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Greetings to WTOP’s first monthly segment of “What’s up in the sky?” Discover what D.C. stargazers can observe concerning the moon, stars, and planets throughout January.
“What’s up in the sky?” is a monthly feature appearing on the first of each month. It can be found on WTOP’s The Space Place. Send your space inquiries to Greg, and he may respond in the next issue.
Welcome to the premiere monthly presentation of WTOP, “What’s up in the sky?” Each installment showcases the magnificent aspects of the sky that stargazers can enjoy, including moons, planets, and stars, along with space-related occurrences of interest happening within the D.C. area.
Perhaps you were fortunate enough to receive new binoculars, an astronomy application, or a telescope from Santa to kick off a year of stargazing. If not, it’s never too late to get ready!
Let’s explore the sky for January 2025!
The web is abuzz with reports of what is being promoted as a rare “January 25 parade of planets.” The online coverage is laden with exaggerations and inaccuracies, some leaning more towards astrology than actual astronomy.
The truth is that January 2025 promises to be a thrilling month and a fantastic beginning to the New Year for stargazers.
Essential celestial events for January
The brilliant and stunning constellations of winter will embrace you as darkness falls. Dedicate some time to locate Orion the Hunter, Taurus the Bull, Gemini the Twins, and other notable constellations.
Jan. 2-3: Quadrantid Meteor Shower
Jan. 3: The slender crescent moon and radiant Venus converge in the Southwestern sky at twilight. Watch for Earthshine on the moon’s surface.
Jan. 4: The growing crescent moon and Saturn align high in the Southwestern sky at twilight.
Jan. 9: The waxing gibbous moon is positioned within the Pleiades Star Cluster. Binoculars will greatly enhance your viewing experience.
Jan. 10: The waxing gibbous moon and Jupiter converge high in the East.
Jan. 12: Mars reaches its closest point to Earth at 9 a.m. at a distance of 59,703,891 miles.
Jan. 13-14: This marks the highlight of the month as the moon occult (obscures) Mars. Refer to the list to find the nearest city to your location. Be outside before the specified time. Binoculars and telescopes are ideal tools for witnessing this occurrence. Mars will disappear at 9:16 p.m. in D.C. and reappear at 10:30 p.m.
Jan. 15-16: Mars is in opposition in the Eastern sky at sunset, visible throughout the evening.
Jan. 17: Venus aligns with Saturn in the Southwestern sky at twilight.
Jan. 17: The striking reddish-orange Mars will be seen aligning with the two brightest stars in Gemini, the Twins — Castor and Pollux — creating an intriguing sight as they line up in the East.
Jan. 31: The waxing crescent moon will be positioned lower right of Saturn with Venus above during twilight.
Jan. 31: Once again, Mars alongside the two brightest stars in Gemini, the Twins — Castor and Pollux — will form an impressive triangle in the East.
The moon
Jan. 6: First quarter
Jan. 13: The full moon in January is referred to as the full wolf moon.
Jan. 21: Last quarter
Jan. 29: New moon
The planets
In January, Mercury appears low in the Southeastern sky roughly an hour prior to sunrise, and binoculars will greatly assist in spotting the bright yellowish planet.
Venus shines prominently above the southwest horizon as darkness descends; it is unmistakable.
Earth reaches perihelion (the year’s closest point to the Sun) on Jan. 4 at 8 a.m. at a distance of 147,103,686 km.
This month, Mars is nearest to Earth and shines its brightest, making it a striking view. Mars rises in the East at 8 p.m. as the month commences but reaches opposition, being directly opposite the Sun and rising at sunset on Jan. 15. With a small telescope, some surface details can be detected and recognized using this handy tool.
Jupiter shines brilliantly high in the sky all month, with only the moon and Venus being brighter than the king of planets. A pair of 7×50 binoculars will reveal Jupiter’s four main moons appearing like “stars” in a constantly changing line. You can identify the moons by utilizing this link. A small telescope will disclose features in Jupiter’s atmosphere.
Saturn is positioned high in the southwestern sky. A small telescope will reveal that Saturn’s rings are nearly edge-on, which is quite a sight to behold.
Uranus can be located using binoculars with this star chart to help find it. In small telescopes, the planet’s color can be distinguished, though not much detail.
Neptune requires a telescope for viewing and is worth observing due to its deep blue hue.
Pluto is situated far out in the solar system and needs imaging through a telescope over spaced days to be tracked down.
DC-area events
January occurrences at Virginia State Parks can be found here.
The NOVAC General Meeting is scheduled for George Mason University at 7:30 p.m. on Jan. 12.
The National Capital Astronomers will hold a meeting at 7 p.m. on Jan. 11 with the topic being “On the Trail of the Missing Galaxies: The Oldest Stars in the Neighborhood”, led by Thomas Brown (STScI).
The Analemma Society will be conducting public viewing sessions on Friday nights at Observatory Park at Turner Farm in Great Falls, Virginia, from 7:30-9:30 p.m.
TheSmithsonian Air & Space in D.C. and Chantilly features numerous astronomy-related attractions this January.
You can explore here and over here for astronomy clubs that exist beyond the DMV.
Bonus Feature
Download NASA’s 2025 Science calendar, which showcases stunning visuals and intriguing information.
The Planetary Society’s Space Events 2025 Calendar serves as another avenue for keeping track of space missions.
Utilize this handy tool for generating a personalized star chart for your area to assist you in navigating the stars.
Feel free to send any space-related inquiries to my email. Ideas for this feature are also appreciated.
You are commencing 2025 on the right foot by appreciating the magnificence and tranquility of the night sky … and you will be pleased you did.
Follow Greg Redfern on Facebook, Bluesky and his daily blog to stay updated with the latest developments in astronomy and space exploration.
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