How many of the stars and constellations can you name?

There are many reasons to learn the stars. In their names and their fanciful arrangements are a history of imagination of humankind. To this, add the joy of following the sky in the changing seasons.

Arcturus rising is as sure a harbinger of Spring as the robin.

Orion returning with Winter’s chill is an old and faithful friend.

And then there is the sheer pleasure of recognition of saying, “This is the Eagle, and that is the Swan.”

The sky is half of our visual field; to ignore it is to cut oneself from half of the world’s beauty.

And so we have waited and watched through a year of starry nights. When the new year began at the stroke of midnight, the stars were high overhead and waiting to be discovered again by a new member of the astronomical society here on earth. Watch for Sirius to pass exactly south of where you stand and that will be the moment to begin your New Year’s revels.

Please remember that the nights of January can be very cold and to wear appropriate clothing to view the most brilliant constellations of any season.

Jupiter is likely to be the first “star” that you see coming out in the twilight.

Look for it in the west-southwest. As night deepens, Jupiter seems to grow in brilliance even as it sinks lower. It even outshines Sirius.

Mars is getting higher week by week in the east. It climbs into excellent view by nine or 10 p.m. Look for the shining bright, fiery orange.

Saturn rises very late in Virgo in the evenings and shines highest in the south before dawn. Its rings dramatically close to edge-on, tilted only five degrees to our line of sight.

Mercury can be spotted in early dawn during the second half of January. Look for it very low in the southeast about 50 or 60 minutes before sunrise.

Venus is buried deep in the glare of the sun this month.

Source of information: Skywatch 2010

Please send questions or comments to Chuck Hemrick, c/o The Stokes News.