NASA’s sky-watching tips for January include a meteor shower

NASA is focusing on four particular treats for people who look at the skies in January.

Winter circle

Start 2022 by marveling at the stars of the Winter Circle (also known as the Winter Hexagon) as they shine brightly in the night sky.

The best time to go out (or stick your head out the window if it’s too cold outside) is around 8 or 9 p.m. all next week. Looking south on a clear day you can spot the winter circle with the Pleiades and Orion.

Quadrantid meteor shower

On the night of Sunday, January 2 and until the early hours of Monday, you will have the chance to enjoy what NASA describe as “one of the best meteor showers of the year”.

The quadrantid meteor shower, like any event of its nature, is best viewed from a dark location, well away from the bright city lights. Facing northeast, look up and try to locate the constellation Boötes, the place from which meteors seem to radiate. The map below should help you out, although one of these great astronomy apps will show you the way as well.

The moon with Jupiter and Mars

On Wednesday January 5, you will be able to observe the moon near a very bright Jupiter looking southwest after sunset. “The two will only be about 4 degrees apart, which should make them appear together through most binoculars,” the NASA system said.

Finally, on Saturday January 29, early risers will be entitled to the sight of the moon appearing to be near Mars, with Venus also in the field of view.

“After leaving the evening sky last month, Venus now rises before the sun as the ‘morning star’,” says NASA, adding, “Now, Mars is slowly coming back to view after passing behind the sun. over the past few months. “

Anyone who follows NASA’s current mission to Mars will recall that the orbits of Earth and the Red Planet recently placed them on opposite sides of the sun, prompting the team to suspend the mission for a few weeks due to the brief deterioration of the communication link.

NASA notes that Mars will continue to get brighter over the next few months and move higher in the sky, moving closer to Saturn and Jupiter.