The open star cluster M41 will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Canis Major at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
Mercury will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 0.31 AU.
Visibility: Not observable
The Moon will pass in front of Mars, creating a lunar occultation visible from parts of Africa. Due to the closeness of the Moon to the Earth, a lunar occultation is not visible all the world.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
Mercury will reach its highest point in the sky in its January - March 2023 morning apparition. It will be shining brightly at mag -0.2.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Mars will share the same right ascension, with Moon passing 0º32' to the south of Mars.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Mars will make a close approach, passing within 0º31.4' of each other in the sky.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Asteroid 6 Hebe will reach opposition and will be visible for much of the night, when it lies opposite to the Sun in the sky in the constellation of Cancer.
Visibility: Visible with a 4 inch telescope
Observing time:
Venus and Saturn will share the same right ascension, with Venus passing 0º21' to the south of Saturn.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Mercury will share the same right ascension, with Moon passing 6º56' to the south of Mercury.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Quadrantid meteor shower 2023 will be active from December 12 to January 12, producing its peak rate of meteors around January 4. It will be best seen around the constellation of Bootes.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The open star cluster NGC 2516 will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Volans at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
The Earth will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 0.9833 AU.
Visibility: Not observable
Moon will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 0.9817 AU.
Visibility: Not observable
Venus and Saturn will make a close approach, passing within 0º20.7' of each other in the sky.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Uranus will reach the end of its retrograde motion, ending its westward movement through the constellations and returning to more usual eastward motion instead.
This reversal of direction is a phenomenon cuased the change of perspective due to Earth's and the outer planet's position. It occurs a few months after they pass opposition.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
The open star cluster NGC 2451 will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Puppis at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon will reach the furthest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 0.9860 AU
Visibility: Not observable
Pluto will pass very close to the Sun in the sky since it will be in the opposite side of the Sun. At closest approach, it will appear at a separation of only 2º16' from the Sun.
Visibility: Not observable
The Moon will be almost exactly on the other side of the Sun and will appear fully illuminated.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Moon will pass first quarter phase, during this time it appears almost exactly half illuminated.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Uranus will make a close approach, passing within 0º52.8' of each other in the sky.
Visibility: Visible with a small telescope
Observing time:
The Moon will pass in front of Uranus, creating a lunar occultation visible from parts of North America. Due to the closeness of the Moon to the Earth, a lunar occultation is not visible all the world.
Visibility: Visible with a small telescope
Observing time:
Jupiter will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 4.95 AU.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Mercury will reach its greatest separation from the Sun in its January - March 2023 morning apparition. It will be shining brightly at mag -0.2.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Jupiter will make a close approach, passing within 1º36' of each other in the sky.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Mars will share the same right ascension, with Moon passing 0º06' to the south of Mars.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Moon will pass close to the Sun and become lost in the its glare for a few days.
Visibility: Not observable
Moon and Mars will make a close approach, passing within 0º06.2' of each other in the sky.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Moon will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Earth and will appear slightly larger than at other times.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Moon will pass in front of Mars, creating a lunar occultation visible from parts of Central America. Due to the closeness of the Moon to the Earth, a lunar occultation is not visible all the world.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Jupiter will share the same right ascension, with Moon passing 1º48' to the south of Jupiter.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Moon will pass in front of Uranus, creating a lunar occultation visible from parts of Northern Europe, Greenland and Canada. Due to the closeness of the Moon to the Earth, a lunar occultation is not visible all the world.
Visibility: Visible with a small telescope
Observing time:
Venus and pluto will share the same right ascension, with Venus passing 0º52' to the north of pluto.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Uranus will make a close approach, passing within 0º39.3' of each other in the sky.
Visibility: Visible with a small telescope
Observing time:
The Moon will pass last quarter phase, during this time it appears almost exactly half illuminated.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Moon and Saturn will share the same right ascension, with Moon passing 3º49' to the south of Saturn.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The open star cluster NGC 2547 will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Vela at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
Moon and Venus will share the same right ascension, with Moon passing 3º27' to the south of Venus.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Mercury will reach half phase in its January - March 2023 morning apparition. It will be shining brightly at mag -0.1.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
Mercury will pass very close to the Sun in the sky as its orbit carries it between the Sun and Earth. At closest approach, it will appear at a separation of only 2º47' from the Sun.
Visibility: Not observable
The open star cluster M47 (NGC 2422) will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Puppis at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
The spiral galaxy NGC 2403 will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Camelopardalis at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with a large telescope
Observing time:
Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 1.11 AU.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
Mars will reach the end of its retrograde motion, ending its westward movement through the constellations and returning to more usual eastward motion instead.
This reversal of direction is a phenomenon cuased the change of perspective due to Earth's and the outer planet's position. It occurs a few months after they pass opposition.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The asteroid 2 Pallas will reach opposition and will be visible for much of the night, when it lies opposite to the Sun in the sky in the constellation of Canis Major.
Visibility: Visible with a 4 inch telescope
Observing time:
The open star cluster omicron Velorum (IC 2391) will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Vela at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The Beehive open star cluster (M44, NGC 2632) will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Cancer at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
Comet 96P/Machholz will reach the closest point along its orbit to the Sun, at a distance of 0.12 AU.
Visibility: Visible with a large telescope
Observing time:
Comet 96P/Machholz will make its closest approach to the Earth, at a distance of 0.89 AU.
Visibility: Visible with a large telescope
Observing time:
The γ-Ursae Minorid meteor shower 2023 will be active from January 15 to January 25, producing its peak rate of meteors around January 19. It will be best seen around the constellation of Ursa Minor.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
The open star cluster IC 2395 will be well placed, high in the sky. It will reach its highest point in the sky in the constellation of Vela at around midnight local time.
Visibility: Visible with binoculars
Observing time:
The Moon will reach the furthest point along its orbit to the Earth and will appear slightly smaller than at other times.
Visibility: Visible to the naked eye
Observing time:
We start the month with lunar occultations of Uranus and Mars that will repeat at the end of the month. We will have the Quadrantid meteor shower, one of the densest of the year. Comet ZTF, asteroid Pallas, asteroid Hebe and comet Machholz will be at opposition, perigee and/or perihelion.
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