This Week’s Sky at a Glance, January 21 – 28 ~ by Curt Nason
This time of year the brilliant winter constellations really catch the eye, but this is also a good time to revisit some favourites of the past season. If you have a good view to the north, go out before 7 pm to observe two of the best known asterisms in the sky. To the northwest the Northern Cross stands upright, with its base star Albireo about ready to set. The cross forms most of Cygnus the Swan, now making its signature dive into what I hope is an unfrozen lake. To the north, the Big Dipper stands on its handle. In a rural area you can probably see the rest of the stars that make up the Great Bear, Ursa Major. Does the bear appear to be dancing across the horizon on its hind legs? That brings back fond memories of watching Captain Kangaroo.
Stretching overhead are the autumn constellations of Cassiopeia, Andromeda and Perseus. When you are dressed in a snowsuit, a snow bank makes a comfortable surface for lying down and observing these constellations with binoculars. Look for a miniature version of Draco around the brightest star in Perseus, the galaxy M31 in Andromeda, and if you draw a line across the tips of Cassiopeia and extend it eastward by about the same distance you might chance upon Kemble’s Cascade, a string of about 20 stars. From a dark area, try to pick out the Milky Way running from Cygnus through Perseus and the feet of Gemini to Canis Major in the southeast.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:53 am and sunset will occur at 5:09 pm, giving 9 hours, 16 minutes of daylight (7:55 am and 5:16 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:46 am and set at 5:19 pm, giving 9 hours, 33 minutes of daylight (7:49 am and 5:26 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is new on Friday, January 27, giving dark skies for locating those fainter objects on your observing list. Mercury rises an hour after Saturn this weekend and an hour and a half before the Sun. With Mercury heading sunward, the gap between it and Saturn will increase steadily over the next several weeks. Jupiter still reigns over the morning sky as it rises around midnight this week. Venus moves to within five degrees of Mars in the evening sky by the end of the week.
RASC NB, the provincial astronomy club, meets for astronomy talks on January 21 at 1 pm in the Rockwood Park Interpretation Centre. All are welcome and free to attend.
Questions? You can contact Curt Nason here.