January 6-10, 2021: Each morning the moon moves through the starfield, displays its waning phases to approach Morning Star Venus.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
During the mornings of January 6-10, the moon appears farther eastward as it moves toward Venus that is low in the southeast.
Venus is slowly sliding into the sun’s glare. Look for it very low in the southeast before sunrise.
Read about Venus during January.
The moon appears farther eastward each morning as it approaches Venus for a picturesque pose on the morning of January 11.
Here’s what to look for each morning:
- January 6: The moon displays its Last Quarter phase at 3:37 a.m. CST. Forty-five minutes before sunrise, the moon is about halfway up in the south-southwest, 8.4° to the upper right of the star Spica
- January 7: The moon, 37% illuminated, is 38.0° up in the south, 9.8° to the upper left of Spica. During brighter twilight, Venus is about 6° up in the southeast.
- January 8: The moon, 26% illuminated and over one-third of the way up in the south-southeast, is 2.3° to the upper left of the star Zubenelgenubi.
- January 9: The crescent moon is over 20° in altitude above the southeast horizon. It is 2.2° to the upper right of the star Graffias.
- January 10: The crescent moon the moon is 7.0° to the left of the star Antares. Find Venus over 5° in altitude in the southeast.
Read more about the planets during January.
2021, August 3: Four Evening Planets: Venus, Mars, Saturn, Jupiter
August 3, 2021: Four planets appear in the evening sky. Brilliant Evening Star Venus and dim Mars are in the west after sunset. A little later during the evening, Saturn and Jupiter are easily visible in the southeast.
2021, August 2: Saturn at Opposition
August 2, 2021: Saturn is at opposition with the sun. Earth is between the sun and the planet.
2021: August 1 – 6: Morning Moon, Bright Stars
August 1 – 6, 2021: The morning moon wanes toward its New moon phase in the eastern sky. It passes the bright stars that are prominent in the evening sky during the winter season in the northern hemisphere. The stars have been making their first appearances in the morning sky during summer. At this hour, Procyon and bright Sirius are the last stellar duo to appear.
2021, August 6: Summer’s Midpoint
August 6, 2021: In the northern hemisphere, summer’s midpoint occurs today at 6:27 p.m. CDT.
2021, July 31: Morning Sky, Moon, Mira, Uranus
July 31, 2021: The slightly gibbous moon, nearing its Last Quarter phase, is in the southeast as morning twilight begins. It is near the planet Uranus, easily within reach of a binocular. Mira, a variable star, reaches its brightest next month.
Categories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
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