Night sky tonight: See the moon shine next to Saturn after sunset
The night sky is full of wonder. Here's what to look out for tonight.
Thursday, Jan. 22: Waxing crescent moon and Saturn (after dark)
Tonight, the moon has moved on in its orbit and appears to be approaching Saturn in the early evening sky. Look to the west-southwest to find the 17%-lit waxing crescent moon about six degrees below Saturn. The thicker crescent makes Earthshine a little harder to see than on previous nights, but the ghostly disk is still there. — Jamie Carter
Wednesday, Jan. 21: Waxing crescent moon and Saturn (after dark)
Look low in the west-southwest after dark to see a 10%-lit waxing crescent moon sharing the twilight with Saturn. Shining in the faint constellation Pisces, the ringed planet appears as a steady "star" shining to the upper left of the moon. Although you'll need a telescope to see Saturn's rings, Earthshine on the crescent moon should be obvious, softly lighting the lunar night side. From the perspective of the moon, Earth looks nearly full at this time of the "moonth" and would appear 30–50 times brighter than the full moon does from Earth. — Jamie Carter
Tuesday, Jan. 20: Waxing crescent moon (after dark)
Despite being only 4%-illuminated tonight, the waxing crescent moon should be much easier to find than yesterday. Seen in the southwest about 45 minutes after sunset in a much darker sky, the moon will display one of naked eye stargazing's most delicious sights — Earthshine.
Look away from the sharp crescent, and you'll see that the rest of the moon is faintly lit. That's sunlight from Earth's clouds, oceans and ice being reflected onto the moon's night side, and then back to your eyes. Since Earthshine depends on Earth's reflectivity, astronomers have used long-term measurements of it to study changes in cloud cover and Earth's overall brightness, turning the ghostly light into a tool for tracking our planet's climate. — Jamie Carter
Monday, Jan. 19: A young crescent moon (after dark)
Here's a really challenging observation for naked-eye moongazers — so tricky that having a pair of binoculars would be very wise. Just a day after the new moon, this evening after sunset will see a razor-thin 1%-lit waxing crescent moon make a tentative return to the evening sky. Shortly after sunset, look very low in the west-southwest for a faint sliver of light hovering just above the horizon. If you have binoculars, play it safe by using them only when the sun has dipped completely below the horizon. — Jamie Carter
Night sky for tonight and the weekend
Friday, Jan. 16: A sky full of stars (after dark)
The nights leading up to the new moon phase on Jan. 18 are a perfect opportunity for novice stargazers to explore the constellations that populate the winter night sky. Head to a dark location and make the most of the lack of moonlight by focusing in on a famous constellation — such as Orion, the Hunter — and then use a star finding smartphone app or planesphere to identify and familiarize yourself with the stellar formations surrounding it. Around the new moon phase, even the faintest members of constellations can become visible. Repeat the process as much as possible and before you know it, you'll have built an internal map of the stars that you can carry with you throughout the years.
Saturday, Jan. 17: Ursa Major rising (after dark)
Face the northern sky a few hours after dark and you'll see the stars of the Big Dipper rising, bowl first and handle last. You likely recognise the seven stars of the Big Dipper, but how about the rest of the constellation it's part of — Ursa Major? Latin for "Great Bear," it's a lot more extensive than the Big Dipper, which is merely an informal asterism, or formation of stars within the much larger constellation.
