By Melanie McQuigg (Y12)
The celestial show continues! Following last week’s dark skies, the Moon is returning to the spotlight, growing in brightness and offering us spectacular views of some of the most famous sights in our solar system. Here is what you need to know to catch these moments…
Saturn below Moon – 23rd of January
Saturn is still the planetary star of the week, and this night will offer another perfect chance to spot it. The ringed planet will sit below the crescent Moon towards the southwest horizon shortly after sunset. This beautiful pairing marks the grand finale of the “Saturn-Moon dance” for this month. If you’re lucky, you might also see Earthshine on the dark part of the Moon. Earthshine is caused by sunlight reflected by the Earth onto the Moon. You will be able to see both these things without any equipment.
First Quarter Moon and Lunar “X” – 26th of January
On this night, the moon will reach its first Quarter phase and will appear to be exactly half-lit. This is the best time to see the craters and the details of the surface of the moon, as the shadows will be at their longest and deepest. No material is necessary to see the shadows, but if you have a telescope, look at the “terminator,” which is the line between the light and dark. For a short period of time, the light will hit the craters of the Moon and create a glowing letter “X” that will stand out against the darkness.
Moon meets the Pleiades – 27th of January
The moon will cross the Pleiades, a constellation also known as the “Seven Sisters”. This is a glittering cluster of stars that will look like a tiny version of the famous little Dipper. The Moon will slide in front of some of these stars and this is an event called a lunar occultation. A lunar occulatation is when the Moon passes in front of and covers stars, planets or other celestial bodies. While the Pleiades are easy to see with the naked eye, the Moon will be quite bright so using binoculars will help you to see the stars clearly through the lunar glare.