13:00; Venus is 8 degrees north of the first-magnitude star Antares (Alpha Scorpii) at 21:00
1/17 A double Galilean satellite transit (Io follows Ganymede) occurs at 21:52; the Moon is 0.9 degree south of the bright open cluster M35 in Gemini at 23:00
1/18 Venus is at its greatest heliocentric latitude north today; a double Galilean satellite shadow transit (Ganymede’s shadow follows Io’s) begins at 0:43
1/19 Full Moon (known as the Ice Moon, the Moon After Yule, the Old Moon, and the Wolf Moon) occurs at 21:21
1/21 Mercury is in the descending node today
1/22 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 33 arc minutes from a distance of 362,792 kilometers (225,428 miles), at 0:09; asteroid 23 Thalia (magnitude 9.1) is at opposition at 10:00; asteroid 3 Juno (magnitude 9.0) is stationary at 23:00
1/24 Asteroid 7 Iris (magnitude 7.9) is at opposition at 8:00
1/25 A double Galilean satellite transit (Ganymede follows Io) begins at 0:05; Saturn is 8 degrees north of the Moon at 10:00
1/26 Last Quarter Moon occurs at 12:57
1/27 Saturn is stationary at 8:00
1/28 The Curtiss Cross, an X-shaped illumination effect located between the craters Parry and Gambart, is predicted to occur at 2:33
1/30 Venus is 3 degrees north of the Moon at 4:00
1/31 Mercury is at aphelion today; asteroid 1 Ceres is in conjunction with the Sun at 1:00

Johannes Hevelius (1611-1687) was born this month.

The Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on the morning of January 4. This shower can sometimes reach zenithal hourly rates of more than 100 meteors per hour. The radiant of the Quadrantids lies at the junction of the constellations of Boötes, Hercules, and Draco in what was once called Quadrans Muralis. The near-Earth asteroid 2003 EH1, which may be an extinct comet, is believed to be the source of these meteors. An article on the Quadrantid meteor shower appears on pages 40 and 41 of the January issue of Sky & Telescope. Browse http://www.imo.net/calendar/2011#qua and http://meteorshowersonline.com/quadrantids.html for more on the Quadrantids.

The Moon is 26.3 days old and is located in Libra on January 1 at 0:00 UT. The Moon is at its greatest declination north of +24.2 degrees on January 16 and its greatest declination south of -24.2 degrees on January 2 and January 29. Latitudinal libration is at a maximum of +6.7 degrees on January 24 and a minimum of -6.8 degrees on January 10. Longitudinal libration is at a maximum of +5.1 degrees on January 2 and +6.0 degrees on January 28 and a minimum of -6.7 degrees on January 16. Visit http://www.astronomyblogs.com/member/saberscorpx/?xjMsgID=50821 for tips on spotting extreme crescent Moons. Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm

The Sun is located in Sagittarius on January 1. A partial solar eclipse that is visible from the western portion of the eastern hemisphere takes place on January 4. Greatest eclipse occurs at 8:50:35 UT. For more on this event, see http://www.eclipse.org.uk/eclipse/0122011/ and http://eclipse.gsfc.nasa.gov/OH/OH2011.html#SE2011Jan04P

Data (magnitude, apparent size, illumination, and distance from the Earth in astronomical units) for the planets and Pluto on January 1: Mercury (0.1, 8.0", 38%, 0.84 a.u., Ophiuchus), Venus (-4.6, 27.1", 46%, 0.62 a.u., Libra), Mars (1.2, 3.9", 100%, 2.38 a.u., Sagittarius), Jupiter (-2.3, 38.7", 99%, 5.09 a.u., Pisces), Saturn (0.8, 17.2", 100%, 9.65 a.u., Virgo), Uranus (5.9, 3.4", 100%, 20.29 a.u., Pisces), Neptune (8.0, 2.2", 100%, 30.68 a.u., Capricornus), and Pluto (14.1, 0.1", 100% , 32.93 a.u., Sagittarius).

Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune lie in the southwest evening sky. At midnight, Saturn is in the east. Mercury and Venus can be seen in the southeast and Saturn in the south in the morning.

Visibility of the classical planets at midmonth from 40 degrees north latitude: Mercury can be seen during morning twilight; Venus rises at 4:00 a.m. EST; Jupiter sets at 10:00 p.m. EST; Saturn rises at midnight and transits at 5:00 a.m. EST.

Mercury is four degrees north of the Moon on January 2. Greatest western elongation takes place on January 9, at which time the speedy planet shines at magnitude -0.3.

On the first day of 2011, Venus rises nearly four hours before the Sun. The fifth-magnitude star Theta Librae lies just 2 arc minutes south of the planet on January 7. Venus reaches greatest western elongation on January 8.

Earth is at perihelion on January 3. On that date, it is about 3% (5.0 million kilometers or 3.1 million miles) closer to the Sun than at aphelion on July 4.

Mars is not visible this month.

Jupiter is now about 25% smaller in apparent size than it was at opposition last September. It sets at approximately 11:00 p.m. EST at the start of January and prior to 9:30 p.m. EST by the end of the month. Data on the Galilean satellites is available at http://skytonight.com/observing/objects/javascript/3307071.html#

Saturn is located about 4 degrees south of the celestial equator. It is situated about two degrees from the fourth-magnitude star Theta Virginis for the entire month. Saturn rises approximately 12:30 a.m. EST on January 1. The ring tilt angle is ten degrees on that date. Eighth-magnitude Titan is due north of Saturn on January 4 and January 20 and due south of the planet on January 12 and January 28. Iapetus shines at tenth magnitude when it reaches greatest western elongation on January 4. Its brightness decreases by a magnitude on January 24, when it’s two arc-minutes north of Saturn. For additional information on the satellites of Saturn, browse http://www.skyandtelescope.com/observing/objects/javascript/3308506.html

Uranus is 0.6 degree north of Jupiter on January 2. By month’s end, the two planets are almost four degrees apart. The next geocentric conjunction of the two planets will take place in 2024.

