Episode 79 – Objects to Observe in January 2021 Show Notes

Welcome to Episode 79 of the Actual Astronomy Podcast, this is the Objects to Observe in the night Sky for January 2021. I’m Chris and joining me is Shane. We are amateur astronomers who love looking up at the night sky and this podcast is for anyone who enjoys doing astronomy and wants to see some amazing celestial sights for themselves.

Jan 2nd – It’s a super sun! 😂 Earth is at perihelion. Interesting for solar observers.

Jan. 3rd – Quadratic Meteors peak…BUT Moon is just past full and fills the sky with it’s bright light.

Jan 9th to 12th Difficult: Jupiter Mercury and Saturn in same binocular field..or maybe something like our little 50-60mm scopes with widest fields. At this low altitude detail is unlikely to be seen but what a sight! Jan 9th Mercury is 1.7-degrees South of Saturn, 10th all 3 fit in a 2.3 degree circle, I did the calculation and in my 60mm f6 with a 12.5mm gets 29X and a 3-degree field….

Jan 11th – Morning Sky Dawn 6am – Difficult but worth the effort Venus and the Moon Pair up, just 1.5 degrees apart. Jan 15h – 15-degree arc, Saturn, Jupiter, Moon.

Jan. 13th – New Moon – Eridanus @ the Meridian….open space…blank spot when viewed from anywhere with moderate light pollution

Jan 16th – This evening’s 13%-lit waxing crescent Moon is showing a libration which favours the northeast limb. Features such as Mare Humboldtianum (circled) will be visible.

Jan. 16th to 25th – All evening for a week and a half Mars & Uranus in same binocular or wide field. 21st, Moon 5-degrees south of Uranus and this will all fit in a really wide binocular field.

Jan 20th – The shadow effects which produce the Lunar X and V will occur this evening, with peak visibility just after 19:00 UT.

January 23rd – Mercury at greatest East. Elongation – 19-degrees from Sun.

Comet M3 Atlas – ~10th magnitude…and does a weird right angle maneuver.