Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Jan. 7 7:08 4:27

Sat., Jan. 8 7:08 4:28

Sun., Jan. 9 7:08 4:29

Mon., Jan. 10 7:08 4:30

Tues., Jan. 11 7:07 4:31

Wed., Jan. 12 7:07 4:32

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

Fri., Jan. 14 7:07 4:33

A crescent moon appears low in the southwestern sky this weekend. The moon is moving through the zodiacal constellation Aquarius. On Sunday night the moon appears next to the bright planet Jupiter; the two are in the zodiacal constellation Pisces.

On Wednesday night the moon is first quarter, still in Pisces and high in the west after sunset.

Milky Way

The Milky Way, that stellar cloud that extends across our night sky, looks especially interesting at this time of year. As the moon sets in the west, the Milky Way is right overhead. It extends from the northwest overhead and drops down into the eastern sky.

The constellations Perseus, Cassiopeia and Auriga are all close to overhead. The constellations are full of stars. The brightest of them all, Capella, is in Auriga. Capella is the sixth brightest star in the night sky.

Cassiopeia, a queen in mythology, looks like a giant letter “w” overhead. With binoculars, a stargazer can see many, many more stars. There are two star clusters near Cassiopeia that are easily visible with binoculars, barely visible without.

M.A.L.