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Tracking January Skies

Posted at 4:00 PM, Jan 07, 2013
and last updated 2013-01-08 06:07:37-05

WEST MICHIGAN (FOX 17) — Here is a look at some of the sights you can see in the sky at night. This information is provided by Indiana University.

PLANETS:  Jupiter continues to shine brightly this month. You can see it high in the eastern sky just after sunset until around Midnight. There is an orange-tinted star next to Jupiter. While many will mistake this for the planet Mars, it is actually the star Aldebran.  Speaking of Mars, it will be visible low in the southwest sky at sunset and only visible for a couple of hours. Meanwhile, Saturn rises around 2AM in the southern sky. It will be highest in the sky right before sunrise, offering those with a telescope a great view of the rings.  For all practical purposes, Venus and Mercury are not visible this month. That said, you may be able to catch a glimpse of the former just before sunrise in the southeastern sky.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE MONTH:  On January 21, Jupiter and the moon will be right next to each other. Should be a beautiful sight.

MOON PHASES

  • Last Quarter:  January 4
  • New Moon: January 11
  • First Quarter: January 18
  • Full Moon: January 26

FORECAST: To find out if we’ll have sunshine or moonshine, join us on FOX 17 News or visit the weather page at http://www.fox17online.com/weather