The Solar Almanac

This month's events in astronomy.

 
Highlights
 

Extreme Mars!

The planet Mars is at its highest for the next 32 years (as seen from the Northern Hemisphere). Mars will be at its northernmost declination (Earth latitude) on the night of January 6-7, 2008. At about 4 hours UT on that night, Mars will reach a declination of nearly 26°59'. Observers in the southern US will see Mars nearly overhead around roughly 11 PM local standard time. This will be the northernmost appearance of Mars until the year 2040, and the first time Mars has reached this far north since 1993. The Moon will appear near Mars on Jan 19; paying customers will find a map below.
Map: About 35° wide. Mars plotted daily at 0 hours UT.
Visibility: Worldwide. Late night, in Gemini. Naked eye.
Duration: Months and months.

 

 31 days hath January 2008. 

This almanac was computed for the customer at:

Location:

somewhere in North America

Latitude:

40°00'00" N

Longitude:

100°00'00" W

Color Key:  event occurs in daylight   moonlit night   starry night 

 All times are CT. 

Tuesday
1
January 2008
01:52:41  Moonrise.
08:01:53  Sunrise.
11:18:20  1-Ceres Stationary in Right Ascension, 02h36m05s.
12:39:08  Moonset.
13:08:43  Mercury Least Elongation from 1566-Icarus, 04°52'13".
17:25:12  Sunset.
Wednesday
2
January 2008
02:53:45  Moonrise.
06:28:26  Mercury 4.9°N of 1566-Icarus.
08:02:00  Sunrise.
13:03:55  Moonset.
17:26:02  Sunset.
17:59:12  Sun Closest Approach to Earth, 91 401 586 miles.
17:59:12  Sun at Perihelion, 91 401 586 miles.
Thursday
3
January 2008
02:08:20  Moon at Apogee, 251 858 miles.
03:55:33  Moonrise.
08:02:06  Sunrise.
13:32:54  Moonset.
17:26:54  Sunset.
19:20:27  Sun at Greatest Brilliancy, -26.64.
Friday
4
January 2008
04:57:31  Moonrise.
08:02:08  Sunrise.
14:07:49  Moonset.
17:27:47  Sunset.
Saturday
5
January 2008
05:58:04  Moonrise.
08:02:09  Sunrise.
08:02:09  Sun Latest Sunrise.
14:50:16  Moonset.
17:28:41  Sunset.
Sunday
6
January 2008
06:54:46  Moonrise.
08:02:07  Sunrise.
09:48:53  Moon Southernmost Declination, -27°56'08".
11:17:56  Moon Lowest Upper Culmination, 22°04'01" high.
15:41:10  Moonset.
17:29:37  Sunset.
22:02:39  Mars Northernmost Declination, 26°58'51".
23:25:23  Mars Greatest Nocturnal Altitude, 76°58'44".
Monday
7
January 2008
02:55:10  Jupiter Least Elongation from Moon, 04°40'19".
03:07:28  Jupiter 4.7°N of Moon.
07:45:19  Moonrise.
08:02:04  Sunrise.
16:39:59  Moonset.
17:30:34  Sunset.
Tuesday
8
January 2008
03:40:53  Sun 3.8°N of Moon.
04:03:43  Sun Least Elongation from Moon, 03°49'25".
05:38:14  Moon in Conjunction with Sun.
05:38:14  Moon at New Moon.
08:01:58  Sunrise.
08:28:36  Moonrise.
10:58:57  2-Pallas at Least Brilliancy, +10.14.
14:25:37  Moon Least Elongation from 1566-Icarus, 03°33'44".
17:31:33  Sunset.
17:44:34  Moonset.
18:31:42  Moon 4.0°N of 1566-Icarus.

Planets After Dark

 
The Moon is your handy guide to the planets this month. On the 10th, the Moon points you toward Neptune, as the two set together after dark. Then, on Jan. 12, the Moon lies near Uranus. An extremely rare dark-sky conjunction of Mercury and Neptune occurs on the 22nd; paying customers will find a special closeup chart below.
Map: Looking southwest at sunset. Observer's horizon is at bottom, zenith is up.
Visibility: Binoculars helpful.
Duration: All month.
Wednesday
9
January 2008
02:06:34  3-Juno at Least Brilliancy, +11.54.
07:54:09  Mercury 1.1°N of Moon.
08:01:49  Sunrise.
08:20:46  Mercury Least Elongation from Moon, 01°04'24".
09:04:53  Moonrise.
16:27:57  Mercury 2.8°W of Moon.
17:32:32  Sunset.
18:52:12  Moonset.
20:19:28  Moon 3.4°W of 4-Vesta.