Key stars you probably don't know include Muscida, beyond the bowl stars and the three wide double stars that mark the Great Bear's feet — Alula Borealis and Alula Australis, Tania Borealis and Tania Australis, and Talitha and Al Kaprah. As the night advances, the entire figure wheels counter clockwise around Polaris, the North Star. — Jamie Carter
Sunday, Jan. 18: Polaris, the North Star (after dark)
With the moon reaching its new moon phase today at 9:52 a.m. EST, the evening skies are at their darkest, making it a perfect time to get to know Polaris, the North Star. Face north and find the Big Dipper. Draw a line from the two stars at the end of the bowl (Dubhe and Merak, the "Pointers") and extend it about five times their separation. That imaginary line will point you towards a modest-looking star in a relatively empty patch of the night sky. That's Polaris, which rests close to Earth's north celestial pole. Polaris is just the 48th brightest star, but it marks the direction of true north to within about a degree, making it invaluable for navigation. Observe for an hour or two, and you'll see the rest of the northern sky rotate around Polaris. — Jamie Carter
Friday, Jan. 16: A waning crescent moon (before dawn)
Rise an hour before the sun this Friday for a chance to see something few others ever do — a super-slim crescent moon about to dip into the sun's glare. Rising in the southeast, the waning crescent moon will be barely 5%-illuminated, perfect for a beautiful but fleeting observation. Again, you'll need an unobstructed view and clear skies because the moon rises only a short time before the sun. New moon is imminent. — Jamie Carter
Tuesday, Jan. 13: The Wintermaker (after dark)
After dark, look south for Orion's three equally spaced belt stars, framed by bright Betelgeuse above and Rigel below. To many Indigenous peoples, this familiar pattern is more than a hunter. The Navajo know the figure as Átsé Ets'ózí, the First Slim One, while in Ojibwe culture it expands into Biboonkeonini, the Wintermaker, by adding Aldebaran in Taurus and Procyon in Canis Minor to form a giant figure whose arms are outstretched. These stars dominate the night in the coldest months, and among the Ojibwe and other tribes, their stories were traditionally told only in winter, when the Wintermaker stood high in the sky. — Jamie Carter
Also read: The Native American night sky: 7 starry sights to see
Wednesday, Jan. 14: Waning crescent moon and Antares (before dawn)
Look low in the southeast before dawn on Jan. 14 to spot a delicate, 17% illuminated waning crescent moon a few degrees from bright star Antares — the supergiant star that forms the red heart of the constellation Scorpius. Note the contrast between the moon's pale light and the warm orangey glow of Antares. It's a somewhat unexpected sight in midwinter, because Scorpius is a summer constellation, but Earth's tilt means the pre-dawn sky shows us stars from the opposite season. You're essentially looking ahead to the stars that will dominate the evening sky in six months. For those who want to learn the night sky in double-quick time, the lesson is simple — get up earlier! — Jamie Carter
Monday, Jan. 12: The Winter Hexagon (after dark)
On midwinter evenings, the entire southern sky is framed by one immense pattern: the Winter Hexagon. Start low in the southeastern sky with Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, then move up going clockwise to white Procyon, in Canis Minor. From there, hop to golden Pollux in the constellation Gemini, which can be found shining close to Jupiter, then up to Capella high overhead in Auriga. Next, slide across to Aldebaran — the orange eye of Taurus — and then down to blue-white Rigel in Orion, before returning to Sirius.
This giant loop of stars encloses much of the winter Milky Way and several famous constellations, making it a superb way to learn the night sky. In Dakota culture, it's called Çan Hd/Gleska Wakan (Sacred Loop), Inipi/Initipi (Sweat Lodge) and Ki Inyanka Ocanku (Racetrack), though the Pleiades is often used instead of Aldebaran. — Jamie Carter
Night sky for tonight and the weekend
Friday, Jan. 9: The circumpolar sky (after dark)
Turn to the north after dark, and you'll see stars that never set — the circumpolar constellations — which form the backbone of the Northern Hemisphere night sky. The familiar shape of the "Big Dipper" asterism, which forms the core of the larger constellation of Ursa Major, can be found low on the northeastern horizon in the hours following sunset on Jan. 9. Look to its upper left to find the 'M' shape of the constellation Cassiopeia.
These two easily identifiable star patterns will appear to slowly circle Polaris, the North Star, which lies between the two stellar formations. Polaris marks the point in the sky almost directly above Earth's north pole. As a result, it hardly moves, while the entire night sky seems to rotate anticlockwise around it. — Jamie Carter
Saturday, Jan. 10: Jupiter at opposition (after dark)
Tonight is all about mighty Jupiter. The giant planet reaches opposition in the early hours of Jan. 10, standing opposite the sun in our sky and shining at about magnitude -2.7 in the constellation Gemini, just to the right of the star Pollux. Brighter than any star in the night sky, Jupiter is already rising in the east at sunset. Around midnight, it rides high in the south, mimicking the path of the summer sun. It sets in the west as the glow of dawn rises in the east. Opposition brings Jupiter to its closest approach to Earth in its orbit, so its disk is slightly larger and brighter than usual. With Saturn visible in the southwest after dark, it's an excellent night for naked-eye planet spotting. — Jamie Carter
Saturday, Jan. 10 and Sunday, Jan. 11: Last quarter moon and Spica (before dawn)
