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Sun, Moon & Stars

Movement of the heavenly bodies: January 2002

January Calendar

Moon Phase	Day	Phenomenon	Hour (UT)	Hour (EST)
	1	Jupiter is at opposition, that is, Jupiter and the Sun are aligned on opposite sides of the Earth.	0600	1 am
	2	The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.	0700	2 am
	2	Earth is at its perihelion, or closest point to the Sun in its yearly orbit.	1400	9 am
	6	LAST QUARTER	0400	11 pm (Jan. 5)
	8	Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Pallas and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.	2200	5 pm
	9	Mercury is 1 degree 3 minutes south of Neptune.	0500	12 am (midnight)
	11	Mercury is at its greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, at 19 degrees east of the Sun	2300	6 pm
	13	NEW MOON	1300	8 am
	14	Venus is in superior conjunction, that is, Venus and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.	1200	7 am
	15	Mercury is 4 degrees north of the Moon.	0200	9 pm (Jan. 14)
	15	Uranus is 4 degrees north of the Moon.	2200	5 pm
	16	Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion.	1700	12 pm (noon)
	18	Mercury appears to be motionless in the sky as its direct motion changes to apparent backward, or retrograde, motion.	0900	4 am
	18	The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit.	0900	4 am
	18	Mars is 5 degrees north of the Moon.	2200	5 pm
	21	FIRST QUARTER	1800	1 pm
	24	Saturn is 0 degrees 8 minutes south of the Moon. Saturn is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.	1600	11 am
	26	Jupiter is 0 degrees 9 minutes south of the Moon. Jupiter is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon.	1900	2 pm
	27	Mercury is in inferior conjunction, that is, the Sun and the Earth are aligned on opposite sides of Mercury.	1900	2 pm
	28	Neptune is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Neptune and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun.	1400	9 am
	28	FULL MOON	2300	6 pm
	30	The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit.	0900	4 am