Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Jan. 13 7:07 4:33

Sat., Jan. 14 7:06 4:34

Sun., Jan. 15 7:06 4:35

Mon., Jan. 16 7:06 4:37

Tues., Jan. 17 7:05 4:38

Wed., Jan. 18 7:05 4:39

Thurs., Jan. 19 7:04 4:40

Fri., Jan. 20 7:03 4:41

The gibbous moon appears near the bright red planet Mars tonight, and tomorrow night. Both are in the zodiacal constellation Virgo.

Mars has brightened significantly in just the last month. It will continue to lighten as it gets closer. Opposition, that moment when the planet is closest to the earth, takes place in March.

Mars is now about the same distance from the earth as the sun, or 93 million miles away. By the end of this month, Mars will be 73 million miles away. We can all watch this planet in the weeks ahead as it continues to brighten. The planet gets within 62 million miles of the earth on March 3. It is close, but not as close as it gets. In the 2003 opposition, Mars was only 34 million miles away.

Venus and Jupiter

The two brightest planets are at opposite sides of our sky after sunset. Venus is high in the west. Jupiter is high in the east. Though they are both bright, they are hugely different in distance from the earth.

Venus is our near neighbor. Venus is our sister planet and is covered in clouds. Venus is 120 million miles away and getting closer.

Jupiter’s size is farther away but its size almost makes up for it. Astronomers estimate that Jupiter is 418 million miles away and getting farther away. By the end of the month Jupiter will be 465 million miles away.

M.A.L.