Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Jan. 27 6:58 4:50

Sat., Jan. 28 6:57 4:51

Sun., Jan. 29 6:57 4:53

Mon., Jan. 30 6:56 4:54

Tues., Jan. 31 6:55 4:55

Wed., Feb. 1 6:54 4:56

Thurs., Feb. 2 6:53 4:58

Fri., Feb. 3 6:52 4:59

On Sunday night the first quarter moon appears next to the bright planet Jupiter, high in the southern sky. The two are in the zodiacal constellation Pisces. The show continues for another night, on Monday night, when the two appear close together, though the moon will appear to have passed by and to the east of the planet.

As close as these two celestial objects appear together, their distance from the Earth is pretty dramatic. The moon is about 235,000 miles away, while Jupiter is millions of miles away. Jupiter is about 465 million miles away.

Venus and Mars

The brightest planet in the night sky, Venus, is quite high in the west after sunset and even gets higher and closer in February. Venus starts February 102 million miles away. By the end of February, Venus is closer to the Earth than the Sun, closer than 93 million mile away.

The closest planet to the Earth is the red planet Mars. Mars, which can be seen rising in the eastern sky well before midnight and is in the zodiacal constellation Leo, is 73 million miles away.

By the end of February, Mars is closer and brighter, and will be only 62 million miles away. Mars will be in opposition to the Earth on March 3, the closest it gets.

M.A.L.