What’s Up in the Sky – January 2022
AAA Observers’ January 2022 Guide
January’s Evening Planets:
Red Mars will be moving between Scorpius the Scorpion and Sagittarius the Archer as of 5 AM in January. Find Mercury in Capricornus the Sea-Goat until 6 PM in the first half of January and rising bright on the 7th of the month. Jupiter can be seen in Aquarius the Water bearer as of 9 PM and setting earlier every night. Saturn will be visible for until around 6 PM in the first half of the month in Capricornus the Sea-Goat. Find Uranus in Cetus the Sea monster all night. Neptune will be in Aquarius the Water Bearer until 10 PM and setting earlier every night.
January’s Evening Stars:
The Winter Triangle of Sirius (the brightest star viewed from Earth) in Canis Major the Great Dog; Betelgeuse in Orion the Hunter; and Procyon in Canis Minor the Small Dog will be up all night. Find Castor and Pollux in Gemini the Twins, Rigel in Orion, Aldebaran in Taurus the Bull, and bright Capella in Auriga the Charioteer. See the stars of constellations Andromeda, Cassiopeia, Perseus, Cepheus, Draco, Aries, Taurus, and Ursa Major and Ursa Minor (the Big and Little Dippers).
January’s Morning Planets:
Bright Venus will be in Scutum the Shield as of 6 AM in the second half of January.
January’s Morning Stars:
The Winter Triangle of Sirius, Betelgeuse, and Procyon will be up until morning. See the Summer Triangle of Vega in Lyra the Harp, Deneb in Cygnus the Swan, and Altair in Aquila the Eagle as of 6:30 AM and earlier every day this month. Find Capella in Auriga, Arcturus in Boötes the Herdsman, Spica in Virgo, Vega in Lyra, and Aldebaran in Taurus until the morning. See the stars of Leo, Gemini, Cassiopeia, Hercules, Hydra, Cepheus, Draco, Libra, and the two Dippers.
January Skylights
- Jan 1 Moon at perigee (222,500 miles away)
- Jan 2 New Moon at 1:35 PM
- Jan 3 Quadrantids Meteor Shower peaks- Predawn
- Jan 4 Earth at Perihelion (91.4 million miles from Sun)
- Jan 6 Venus, Mars, Antares line up – Predawn
- Jan 6 Moon, Jupiter, Saturn, Mercury line up – Sunset
- Jan 7 Mercury shines at its greatest evening elongation, Sunset
- Jan 9 First Quarter Moon at 1:10 PM
- Jan 14 Moon at apogee (252,200 miles away)
- Jan 17 Full Moon at 6:50 PM
- Jan 25 Last quarter moon at 8:40 AM
- Jan 30 Moon at perigee (225,100 miles away)