Early risers across two mornings are rewarded with a graceful pairing in the south. Before dawn on Saturday, Jan. 10, a half-lit last-quarter moon shines with Spica, the brightest star in Virgo. Come Sunday, Jan. 11, a 42%-illuminated crescent moon, now on the wane, will sit about five degrees below it. This fine pre-dawn view today has another dimension for skywatchers, as the moon's illuminated side points roughly toward where the sun will soon rise. — Jamie Carter
Thursday, Jan. 8: The “Hole in the Sky” (after dark)
Tonight, look just above the big "V" that represents the face of the celestial bull in the constellation Taurus to find a tight knot of stars that has been known to cultures spread across the millennia of human existence. This is the Pleiades star cluster (M45), also called the Seven Sisters. To the naked eye, it resembles a tiny dipper. In Ojibwe culture, it's Bugonagiizhig, the "Hole in the Sky," imagined as a spiritual doorway between Earth and sky. For the Dakota, Lakota and Nakota, it's the Seven Girls. The Navajo call it Dilyéhé and link its seasonal visibility to planting and harvest times. How many individual stars can you pick out? Most people see six, but if your eyesight is excellent, you may find seven. — Jamie Carter
Wednesday, Jan. 7: Taurus constellation and the “big V” (after dark)
After dark, face southeast to meet the ancient constellation Taurus, the Bull. Start with the bright orange star Aldebaran, marking the Bull's fiery eye. Surrounding it is a distinctive "V" formation of stars — the Hyades open cluster — outlining the Bull's face. This shape is one of the easiest star patterns to learn and once you recognize it, you'll see it every clear winter night. Aldebaran itself lies in front of the Hyades, like a glowing eye superimposed on the Bull's head. Take a few minutes to trace the V, taking account of what's nearby — the Pleiades (above) and Orion's Belt (below). — Jamie Carter
Tuesday, Jan. 6: Waning gibbous moon and Regulus (after dark)
Look to the east roughly two hours before midnight tonight to see a bright waning gibbous moon, now 82%-illuminated, rise with a prominent speck of starlight ahead of it. That bright point represents the gargantuan star Regulus, the "heart" of the great lion represented in the constellation Leo.
Regulus shines about six degrees ahead of the moon after dark for most of North America. Earlier in the day, at about 10:19 a.m. EST (15:20 GMT) on Jan. 6, the moon passed just half a degree from Regulus — about the diameter of the moon — while it was below the horizon for North American observers. As the night wears on, the pair will arc high into the southern sky.
In behind-the-scenes news from the solar system, Venus reaches superior conjunction today, as its orbit carries it past the far side of the sun relative to Earth, rendering it lost in the glare of our parent star. — Jamie Carter
Monday, Jan. 5: Winter and Summer Triangles (after dark)
Step outside after dark to find two great stellar triangles that help mark the changing of the seasons in the Northern Hemisphere. First, look west to find the fading Summer Triangle, with bright Vega high in the west, Deneb to its lower left and Altair lower toward the horizon. It will soon be gone until August.
The Winter Triangle, meanwhile, can be found rising in the east, made up of the red star Betelgeuse in the constellation Orion, the brilliant Sirius below in Canis Major, and Procyon in Canis Minor. The hazy band of the Milky Way runs through both triangles. Watching the Summer Triangle sink as the Winter Triangle ascends is a simple way to track Earth's journey around the sun. — Jamie Carter
Night sky for tonight and the weekend
Friday, Jan. 2: A late afternoon moon (before sunset)
During the week of the full moon, it's possible to see it long before sunset. Look to the east an hour before the sun goes down, and you'll see a 99%-illuminated waxing gibbous moon in daylight, which will quickly brighten into an impressive yellowish orb after sunset as dusk kicks in. — Jamie Carter
Saturday, Jan. 3: Full 'Wolf Moon' on Perihelion Day (after dark)
The moon reaches its full phase at 5:03 EST (1003 GMT) this morning. Saturday night is a great opportunity to watch the first full moon of the year dominate the evening sky as it rises in the west between Jupiter and bright star Pollux. The full "Wolf Moon" comes on the same day as Earth reaches its perihelion (closest point) to the sun. It's a reminder that the Northern Hemisphere is experiencing winter because it's currently tilting away from it, not because of Earth's distance from the sun. — Jamie Carter
Sunday, Jan. 4: Quadrantid meteor shower peaks (early hours)
With a bright moon just past full dominating the night sky, the Quadrantid meteor shower isn't expected to be anything special this year. However, with up to 120 shooting stars per hour possible, it's a good time to wrap up warm and go stargazing for an hour — you may spot one if you keep the bright moon behind you and out of your line of peripheral vision. Quadrantids are caused by dust and debris left in the inner solar system by an object called 2003 EH1, an asteroid with comet-like origins. Quadrantids appear to radiate from the constellation Boötes, while the shower's odd name comes from a now defunct constellation, Quadrans Muralis. — Jamie Carter
Wednesday, Dec. 31: Moon closest to the Pleiades (after dark)
A 99%-illuminated full moon slides alongside the Pleiades tonight in the constellation Taurus, starting around 8:45 p.m. EST.
For observers in North America, the moon will get to within a degree of the individual stars in the cluster.
The view of a full moon surrounded by the tiny glimmer of the Pleiades is worth seeing, despite the strong moonlight.