Neptune is located approximately 2.5 degrees to the west of the fourth-magnitude star Iota Aquarii. The planet sets before 8:00 p.m. EST at mid-month. By the end of January, it can no longer be seen.

Pluto is not visible this month.

Asteroid 37 Fides (magnitude 10.4) passes through the northern portion of M45 (the Pleiades) during January.

Comet 103P/Hartley heads northeastward through Canis Major this month. The fading periodic comet passes very close to the open cluster M50 on January 31. Visit http://cometchasing.skyhound.com/ for information on this month’s comets.

A free star map for January can be downloaded at http://www.skymaps.com/downloads.html

The famous eclipsing variable star Algol (Beta Persei) is at a minimum, decreasing in magnitude from 2.1 to 3.4, on January 3, 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 23, 26, and 29. For more on Algol, see http://stars.astro.illinois.edu/sow/Algol.html and http://www.solstation.com/stars2/algol3.htm

The famous pulsating variable star Mira (Omicron Ceti), the Wonderful, may still be visible to the naked-eye this month. Click on http://spider.seds.org/spider/Vars/mira.html for further information on Mira.

The Mira-type variable star R Geminorum (7h7m21s, +22d42'12") should be near a maximum brightness of magnitude 7.1 in early January. R Geminorum is an unusual S-type variable. It has a period of 370 days and varies in brightness by some eight magnitudes. An article on R Geminorum appears on page 39 of the January issue of Sky & Telescope.

One hundred and five binary and multiple stars for January: Omega Aurigae, 5 Aurigae, Struve 644, 14 Aurigae, Struve 698, Struve 718, 26 Aurigae, Struve 764, Struve 796, Struve 811, Theta Aurigae (Auriga); Struve 485, 1 Camelopardalis, Struve 587, Beta Camelopardalis, 11 & 12 Camelopardalis, Struve 638, Struve 677, 29 Camelopardalis, Struve 780 (Camelopardalis); h3628, Struve 560, Struve 570, Struve 571, Struve 576, 55 Eridani, Struve 596, Struve 631, Struve 636, 66 Eridani, Struve 649 (Eridanus); Kappa Leporis, South 473, South 476, h3750, h3752, h3759, Beta Leporis, Alpha Leporis, h3780, Lallande 1, h3788, Gamma Leporis (Lepus); Struve 627, Struve 630, Struve 652, Phi Orionis, Otto Struve 517, Beta Orionis (Rigel), Struve 664, Tau Orionis, Burnham 189, h697, Struve 701, Eta Orionis, h2268, 31 Orionis, 33 Orionis, Delta Orionis (Mintaka), Struve 734, Struve 747, Lambda Orionis, Theta-1 Orionis (the Trapezium), Theta-2 Orionis, Iota Orionis, Struve 750, Struve 754, Sigma Orionis, Zeta Orionis (Alnitak), Struve 790, 52 Orionis, Struve 816, 59 Orionis, 60 Orionis (Orion); Struve 476, Espin 878, Struve 521, Struve 533, 56 Persei, Struve 552, 57 Persei (Perseus); Struve 479, Otto Struve 70, Struve 495, Otto Struve 72, Struve 510, 47 Tauri, Struve 517, Struve 523, Phi Tauri, Burnham 87, Xi Tauri, 62 Tauri, Kappa & 67 Tauri, Struve 548, Otto Struve 84, Struve 562, 88 Tauri, Struve 572, Tau Tauri, Struve 598, Struve 623, Struve 645, Struve 670, Struve 674, Struve 680, 111 Tauri, 114 Tauri, 118 Tauri, Struve 730, Struve 742, 133 Tauri (Taurus)

Challenge binary star for January: 14 Orionis

Notable carbon star for January: R Leporis (Hind’s Crimson Star)

Seventy deep-sky objects for January: B26-28, B29, M36, M37, M38, NGC 1664, NGC 1778, NGC 1857, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, NGC 1931 (Auriga); IC 361, Kemble 1 (Kemble’s Cascade asterism), NGC 1501, NGC 1502, NGC 1530, NGC 1569 (Camelopardalis); NGC 1507, NGC 1518, NGC 1531, NGC 1532, NGC 1535, NGC 1537, NGC 1600, NGC 1637, NGC 1659, NGC 1700 (Eridanus); IC 418, M79, NGC 1832, NGC 1888, NGC 1964 (Lepus); B33, Cr65, Cr69, Cr70, IC 434, M42, M43, M78, NGC 1662, NGC 1973-75-77, NGC 1981, NGC 1999, NGC 2022, NGC 2023, NGC 2024, NGC 2112 (Orion); Be11, NGC 1491, NGC 1496, NGC 1499, NGC 1513, NGC 1528, NGC 1545, NGC 1548, NGC 1579, NGC 1582, NGC 1605, NGC 1624 (Perseus); DoDz3, DoDz4, M1, Mel 25, NGC 1514, NGC 1587, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1807, NGC 1817 (Taurus)

Top ten binocular deep-sky objects for January: Kemble 1, M36, M37, M38, M42, NGC 1528, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1981

Top ten deep-sky objects for January: M1, M36, M37, M38, M42, M43, M78, M79, NGC 1501, NGC 2024

Challenge deep-sky object for January: IC 2118 (Eridanus)

The objects listed above are located between 4:00 and 6:00 hours of right ascension.