Sky Chart For The Month of January, 2008
ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2008
The Moon
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New Moon occurs on 8th at h. 17-07 I.S.T. |
First Quarter occurs on 16th at h. 01-16 I.S.T. |
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Full Moon occurs on 22nd at h. 19-05 I.S.T. |
Last quarter occurs on 30th at h. 10-33 I.S.T. |
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The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 9th. |
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The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 3rd and 31st and at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 19th. |
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The Moon passes about 7º south of Venus on 5th, about 4½º south of Jupiter on 7th, about ½º south of Mercury in the evening of 9th, about ½º south of Neptune on 11th, about 2½º north of Uranus on 13th, about 1º north of Mars in the early hours of 20th and 3º south of Saturn on 25th.
The Earth
The Earth approaches the Perihelion position in its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 3rd.
The Planets
The Visibility of Planets
:Mercury
: The planet is too near the Sun to be visible upto 4th day of this month. Thereafter it reappears and can be seen in the evening low in the western sky, sets about ½ hour to 1 hour after sunset. It is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 19º from the Sun on 22nd. It approaches perihelion in its orbit or reaches the nearest position to the Sun on 27th. The motion of the planet becomes Retrograde with respect to the Earth on 29th.Venus
: It is a brilliant object which can be seen in the eastern sky before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight during the month. It rises about 2½ hours to 2 hours before sunrise during the month.Mars
: The planet can be seen throughout the month. It sets about 1 hour before sunrise during first quarter of the month, about 1 hour to 2½ hours before sunrise upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 3 hours before it during last quarter of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to the Earth on 30th.Jupiter
: The planet can be seen low in the eastern sky before sunrise from 5th day of the month and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight. It rises about ½ hour to 1½ hours before sunrise upto third quarter of the month and about 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.Saturn
: The planet can be seen throughout the month and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight. It rises about 3 hours before local midnight during first quarter of the month, about 3 hours to 2½ hours after sunset during second and third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 2 hours after sunset during the remaining days of the month.Uranus
: The planet is seen in the western sky after sunset and sets about 2 hours to 3½ hours before local midnight upto third quarter of the month and 2½ hours after sunset for the remaining days of the month.Neptune
: The planet can be seen in the evening in the western sky after sunset throughout the month. It sets about 3 hours to 2 hours after sunset upto second quarter of the month and about 2 hours to ½ hour after it during the remaining days of the month.Conjunction of Planets :
Venus passes 6º north of the star Antares (Jyestha) on 7th.
Mercury passes about ½º north of Neptune on 23rd.
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Planets |
Planets in Zodiacal Constellation |
Magnitude |
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Mercury (Budha) |
Moves from Sagittarius (Dhanus) to Capricornus (Makara) on 4th. |
+0.9 to -0.9 |
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Venus (Sukra) |
Moves from Scorpio (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 19th. |
-4.0 |
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Mars (Mangala) |
Remains in Gemini (Mithuna) |
-0.8 to -1.6 |
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Jupiter (Brihaspati) |
Remains in Sagittarius (Dhanus). |
-1.9 |
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Saturn (Sani) |
Remain in Leo (Simha). |
+0.5 |
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Uranus |
Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha). |
+5.7 |
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Neptune |
Remains in Capricornus (Makara). |
+7.8 |
Source : : Director
Positional Astronomy Centre
India Meteorological Department
New Alipore, Kolkata - 700 053.