Abstract
FULL moon occurs on Jan. 4d. 07h. 48m., U.T., and new moon on Jan. 18d. 07h. 59m. The following conjunctions with the moon take place : Jan. 9d. 95h., Saturn 0·2° N. ; Jan. lOd. 10h., Mars 2° N. ; Jan. 19d. 14h., Venus 10° N. In addition to these conjunctions with the moon, Venus is in conjunction with Jupiter on Jan. 25d. 13h., Venus being 7·3° N. At the beginning of the month Mercury sets one and a half hours after the sun ; later in the month, it rises before the sun—at 6h. 20m. on Jan. 31. Venus sets more than three hours after the sun on Jan. 1 and two and a half hours after the sun on Jan, 15, and is in inferior conjunction on Jan. 31. The stellar magnitude of the planet decreases during the month from - 4·4 to 3·2. Mars rises at 23h. 25m. and 22h. 10m. on Jan. 1 and 31 respectively, appearing a little east of γ Virginis in the latter case. Jupiter can be seen for a short time, setting two hours after the sun at the beginning of January, but is drawing closer to the sun and is not favourably placed for observation during the greater portion of the month. Saturn rises at 22h. 12m., 21h. 16m. and 20h. 10m., at the beginning, middle and end of the month, respectively, and is of about magnitude 1 a little east of s Leonis. The rings are practically closed now, their plane passing close to the earth. Occultations of stars brighter than magnitude 6 are as follows : Jan. Id. 04h. 08·3m., 36 Taur. (D) ; Jan. 3d. 3h. 28·9m., 136 Taur. (D); Jan. 9d. 00h. 47·5m., σ Leon. (D) ; Jan. 9d. Olh. 43·2m., σ Leon. (R) ; Jan. 28d. 20h. 10·2m., ϰ Taur. (D) ; Jan. 31d. 18h. 45-8m., 47 Gemi. (D). D and R refer to disappearance and reappearance, respectively, and the latitude of Greenwich is assumed. The earth reaches perihelion on Jan. 3.
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The Night Sky in January. Nature 164, 1119 (1949). https://doi.org/10.1038/1641119a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/1641119a0