This Week's Sky at a Glance for January 14 – 22

This Week's Sky at a Glance

Some daily events in the changing sky

by Alan M. MacRobert

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Orion's Belt points the way down to bright Sirius these evenings. Click here for a wider chart showing the whole eastern sky.

Sky & Telescope: Gregg Dinderman

Friday, January 14

Orion is already well up in early evening, as shown at right, guiding the way to other bright winter stars and constellations as shown here.

In this coldest time of the year, the dim Little Dipper hangs straight down from Polaris after dinnertime as if (per Leslie Peltier) from a nail on the cold north wall of the sky.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot crosses the planet's central meridian around 7:44 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.

Saturday, January 15

The gibbous Moon shines between Aldebaran and the Pleiades high above Orion in early evening.

Sunday, January 16

Before and during dawn Monday morning, Venus is passing 8° upper left of much fainter (though still 1st-magnitude) Antares.

Jupiter's Great Red Spot crosses the planet's central meridian around 7:23 p.m. Mountain Standard Time.

Monday, January 17

Orion is right of the Moon in early evening, and lower right of the Moon later.

The eclipsing binary star Algol (Beta Persei) is at minimum brightness, magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual 2.1, for about two hours centered on 11:43 p.m. EST; 8:43 p.m. PST.

Tuesday, January 18

Look left of the bright Moon this evening for Pollux and Castor, and lower right of the Moon for Procyon.

Wednesday, January 19

Full Moon (exact at 4:21 p.m. EST). Above the Moon are Pollux and Castor. Right of the Moon shines Procyon. The full Moon of January always shines near these stars.

Thursday, January 20

The eclipsing binary star Algol is at its minimum brightness, magnitude 3.4 instead of its usual 2.1, for about two hours centered on 8:32 p.m. EST.

Friday, January 21

After the Moon rises in mid-evening, look upper left of it for Regulus and, extending farther upper left from there, the Sickle pattern in Leo.

Saturday, January 22

Just as the stars come out in the fading twilight, Sirius rises above the east-southeastern horizon. How early can you first spot it?