Sun rises at 6:46am
Sun sets at 5:59pm
Moon phase: first quarter, waxing
Moon sets at 9:05pm, Saturday
Moon rises at 10:03am, Sunday
This weekend and the coming week, we have a new moon with an unusually wide crescent; take a moment to appreciate it in the evening sky. This week, it is waxing toward a Blue Moon, which sounds so romantic but is actually just the second full moon in one calendar month. Still, why not sing the old standard ditty “Blue Moon” on January 31, under the light of the not-so-blue Blue Moon?
But this weekend, the moon is new, a thin sliver, and it sets fairly early in the evening. The old folks say that the birds see the new moon on its first night, the fishes see the new moon on its second night, and we humans can only see the new moon on its third night.
Well, that will be Saturday evening, so ponder that as you look west after sunset. Often you can see the darkened lunar orb glowing faintly against the sunlit sliver. The poets have said, “It’s the old moon wrapped in the arms of the new moon.” Another bit of folklore is that when the new moon is shaped like a cup, with the “points” aiming upward (as it will be this weekend), this means its holding water and that it will bring rain in a day or two.
The stars this weekend should be bright, with the dim moon setting early. The Winter Circle is in full reign over the entire night, rising in the east at sunset and setting in the west as the next day’s dawn breaks. The northern portions of the sky offer the Big Dipper and Cassiopeia while the southern portions of the sky are giving time to the Southern Cross.
The Planets are prominent this weekend, but you’ll have to be a night owl or an early riser to observe them. You’ll see Jupiter and Mars in the constellation Libra and Saturn and Mercury in the constellation of Sagittarius. Jupiter sits right in the middle of Libra’s diamond shape of four stars, Mars is just below; look east around 3:00am to see this amazing sight. Sagittarius, often described as resembling a “teapot,” rises about an hour and a half later, about 30 minutes before sunrise. Saturn is atop the teapot, while Mercury is below and difficult to spot.
Thank you for keeping up with the Night Sky articles. If you are out later on in the week, each star rises about four minutes earlier each day than written here, and the moon rises 50 minutes later. Night Sky is researched and compiled by Lisa Davis-Burnett. Earthsky.org is a key resource for information and images. Questions or comments? Email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
