On the 13th, Jupiter is snuggled up close at three degrees north, but Mercury on the 14th is even closer at two degrees away – could be a three-body photo event. The 21st brings another three-body photo-op with Mars and Uranus at five and three degrees north, respectively. On the 25th, the Moon is 0.3 degrees north of the cluster known as M35. The Moon is full on the 28th.
Mercury is 1.7 degrees south of Saturn on the 9th. This is one day before another three-body grouping of Jupiter, Saturn, and Mercury. The threesome are within a tight 2.3-degree circle–another photo-op, although it is an early evening event, close to the horizon. The 11th brings another close pairing when Mercury is 1.5 degrees southeast of Jupiter, still in the early evening. The speedy planet climbs the ecliptic, getting higher each afternoon as it rounds from behind the Sun, until reaching greatest elongation east (GEE) on the 23rd.
Venus presents a tough southeastern sighting, since the winter morning ecliptic is nearly parallel to the horizon, so the bright planet rises just before the Sun breaks through the dawn. The Moon is a slight crescent on the morning of January 11, with Venus just 1.5 degrees to the east.
Mars is high in the sky at sunset, cruising slowly eastward among the stars of Pisces and Aries, just to the west of Orion and Taurus. On the 21st, Uranus joins up with the Red Planet, only 1.7 degrees away, and the Moon 5 degrees to the east.
Jupiter and Saturn begin the year in the early evening sky, having just passed an exceptionally closed conjunction. As January progresses, Jupiter pulls away from the Ringed Planet, but we on Earth pull away even more quickly, leaving both Jupiter and Saturn to be swallowed up in the Sun’s glare. Saturn first, the Jupiter. A tough sighting will be on the 10th as mentioned above in Mercury, when the three bodies form a tight circle. On the 13th, Jupiter is 3 degrees north of the Moon.
Uranus is among the stars of Aries throughout the year. Mars is a useful guide to detect Uranus, and, in fact, the two planets are in close proximity on the 21st.
Neptune is found with optical aid in the constellation Aquarius, where it will reside in all of 2021.
The Quadrantid meteors peak on the 3rd.
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 renowned Observer’s Handbook and Production Manager of the bi-monthly RASC Journal. The IAU named asteroid 1995 XC5 “(22421) Jamesedgar” in his honour.