This Week’s Sky at a Glance, 2022 January 22 – 29 ~by Curt Nason
Monoceros is a constellation that is easy to locate, sandwiched between Orion’s dogs Canis Major and Canis Minor, but it is not easy to see. From urban areas its dim stars are as elusive as the unicorn they depict. It was one of eight new constellations created on a globe by the Dutch cartographer Petrus Plancius around 1612. Of those eight, only Monoceros and Camelopardalis are recognized as official constellations today. Monoceros is situated within the winter Milky Way, which is apparent in rural skies.
Despite being a dim constellation, Monoceros is home to some favourite targets of astrophotographers, in particular the beautiful Rosette Nebula. Another is the combination of the Cone Nebula, Christmas Tree Cluster and the Fox Fur Nebula. Check the Internet for their stunning images. Monoceros has one Messier object within its boundary, the large open cluster M50, otherwise known as the Heart-Shaped Cluster. It can be seen in binoculars about 40% of the distance from Sirius to Procyon. Three other open clusters on the Messier list are found near Monoceros but they lie officially within other constellations. They are the close pair of M46 and M47 in Puppis, and M48 in Hydra.
This Week in the Solar System
Saturday’s sunrise in Moncton is at 7:52 am and sunset will occur at 5:09 pm, giving 9 hours, 17 minutes of daylight (7:54 am and 5:17 pm in Saint John). Next Saturday the Sun will rise at 7:45 am and set at 5:19 pm, giving 9 hours, 34 minutes of daylight (7:48 am and 5:27 pm in Saint John).
The Moon is at third quarter on Tuesday, rising in Moncton at 12:37 am and setting at 11:27 am. Telescope users likely have their last chance to see Jupiter’s Red Spot before its March conjunction around 6:20 pm Tuesday, about an hour and a half before Jupiter sets. Saturn might be visible in binoculars before it gets lost in twilight, heading toward conjunction with the Sun on February 4. Mercury is at inferior conjunction this Sunday, soon to join Venus and Mars in the morning sky. On Thursday Venus and Mars rise together around 5:30 am, with Mars a little more than a fist-width to the right of much brighter Venus. The Moon visits them next weekend.
On Sunday evening at 8 pm, tune in to the Sunday Night Astronomy Show via the Facebook page or YouTube channel of Astronomy by the Bay.
Questions? Contact Curt Nason.