Celestial Action in January
Added 2020-01-13 22:30:38 +0000 UTCHowdy Patrons! A bit late, I know, but here's a rundown on what happened & is happening in January 2020 in our skies:
January 3-4: the Quadrantids Meteor Shower.
If you're up past midnight you should be able to see quite a few meteors on these nights! I say midnight because that is when the moon sets. If you bring a pair of binoculars, look at the moon while you are waiting for it to set. The first quarter moon is absolutely rich with crater details!
January 10: Full Moon & Penubral Eclipse.
This is called the "Wolf Moon" since it is associated with wolves' breeding season, who would howl incessantly at it all night, audible for miles.
The penumbral lunar eclipse will begin around 9:07am Pacific time, and last for 4 hours. It will be visible for everyone but North and South America, since those continents will be facing away towards the sun during the eclipse.
January 24: New Moon.
This is the best time to observe the night sky, as the bright side of the moon will be facing away from us, and will be setting the same time as the sun. Go outside and gaze in wonder at the beauty of the stars.
Weather permitting, I will take this opportunity to do some deep space imaging, and hopefully find some galaxies to share with you!
