Date | Event | Time |
---|---|---|
4 | Quadrantids (ZHR = 110) | before dawn |
4 | Close approach of Moon and Mars | - - - |
5 | Earth at Perihelion (Distance = 0.98330 AU) | 12:17 AM |
7 | Mercury at inferior conjunction | - - - |
8 | Moon at Apogee (Distance = 406,419.714) | 05:19 PM |
22 | Moon at Perigee (Distance = 356,681.807) | 04:57 AM |
23 | Conjunction of Venus and Saturn | - - - |
26 | Close approach of Moon and Jupiter | - - - |
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Full Moon | |
Jan 07 | 07:08 AM | |
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Last Quarter | |
Jan 15 | 10:10 AM | |
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New Moon | |
Jan 22 | 04:53 AM | |
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First Quarter | |
Jan 28 | 11:19 PM |
Date | Mercury | Venus | Mars | Jupiter | Saturn | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Rise | Set | Rise | Set | Rise | Set | Rise | Set | Rise | Set | |
Jan 1 | 07:16 AM | 06:34 PM | 07:35 AM | 06:53 PM | 03:11 PM | *04:13 AM | 11:19 AM | 11:20 PM | 09:09 AM | 08:40 PM |
Jan 11 | 05:48 AM | 07:06 PM | 07:45 AM | 07:09 PM | 02:28 PM | *03:29 AM | 10:44 AM | 10:47 PM | 08:33 AM | 08:05 PM |
Jan 21 | 04:52 AM | 04:11 PM | 07:51 AM | 07:23 PM | 01:50 PM | *02:52 AM | 10:09 AM | 10:14 PM | 07:58 AM | 07:30 PM |
Jan 31 | 04:46 AM | 04:04 PM | 07:55 AM | 07:37 PM | 01:18 PM | *02:19 AM | 09:36 AM | 09:42 PM | 07:23 AM | 06:56 PM |
* = following day
![]() Figure 1. The view of the night sky featuring the prominent January constellations showing the Northern and the Southern Hemisphere on 15 January at 09:00 PM using Stellarium software |
Orion, the Hunter, is one of the brightest and most recognizable constellations in the night sky during this month. Orion contains a number of famous nebulae, two of which are the Orion Nebula (M42) and the Horsehead Nebula. Two of the ten brightest stars in the sky are located in the constellation Orion. Rigel, the brightest star in Orion, is the sixth brightest star in the sky, while Betelgeuse, Orion’s second brightest star, is the eighth brightest star in the sky [2, 4].
![]() a) Taurus and Orion Constellation |
![]() b) Orion Nebula (M42) |
![]() c) Crab Nebula (M1) |
![]() d) Pleiades (M45) |
Figure 2. Some prominent deep-sky objects in the constellation Taurus and Orion |
The Orion Nebula (M42), the Crab Nebula (M1), the Pleiades (M45), the Hyades cluster, and the Large Magellanic Cloud are the most prominent astronomical targets for the month of January [2]. Figure 2 shows the location of some of the deep-sky objects and bright stars in the constellation Orion and Taurus.
Mars will be readily visible in the evening sky just after sunset. On January 4 at 3:51 PM, the Moon and Mars will approach closely, passing 0° 32" south of Mars (Figure 3). Mars will be at mag -1.1, while the Moon will be at mag -12.5. Both objects will be located in the constellation Taurus. The duo will be too far apart for a telescope to see them, but they will still be visible to the unaided eye or via a small telescope [7].
![]() Figure 3. The view of the northeastern sky on 04 January at 06:30 PM during the close approach of Moon and Mars, using Stellarium software |
Jupiter will be visible in the southwestern night sky after sunset. On 26 January, the Moon and Jupiter will be in close proximity, passing just 1°36' apart. But you can see it on the western horizon in the evening after sunset (Figure 4). They won't fit within a telescope's field of vision because they will be too far apart, but they will be visible to the unaided eye or via a pair of binoculars [8].
