A monthly look at astronomical events in the sky and on Earth

Compiled by Steve Sawyer

Hi, Happy New Year and welcome to the first what’s up of 2024. This year we can look forward to many meteor showers with the first being the Quadrantids in early January, Several comets are forecast throughout the year with a couple being possibly visible with the naked eye. Plenty of conjunctions and In April a solar eclipse crosses North America (book your plane tickets early!).

So what’s on this month?

This month we have the Quadrantids Meteor Shower. This is an above average shower, with up to 40 meteors per hour at its peak and Comet 144p is well placed for viewing this month.

Sky Diary

Date	Time	Description
1st		Moon at apogee
3rd		Quadrantid meteor shower maximum
4th		Last Quarter and Spica near the Moon
8th		Venus near the Moon
9th		Mercury near the Moon
10th		Mars near the Moon
11th		New Moon
12th		Mercury at greatest elongation
13th		Moon at perigeee
14th		Saturn near Moon
15th		Neptune near the Moon
18th		First Quarter
18th		Jupiter near the Moon
19th		Uranus near the Moon
21st		Aldebaran near the Moon
24th		Pollux near the Moon
25th		Full Moon
27th		Mars near Mercury
27th		Regulus near the Moon
29th		Moon at apogee

Sky Maps

looking South on the 15th at 22:00

Looking North on the 15th at 22:00

The two charts above show all DSOs of magnitude 6.0 or brighter. They are both taken from
SkyViewCafe.com and correct for the 15th of the month. For a clickable list of Messier objects with images, use the Wikipedia link.

Januarys Objects

The Sun

G1 class magnetic storms are possible on the 1st January, with possible Aurora sightings.

Resources

For more info on the sun and solar weather look here : –

Space Weather Enthusiasts Dashboard | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

Auroa Forecasts

A bit US centred but still useful

Aurora Dashboard (Experimental) | NOAA / NWS Space Weather Prediction Center

And our own Met-office have an excellent space weather forecast page here Space Weather – Met Office

The Moon

Januarys moon calendar from Sky View Café (skyviewcafe.com)

In January, the moon is often referred to as the Wolf Moon, Moon After Yule, Old Moon, Ice Moon, or Snow Moon1. These names are derived from different cultures and are based on the typical weather conditions or events that occur in January.

On January 4, the Last Quarter phase sees the Moon positioned 2ºN of Spica in the Virgo constellation. The Moon travels 0.8ºN of Antares on January 8, and shortly after, it is situated 5.7ºS of Venus. The following day, it mirrors this distance south of Mercury, and on January 10, it is found 4.2ºS of Mars. By January 14, the waxing crescent Moon is located 2.1ºS of Saturn and moves to just 1.0ºS of Neptune on the next day. During the First Quarter phase, the Moon is 1.8ºN of Jupiter and, on the subsequent day, 3.0ºN of the much dimmer Uranus. It continues its journey, passing 9.5ºN of Aldebaran on January 21. Approaching the Full Moon on January 24, the Moon is 1.7ºS of Pollux. Finally, on January 27, the Moon crosses 3.9ºN of Regulus, positioned between it and Algieba.

Copernicus Crater

This large, prominent crater is located in the Oceanus Procellarum (the Ocean of Storms) and is easily visible with binoculars or a small telescope. It’s characterized by its size, distinctive rays of ejecta, and terraced walls. The crater is about 93 kilometers in diameter and approximately 3.8 billion years old.

Observing Copernicus during the first quarter phase of the Moon is particularly rewarding, as the interplay of light and shadow brings out the details of its complex structure. The central peaks and the variations in the crater’s depth are more pronounced under this lighting, providing a stunning view.

See the sky diary for this months lunar events as there are some nice viewing opportunities .

A full yearly lunar calendar can be found here :-

https://www.mooninfo.org/moon-phases/2023.html

Planets

Mercury

A morning planet rising before the sun and shining at around mag -0.2 at the beginning of the month and brightening as the month progresses.

