Posts Tagged ‘Night Sky for January 2012’
The Night Sky for January 2012
Interesting things that Bellatrix Orionis is hoping to observe in the night sky this month.
Visual guide from Hubble
Planets
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Mercury – can be found in the constellation of Ophiuchus and is at magnitude -0.3. It is best viewed on Sunday 1 January at 0730UT. |
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Venus – is best viewed on Tuesday 1 January at 1800UT and can be found in the constellation of Aquarius. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Mars – Can be found in the constellation of Leo at the beginning of the month and moves into Virgo towards the end. It is best placed to view on Tuesday 31 January at 0300UT. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Jupiter – Can be found in the constellations of Aries and Pisces. It's best placed to view on Sunday 1 January at 1920UT. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Saturn – Is in the constellation of Virgo and is best placed to view on Tuesday 31 January at 0520UT. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Uranus – Is best placed to view on Sunday 1 January at 1800UT and can be found in the constellation of Pisces. |
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Source: Hubblesite.org |
Neptune – Is best placed to view on Sunday 1 January at 1800UT and can be found in the constellation of Aquarius. |
Dwarf Planets
Pluto – Is in the constellation of Sagittarius.
Ceres – Is in the constellation of Aquarius.
Eris – Can be found in the Constellation of Cetus during the morning is only visible with a CCD camera.
Vesta – Is in the the constellation of Aquarius.
Meteor Showers and Comets
Quadrantids- The Quadrantid meteor shower is active from 28 December to 12 January. This year it's expected to peak is on 4 January. The radiant (point where the meteors appear to start from) is in the north of the constellation Boötes almost in Draco. The name of the shower comes from the ancient constellation of Quadrans Muralis (the wall quadrant). The maximum rate of meteors falling for this shower can be as high as 12 per hour.
P/006 T1 Levy is moving eastward from Pegasus through Pisces, Cetus and into Eridanus during the month
C/2009 P1 Garradd is a morning object in the constellation of Hercules.
Monthly Sky Challenge
Sunday 1 January
M29, an open cluster in Cygnus and is at visual magnitude +6.59.
First quarter Moon.
Monday 2 January
See if you can locate the variable double star, Delta Cephei which has a visual magnitude of
4.07.
Tuesday 3 January
NGC 6960, the Western Veil Nebula can be found in the constellation of Cygnus. It is at visual magnitude +5.00 and is one part of a supernova explosion which happened approximately 5,000 to 8,000 years ago.
Wednesday 4 January
IC 4756 is an open cluster in the constellation of Serpens and is at visual magnitude +4.59.
Thursday 5 January
M10 a globular cluster in Ophiuchus with a visual magnitude of +6.59.
Friday 6 January
HIP 87937, Barnard's Star is a variable star in Ophiuchus with a visual magnitude of +9.53 and is best viewed in the early morning.
Saturday 7 January
M44, the Beehive Cluster is an open cluster in Cancer with a visual magnitude of +3.09 and is visible to the naked eye.
Sunday 8 January
M65 is a spiral galaxy in Leo with a visual magnitude of +9.22. It's possible to view this with binoculars.
Monday 9 January
M84 and M86, make up Markarian's Chain in Virgo. M84 is an elliptical galaxy with a visual magnitude of +9.10. M86 is also an elliptical galaxy with a visual magnitude of +8.89.
Full Moon
Tuesday 10 January
NGC 4565, the Needle Galaxy in Coma Berenices with a visual magnitude of +9.22. This is an edge on spiral galaxy.
Wednesday 11 January
M3 is a globular cluster in Canes Venatici with a visual magnitude of +6.9. Apparently this is visible to the naked eye if you have a dark site.
Thursday 12 January
M92 is a globular cluster in Hercules with a visual magnitude of +6.44.
Friday 13 January
See if you can locate the double star Zeta 1 Cancri, also known as Tegmen. It's visual magnitude is
6.01 and +5.62.
Saturday 14 January
M5, a globular cluster in Serpens with a visual magnitude of +5.65. Best observed in the early morning.
Sunday 15 January
Alpha Cygni, also known as Deneb in the constellation of Cygnus is a variable double with visual magnitudes of +1.33 and +11.73
Monday 16 January
NGC 869 is an open cluster in the constellation Perseus with a visual magnitude of +5.33. The star cluster marks the scimitar that Perseus used to decapitate Medusa.
Last quarter Moon.
Tuesday 17 January
NGC 2261 also known as Hubble's Variable Nebula. It's a bright nebula in the constellation of Monoceros.
Wednesday 18 January
Omicron Ceti, Mira is a long period pulsating variable double star in Cetus with visual magnitudes of +9.55 and +4.9. It's probably the best know of it's type.
Thursday 19 January
M77 is a barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Cetus with a visual magnitude of +9.00. The active nuclear of the galaxy corresponds with the radio source Cetus A.
Friday 20 January
NGC 1535 is a planetary nebula in Eridanus with a visual magnitude of +9.39. It's also sometimes known as Cleopatra's Eye.
Saturday 21 January
Beta Orionis, Rigel is a variable double star in the constellation of Orion. It has visual magnitudes of +0.28 and +10.38.
Sunday 22 January
Melotte 25, the Hyades in Taurus is an open cluster with a visual magnitude of +0.50 and it's possible to see it with the naked eye.
Monday 23 January
M38, the Starfish Cluster in Auriga is an open cluster with a visual magnitude of +6.40.
New Moon.
Tuesday 24 January
Alpha Orionis, Betelgeuse is a variable double star in Orion with visual magnitudes of +0.56 and +14.57.
Wednesday 25 January
NGC 2244 is an open cluster in Monoceros with a visual magnitude of +4.80.
Thursday 26 January
Alpha Canis Majoris, Sirius is a double star in Canis Major with magnitudes of -1.44 and +8.50.
Friday 27 January
NGC 2392, also known as the Eskimo Nebula is a planetary nebula in Gemini with a visual magnitude of +9.19. It's also known as the Clown Face Nebula.
Saturday 28 January
Alpha Gemininorum, Castor is a double star in the constellation Gemini with visual magnitudes of +2.88 and +1.98.
Sunday 29 January
M93 is an open cluster in Puppis with a visual magnitude of +6.19.
Monday 30 January
Beta Geminorum, Pollux is a double star in Gemini with visual magnitudes of +1.22 and +13.82
Tuesday 31 January
M101 is a spiral galaxy in Ursa Major with a visual magnitude of 7.92.