![]() Figure 4. The view of the southwestern sky on 20 January at 08:00 PM during the close approach of Moon and Jupiter, using Stellarium software |
Venus and Saturn will lie in the constellation Capricornus and can be observed in the southwestern night sky. On January 23, three (3) conjunctions will take place (Figure 5); these are the conjunction between Saturn and Venus [9], the conjunction of Saturn and Moon [10], and the conjunction of Venus and Moon [11].
![]() Figure 5. The view of the southwestern sky on 23 January at 07:00 PM during the conjunction of Venus and Saturn, using Stellarium software |
The Quadrantid meteor shower, produced by asteroid 2003 EH1 is active from 28 December to 12 January, with peak activity occurring on 04 January. At its peak, Quadrantids is estimated to produce a nominal rate of 110 meteors per hour [12]. The meteor shower is anticipated to be active from the time the constellation Bootes radiant rises in the northeastern sky around 01:00 AM. The presence of a waxing gibbous Moon, which is nearly three (3) days away from its full phase at the shower’s peak, presents significant interference with the meteor shower observation (Figure 6) [13].
Figure 6. The view of the southeastern sky during the peak of Quadrantids on 04 January at 04:00 AM when the shower's radiant is represented by the green solid circle. |
The finest display of meteor shower is visible whenever the shower’s radiant point is above the horizon, with the number of visible meteors increasing as the radiant point ascends higher in the sky. Meteor showers are observable through the naked eye, and no special equipment such as telescopes or binoculars is needed. Maximize the viewing experience by choosing a dark observation site away from the city lights under clear and moonless sky conditions.
The Department of Science and Technology encourages everyone to support the advocacy for the observance of National Time Consciousness Week (NTCW) on 01-07 January 2023. With NTCW 2023 theme “Oras Pinas: Tamang Oras Tungo sa Maunlad na Pilipinas,” the event aims to promote punctuality among Filipinos as it plays a crucial part in building a more progressive nation.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the designated official timekeeper of the Philippine Standard Time, will be conducting a webinar to help spread awareness of the importance of time in the everyday lives of every Filipino.
Read more on DOST NTCW Campaign here: https://www.stii.dost.gov.ph/1606-dost-leads-oras-pinas
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Notes:
*following day
• All times displayed are in Philippine Standard Time (PhST)
References:
[1] PAGASA Special Publication No. 840: The Philippine Star Atlas, 2019
[2] C. Guide, “Constellations: A Guide to the Night Sky, January Constellation” https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellations-by-month/january-constellations/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[3] C. Guide, “Constellations: A Guide to the Night Sky, Taurus Constellation” https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/taurus-constellation//, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[4] C. Guide, “Constellations: A Guide to the Night Sky, Orion Constellation” https://www.constellation-guide.com/constellation-list/orion-constellation/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[5] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Mercury at inferior solar conjunction" https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230107_11_100/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[6] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Mercury at dichotomy" https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230124_11_100/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[7] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Conjunction of Moon and Mars" https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230103_20_100/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[8] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Close approach of the Moon and Jupiter" https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230126_15_100/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[9] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Conjunction of Venus and Saturn" https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230122_20_100/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[10] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Conjunction of Moon and Saturn" https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230123_20_100/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[11] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Conjunction of Moon and Venus” https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230123_20_101, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[12] International Meteor Organization, “Meteor Shower Calendar” https://www.imo.net/resources/calendar/, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
[13] D. Ford, “In-The-Sky.org Guide to the night sky: Quadrantid meteor shower 2023” https://in-the-sky.org/news.php?id=20230104_10_100, Last accessed 2022-12-26, 2022
For more information, call or email:
Ms. Ma. Rosario C. Ramos, RCE
Chief, SSAS - RDTD
PAGASA - DOST
Diliman, Quezon City
Trunkline: 8284-0800 loc 106, 107, 116
Email add: astronomy@pagasa.dost.gov.ph