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This is the Griffith Observatory Sky Report for the week ending Wednesday, January 15, 2014. Here is what’s happening in the skies of Southern California:
Venus, the brightest planet, passes inferior conjunction– crossing the line between the earth and the sun–on the 11th. Because the orbit of Venus is titled, Venus will pass 6˚ north of the sun. Due of to the sun’s glare, Venus will be difficult to observe until the 15th, when it might be found through binoculars a few degrees above the east-southeast horizon just before sunrise. In the meantime, Venus can be seen in the wide-angle coronagraph images taken by NASA’s Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO).
The moon’s phase waxes gibbous until it reaches full on Wednesday the 15th, and lights the sky almost all night long this week. Sunrise on China’s Chang’e 3 lander and Yutu rover will occur on the 11th. The robotic probes should then resume their exploration of the moon’s Mare Imbrium, the Sea of Rains.
The planet Jupiter, in Gemini the Twins, gleams brilliantly all night. It becomes visible in the east-northeast shortly after sunset and passes nearly overhead at 11:30 p.m. After that, Jupiter gradually descends and sets in the west-northwest at dawn. A telescope can be used to see the planet’s storms and clouds, including the Great Red Spot. The Great Red Spot will be visible at 9:00 p.m. on January 9th, 12th, and 14th. The moon comes within 5 degrees of Jupiter on the 14th.
Orange planet Mars is best seen at dawn when it appears 51 degrees high in the south. Through a telescope at high power, the planet is just close enough to see dusky markings on its ochre-hued disk. Mars will appear more than twice as large as it does now when it is closest to earth in mid-April.
Golden planet Saturn, in Libra the Scales, appears equal to Mars in brightness, and is 30˚ to the left of Mars and in the southeast at dawn. A telescope will show the northern face of its magnificent ring system tilted 22 degrees from edge-on.
Free views of the sun during the day and of the moon, planets, and other celestial objects at night, are available to the public in clear weather through Griffith Observatory’s telescopes Tuesday-Sunday before 9:30 p.m. Check our website for our schedule. The next public star party on the grounds of Griffith Observatory, hosted by the Los Angeles Astronomical Society, the Sidewalk Astronomers, and the Planetary Society, will take place on Saturday, January 11.
From Griffith Observatory, I’m Anthony Cook and I can be reached at griffithobserver@gmail.com.