Stargazing in January: the Winter Circle and the Morning Star

Stargazing in January: the Winter Circle and the Morning Star Today’s Video of the Day from the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory describes all of the exciting things that can be seen in the January night sky. This week, look southward to see all the bright stars of the Winter Circle, along with the Pleiades and Orion. 

While the peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower has just passed, some meteors could still be visible through January 16.

Tomorrow, on January 5th, look to the southwest after sunset to find the crescent Moon close to Jupiter. According to NASA, the two will be only about four degrees apart, which should make them appear together through most binoculars.

In the early morning hours of January 29th, the moon will line up closely with Mars, and Venus will be visible with the pair in the southeastern sky. 

Venus is now rising before the Sun as the “Morning Star,” and Mars will continue to become brighter over the next few months. Stargazing in January: the Winter Circle and the Morning Star also shown above in video will show the incredible view Mars is a real place, not just a pinprick in the sky.

Video Credit: NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory 

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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer