Eyes to the Sky January 6 – 19, 2020

Since the winter solstice, December 21, I have been particularly attentive to the Sun as it sets into the skyline to the southwest. Even though I know that the Sun is setting about a minute later everyday, I am impressed to notice that the location of the setting Sun has inched more westerly. By the time of Vernal Equinox, March 19, sunset will be due west. Sunset today, the 6^th, is at 4:43:33pm., an increase of 15 minutes from the earliest sunset on December 8^th.  Picking up momentum, we will experience a 14-minute gain of afternoon sunlight by January 19, when sunset time is 4:57:28pm.

During January, Earth’s closest planetary neighbors are nicely placed for viewing before dawn (Mars) and after sunset (Venus). Courtesy of Sky & Telescope

Sunrise today, 7:20:13am in the southeast, is within seconds of the latest of the year, to occur all this week. By the 19^th, the Sun will rise 4 minutes earlier and, going forward to the end of January, sunrise will be about a minute earlier every morning. During this time of morning darkness, go to a dark sky location to catch sight of the wonderful Scorpion, a nighttime constellation in summer. Look southeast at least an hour before sunrise to see the whole figure of Scorpius along with red planet Mars, above on the 7^th and moving closer toward the horizon everyday. Red star Antares, the heart of the Scorpion, is a bit brighter than Mars. Antares, according to H.A. Rey, is Greek for “rival of Mars.” I have also seen it described as “simulating Mars (in color).” In light polluted areas, only Antares might be visible in the southeast until a picturesque crescent moon approaches Antares and Mars on the 19^th and hovers above Mars on the 20^th. Look with binoculars for improved visibility.