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Thursday
10
January 2008
01:09:32  Moon Least Elongation from 4-Vesta, 01°08'38".
01:40:25  Moon 1.2°N of 4-Vesta.
08:01:39  Sunrise.
09:35:30  Moonrise.
17:33:33  Sunset.
20:00:40  Moonset.
20:43:59  Neptune 0.7°N of Moon.
21:17:51  Neptune Least Elongation from Moon, 00°37'06".
23:22:00  Neptune 1.5°W of Moon.
Friday
11
January 2008
08:01:26  Sunrise.
10:02:01  Moonrise.
17:34:34  Sunset.
21:08:55  Moonset.
23:48:55  Moon 8.3°W of 2-Pallas.
Saturday
12
January 2008
08:01:11  Sunrise.
08:03:04  Mercury 5.0°W of 4-Vesta.
10:26:05  Moonrise.
11:00:43  Moon Least Elongation from 2-Pallas, 03°06'30".
11:23:10  Uranus 3.1°E of Moon.
15:04:56  Moon 3.7°N of 2-Pallas.
16:51:42  Uranus Least Elongation from Moon, 01°49'12".
17:35:37  Sunset.
20:19:25  Uranus 2.3°S of Moon.
22:17:01  Moonset.
Sunday
13
January 2008
08:00:54  Sunrise.
10:49:12  Moonrise.
17:36:40  Sunset.
23:25:47  Moonset.
Monday
14
January 2008
08:00:35  Sunrise.
11:12:50  Moonrise.
17:37:45  Sunset.
Tuesday
15
January 2008
00:36:21  Moonset.
07:16:37  1566-Icarus at Greatest Brilliancy, +20.56.
08:00:13  Sunrise.
11:38:40  Moonrise.
13:46:47  Moon at Eastern Quadrature.
13:46:47  Moon at First Quarter.
17:38:50  Sunset.
Wednesday
16
January 2008
01:49:36  Moonset.
05:16:40  Sun Least Elongation from 1566-Icarus, 07°30'26".
07:59:50  Sunrise.
12:08:42  Moonrise.
12:09:58  Mercury Least Elongation from 4-Vesta, 01°51'39".
17:39:56  Sunset.
22:11:04  1566-Icarus in Conjunction with Sun.
Thursday
17
January 2008
03:05:28  Moonset.
07:59:24  Sunrise.
12:45:25  Moonrise.
13:40:05  Mercury 2.1°N of 4-Vesta.
16:14:21  3-Juno Southernmost Declination, -12°06'14".
17:41:03  Sunset.
Friday
18
January 2008
04:21:56  Moonset.
07:58:56  Sunrise.
10:30:35  Mars Dims to Magnitude -1.00.
13:31:34  Moonrise.
17:42:11  Sunset.
20:15:47  1566-Icarus Greatest Distance from Earth, 273 200 759 miles.

Moonrise with Mars

 
The planet Mars is in conjunction with the Moon on the evening of January 19.
Visible in daylight. Notice how quickly they switch positions, due to the motion of the Moon.
Map: Moon and Mars plotted hourly, starting at moonrise. Computed for a customer in the Washington DC area. Observer's horizon is at bottom, zenith is up. Visibility: Worldwide.
Duration: 1 night only.
Saturday
19
January 2008
02:35:34  Moon at Perigee, 227 682 miles.
04:56:11  Uranus 2.6°N of 2-Pallas.
05:34:42  Moonset.
07:58:26  Sunrise.
14:29:03  Moonrise.
16:17:28  Mars Least Elongation from Moon, 00°33'02".
16:25:28  Mars 0.6°S of Moon.
17:29:00  Moon Northernmost Declination, 27°58'52".
17:43:19  Sunset.
22:34:33  Moon Highest Culmination, 77°56'07" high.
22:34:33  Moon Greatest Nocturnal Altitude, 77°56'07".

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Sunday
20
January 2008
03:13:30  Pluto Southernmost Declination, -17°09'43".
06:38:44  Moonset.
07:57:54  Sunrise.
08:55:17  Uranus Least Elongation from 2-Pallas, 02°37'09".
15:37:02  Moonrise.
17:44:27  Sunset.
Monday
21
January 2008
07:31:16  Moonset.
07:57:20  Sunrise.
16:51:20  Moonrise.
17:45:36  Sunset.
22:56:32  Sun Greatest Elongation from Mercury, 18°38'39".