Venus

Venus is a bright planet located not too far from Mercury in the early morning sky.

Mars

Very dim and low in the sky in early the morning. If you have a low horizon youmight be able to spot Mars near Mercury on the 27th.

Jupiter

Jupiter is well placed for viewing in January, shining at mag -2.4 to -2.5 and can be found in Aries.

Saturn

An Evening planet and lower in the sky. Saturn can be found in Aquarius shining at mag 1.0.

Uranus

An evening planet shining at mag 5.7 and technically visible to the naked eye from a dark sky sight.

Neptune

Another evening planet and can be found in Pisces at mag 7.9

Meteor Showers

The Quadrantid meteor shower

Starting from December 28, 2023, the Quadrantid meteor shower initiates its display, extending until January 12. Recognized as one of the most reliable and intense meteor showers, it reaches its peak on the night spanning January 3 to 4. Coinciding with the Last Quarter phase of the moon, moonlight might somewhat obstruct the view. Despite this, the shower’s meteors, shining in hues of blue or yellowish-white, can peak at a rate of 110 meteors per hour. These meteors originate from the minor planet 2003 EH1. Named after the now-obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis, which represented an early astronomical tool (the Mural Quadrant), the shower has its radiant point in Boötes’ northernmost region.

Comets

These are the other viewable comets this month, the ones listed below start at mag 7 and go to mag 13.

Name	Mag
103P/Hartley 2	7
62P/Tsuchinshan 1	7
144P/Kushida	8
C/2017 K2 (PanSTARRS)	12
C/2022 E2 (ATLAS)	13
29P/Schwassmann- Wachmann 1	13

Deep Sky (DSO’s)

In January, the night sky offers a variety of Deep Sky Objects (DSOs) that you can observe from the UK. Here are some notable ones:

Orion Nebula: This is one of the easiest and most impressive targets to capture for beginner astrophotographers.
Pleiades Star Cluster: Known for its majestic appearance, it’s another great target for beginners.
Crab Nebula (M1 / NGC 1952): A supernova remnant in the constellation of Taurus.
Flame Nebula (NGC 2024 / Sh2-277): An emission nebula in the constellation Orion.
Flaming Star Nebula (IC 405 / SH 2-229 / Caldwell 31): An emission/reflection nebula in the constellation Auriga.
Horsehead Nebula (Barnard 33): A dark nebula in the constellation Orion.
IC 342 Spiral Galaxy (Caldwell 5): A spiral galaxy in the constellation Camelopardalis.

ISS and other orbiting bits

Use the this NASA website for exact timings for York overpasses. York, England, United Kingdom | Sighting Opportunity | Spot The Station | NASA

The following ISS sightings are possible from Tuesday Dec 26, 2023 through Thursday Jan 11, 2023

Date	Visible	Max Height*	Appears	Disappears
Thu Dec 28, 5:08 AM	1 min	21°	21° above ESE	10° above E
Thu Dec 28, 6:41 AM	5 min	44°	23° above WSW	10° above ESE
Fri Dec 29, 5:55 AM	3 min	50°	50° above S	10° above ESE
Fri Dec 29, 7:28 AM	5 min	22°	10° above W	10° above SSE
Sat Dec 30, 5:08 AM	1 min	21°	21° above ESE	10° above ESE
Sat Dec 30, 6:41 AM	4 min	29°	20° above WSW	10° above SE
Sun Dec 31, 5:55 AM	3 min	36°	36° above S	10° above SE
Sun Dec 31, 7:29 AM	3 min	12°	10° above WSW	10° above SSW
Mon Jan 1, 5:09 AM	1 min	17°	17° above SE	10° above ESE
Mon Jan 1, 6:42 AM	3 min	17°	15° above WSW	10° above S
Tue Jan 2, 5:55 AM	2 min	21°	21° above S	10° above SSE
Wed Jan 3, 5:09 AM	< 1 min	11°	11° above SE	10° above SE
Thu Jan 4, 5:55 AM	< 1 min	10°	10° above S	10° above S