Astronomical events of January 2022
Sun, Planets and Transitions
The Sun transits from Sagittarius (धनु Dhanu) to Capricornus (मकर Makar) on 20 January. Its angular diameter will be 32’31.8” on 1 January. The Earth reaches perihelion, its nearest distance from the Sun, on 4 January at 21:47 hours. The angular size of the Sun will be 32’31.8”. After that, as the Earth starts moving away from the Sun, the angular size of the Sun will start decreasing. It will be 32’28.2” on 31 January.
This month Mercury is too close to be seen. The other four classical planets can be seen in the evening soon after it gets dark. Venus, Jupiter and Saturn are seen above the western horizon. Mars is above the eastern horizon.
Mercury remains in Sagittarius. It is in its retrograde motion till 18 January, when it will be stationary at 17:22 hrs and then will be in prograde motion. On 7 January it is at inferior conjunction at 14:57, that is it will be right in the direction of the Sun but the angular separation between the two will be 2.7° and Mercury north of the Sun.
Venus now shining brilliantly above the western horizon will transit from Sagittarius (धनु) to Capricornus (मकर) on 3 January.
Venus’ angular diameter and elongation
Date Diam " El °
01 Jan 2023 10.37 17.1
15 Jan 2023 10.66 20.4
31 Jan 2023 11.08 24.0
Mars traverse in Taurus (वृषभ) this month. It is in retrograde motion and is moving in the direction of Pleiades. On 13 January it is stationary and then resumes its prograde motion after 01:44 hours.
Jupiter in Pisces (मीन) is a lone bright object, well above the western horizon.
Saturn in Capricornus (मकर). It is close to 4th bright star of Capricornus, Deneb Algedi (d Capricorni) on 14 January. The magnitude of Deneb Alged in 3.0. It will be less than 1.5° from this 3rd magnitude star. The magnitude of Saturn is 0.8.
You should certainly not miss the evening sky-watching from 21 to 23 January. On the 21st Venus, Saturn and Deneb Alged will be just about 1.5° from each other. On 22 January Venus will come right between the two. And thin Lunar crescent will join them on 23 January and Venus is now east of Saturn.
List of Events in January 2022
Dt Dy Time Event
02 Mo 02:25 Moon Ascending Node (Rahu)
03 Tu 12:24 Moon-Pleiades: 2.8° N
04 We 06:35 Moon-Mars: 0.6° N
04 We 14:06 Quadrantid Shower: ZHR = 120
05 Th 06:59 Perihelion: 0.9833 AU
06 Fr 14:08 Moon North Dec.: 27.4° N
07 Sa 10:08 Full Moon
07 Su 00:40 Moon-Pollux: 2.1° N
07 Sa 23:53 Mercury Inferior Conj.
08 Su 20:19 Moon Apogee: 406500 km
08 Mo 02:23 Moon-Beehive: 4° S
10 We 21:18 Moon-Regulus 4.28° S
15 Su 07:18 Moon-Spica 3.4° N
15 Su 13:10 Last Quarter
16 Mo 17:32 Moon Descending Node (Ketu)
18 We 20:32 Moon-Antares: 2.1° S
20 Fr 16:06 Moon South Dec.: 27.5° S
22 Su 07:53 New Moon
22 Su 07:58 Moon Perigee: 356600 km
23 Mo 03:23 Venus-Saturn: 0.3° N
23 Mo 18:22 Moon-Saturn: 3.8° N
23 Mo 19:20 Moon-Venus: 3.4° N
26 Th 13:00 Moon-Jupiter: 1.8° N
28 Su 02:19 First Quarter
28 Su 03:05 Moon Ascending Node (Rahu)
30 Mo 16:59 Mercury Elongation: 25° W
30 Mo 18:21 Moon-Pleiades: 2.6° N
31 Tu 15:24 Moon-Mars: 0.1° NMarch of the Moon
On 1 January, 75% illuminated moon will be about 45 degrees above the western horizon at sunset. 3 January near full moon will be right above Mars. On 6 January it enters the Gateway of Heaven. 7 January it passes close to Pollux. On 10 January the Moon passes close to Regulus. It will be 4.3° from it at 21:18. On 18 January nearly a 21% illuminated Moon can be seen right above 0.9 magnitude star Antares.
The next day after the new moon on 22 January, on 23 January thin lunar crescent can be seen south of Venus and Saturn within 3.5° south of them (see the fig below).
The Moon then passes south of Jupiter between the 25th and 26th of January. Then between the 30th and 31st of January, the Moon passes south of Mars.
(position of Venus on 22 Jan is also shown)
Celestial events for viewing pleasure 