Rare Conjunction

 
An extremely rare dark-sky conjunction of Mercury and Neptune occurs on the 22nd. This event may be visible to observers in the tropics who have an unobstructed view of the astronomical horizon, because Mercury and Neptune will set after astronomical twilight ends. The planets will be a quarter degree apart at 23:20 UT on Jan 22; the Caribbean and NW coast of South America are favored.
Map: Looking southwest at sunset. Observer's horizon is at bottom, zenith is up. Computed for a customer in New Mexico USA. For larger context, see map above.
Visibility: Begin watching Mercury 30 minutes after sunset. Binoculars or small telescope recommended.
Duration: 1 night only.
 
Tuesday
22
January 2008
07:03:31  Mercury 0.5°W of Neptune.
07:35:50  Moon at Opposition in Longitude.
07:35:50  Moon at Full Moon.
07:56:44  Sunrise.
08:12:50  Moonset.
08:49:13  Sun Greatest Elongation from Moon, 178°36'40".
17:21:21  Mercury Least Elongation from Neptune, 00°16'14".
17:46:46  Sunset.
18:06:40  Moonrise.
22:10:13  Mercury 0.3°N of Neptune.
Wednesday
23
January 2008
07:56:06  Sunrise.
08:45:53  Moonset.
17:47:56  Sunset.
17:47:56  Mercury Greatest Nocturnal Altitude, 15°20'46".
19:19:30  Moonrise.
Thursday
24
January 2008
03:22:48  1566-Icarus at Aphelion, 183 057 029 miles.
07:55:26  Sunrise.
09:13:04  Moonset.
09:41:23  Saturn 8.0°E of Moon.
17:49:07  Sunset.
19:20:46  Mercury Latest Setting.
20:27:12  Saturn Least Elongation from Moon, 02°52'13".
20:28:33  Moonrise.
22:56:39  Saturn 3.2°N of Moon.
Friday
25
January 2008
07:54:43  Sunrise.
09:36:36  Moonset.
09:57:12  Venus Dims to Magnitude -4.00.
17:50:17  Sunset.
21:34:11  Moonrise.
Saturday
26
January 2008
02:56:30  Mercury Dims to Magnitude +0.00.
07:54:00  Sunrise.
09:58:11  Moonset.
17:51:29  Sunset.
22:37:24  Moonrise.
Sunday
27
January 2008
07:53:14  Sunrise.
10:19:14  Moonset.
11:53:43  Mercury at Perihelion, 28 583 265 miles.
17:52:40  Sunset.
23:39:23  Moonrise.
Monday
28
January 2008
01:13:12  Mercury Stationary in Right Ascension, 21h42m43s.
07:52:26  Sunrise.
10:12:21  Venus Southernmost Declination, -22°25'47".
10:41:01  Moonset.
17:53:52  Sunset.
Tuesday
29
January 2008
00:41:07  Moonrise.
07:48:49  Sun Total Darkness Ends at North Pole.
07:51:37  Sunrise.
09:31:23  Neptune 3.2°N of 4-Vesta.
11:04:49  Moonset.
17:55:04  Sunset.
17:55:46  Mercury Dims to Magnitude +1.00.
19:52:44  Mercury Greatest Elongation from Neptune, 03°20'36".
23:03:58  Moon at Western Quadrature.
23:03:58  Moon at Last Quarter.
Wednesday
30
January 2008
01:43:08  Moonrise.
07:50:45  Sunrise.
11:32:03  Moonset.
14:58:43  Mars Stationary in Right Ascension, 05h33m30s.
17:56:16  Sunset.
22:18:49  Moon at Apogee, 251 373 miles.
Thursday
31
January 2008
02:45:16  Moonrise.
07:43:29  Neptune Least Elongation from 4-Vesta, 03°02'58".
07:49:53  Sunrise.
12:04:26  Moonset.
17:57:28  Sunset.

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was conceived, computed, and produced for the web by:

J. E. Brown

Copyright © 2006-2008 J. E. Brown all rights reserved

Concepts: Diary of Phenomena, Occultations, Planetary Phenomena, Phases of the Moon, Elongations, Magnitudes, Risings, Settings, Geocentric, Planets, Asteroids, Conjunctions, Oppositions, Stationary Points, Perihelion, Aphelion