— Jamie Carter
Tuesday, Dec. 30: Moon approaches the Pleiades (after dark)
The 83%-illuminated waxing gibbous moon approaches the Pleiades (M45), one of the jewels of the winter night sky. One of the closest — and surely the most impressive — open clusters to the solar system, its seven bright stars (though most people can only see six) lend it the name "Seven Sisters."
The duo will be easily visible together in the eastern night sky.
— Jamie Carter
Monday, Dec. 29: Ursa Minor constellation (after dark)
Ursa Major, "The Great Bear — and its chief shape, the Big Dipper — gets a lot of attention, but what about its sidekick?
With Ursa Minor hidden in the haze of the horizon at this time of year, it's the best time to look for Ursa Minor, "The Little Dipper," due north. Its main bright star is Polaris, the North Star, one of seven stars that, with Kochab in the bowl, are the next brightest. — Jamie Carter
Friday, Dec. 26: Moon with Saturn (after dark)
At dusk, the 41%-illuminated waxing crescent moon appears less than three degrees from Saturn high in the south, with bright star Fomalhaut below, in the constellations Pisces. The contrasting colors — Saturn's golden light and the moon's brightening silver — make an easy naked-eye pairing.
— Jamie Carter
Wednesday, Dec. 24: A crescent moon — and space reindeer? (after dark)
A lovely 21%-illuminated waxing crescent moon will be visible on Christmas Eve, shining in the southwest after dark against the stars of Aquarius. For a bonus festive sight, check NASA's Spot The Station for any scheduled flybys of the International Space Station, which is now just past its 25th birthday. It appears as a surprisingly bright, steady light gliding silently across the sky in a few minutes … and could easily be mistaken for Santa's sleigh being pulled by reindeer. — Jamie Carter
Tuesday, Dec. 23: Crescent moon and Earthshine (after sunset)
A 14%-illuminated waxing crescent moon will hang low in the southwest tonight, soon after sunset, still in Capricorn, with bright star Fomalhaut to its left side. It will remain in the night sky for a little longer tonight. — Jamie Carter
Monday, Dec. 22: Crescent moon and Earthshine (after sunset)
Look to the southwest just after sunset, and you'll see a 7%-illuminated waxing crescent moon shining in front of the stars of the constellation Capricorn. Look out for Earthshine on its night side. — Jamie Carter
Night sky for tonight and the weekend
Friday, Dec. 19: New moon and the winter Milky Way (after dark)
The moon turns new at 8:43 p.m. EST on Dec. 19 (0143 a.m. GMT on Dec. 20), giving stargazers the darkest skies of the month. Astrophotographers often obsess about the Milky Way's bright core, which is at its most visible during the summer months from the northern hemisphere, but the winter Milky Way — looking away from its center — is almost as impressive. From rural locations, the Milky Way faintly arcs from Cassiopeia to Orion, providing a stunning reminder of the vast galaxy that we inhabit. — Jamie Carter
Saturday, Dec. 20: Jupiter as the 'Christmas Star' (after sunset)
Was Jupiter the 'Christmas Star'? According to the Bible, a star appeared in the sky at the time of the birth of Jesus Christ in Jerusalem, causing a group of wise men to "follow yonder star" to worship him. Was it a planet? The source of this Christmas legend is unclear. The 17th-century German astronomer Johannes Kepler — he who laid down the laws of planetary motion — pondered whether it may have been a very close conjunction of Saturn and Jupiter in the year 7 BC. Tonight, Jupiter alone makes a play for the title, shining at magnitude -2.6 as it appears in the east about 90 minutes after sunset and remains visible for the rest of the night. It will shine alongside the two brightest stars in the constellation Gemini, Castor and Pollux. — Jamie Carter
Sunday, Dec. 21: Young moon on the solstice as Ursids peak (after dark)
Winter begins in the Northern Hemisphere at 10:03 a.m. EST (1503 GMT). Hours later, a 4%-illuminated waxing crescent moon will be visible in the southwest, just after sunset. It will set soon after, leaving the night sky dark for the peak of the Ursid meteor shower. Expect about 10 shooting stars per hour, which come from dust and debris left in the inner solar system by comet 8P/Tuttle. Meteors will appear to radiate from between the Big Dipper and the Little Dipper in the northern sky. — Jamie Carter
Thursday, Dec. 18: Orion’s Sword (after dark)
Anytime after dark is great for looking more closely at one of the jewels of the winter night sky. Look below Orion's Belt — which will be visible in the southeast after sunset — for a short vertical line of faint stars known to astronomers as Orion's Sword.
A soft haze of light may be visible surrounding the middle star. This is the Orion Nebula (M42), the closest large star-forming region to the solar system, which orbits within the Milky Way at just 1,500 light-years from Earth. — Jamie Carter
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