Sky Chart For The Month of January, 2024
ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2024
The Moon
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Full Moon occurs on 25that h.23-24 I.S.T. |
Last Quarter occurs on 4th at h. 09-00 I.S.T. |
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New Moon occurs on 11th at h. 17-27 I.S.T. |
First Quarter occurs on 18th at h. 09-23 I.S.T. |
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The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 12th. |
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The Moon is at Apogee or farthest from the Earth on 1st and 29th and at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 13th.
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The Moon passes about 5½º south of Venus on 9th, about 6½º south of Mercury on 10th, about 4º south of Mars on 10th, about 2º south of Saturn on 14th, about 1º south of Neptune on 16th, about 3º north of Jupiter on 19th, about 3º north of Uranus on 20th after midnight.
The Earth
The Earth approaches the perihelion position on its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 3rd.
The Planets
Visibility of Planets:
Mercury: The planet rises about 1½ hour to 1 hour before sun rise throughout the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to Earth from 2nd. It is in Greatest Western Elongation of about 23.5º from the Sun on 12th.
Venus: The planet rises about 3 hour to 2½ hours before sun rise upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 2 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.
Mars: The planet is too close to the sun to be visible upto 13th of the month. From 14th it become visible in the western sky, it rises about 1 hour before sun rise for the remaining days of the month.
Jupiter: The planet sets about 1½ hours to 1 hour after local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 1 hour to ½ hour after it upto second quarter of the month, about ½ hour to close to local midnight time upto third quarter of the month and close to local midnight time to about ½ hour before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 27th.
Saturn: The planet sets about 4 hours to 3½ hours after sun set upto first quarter of the month, about 3½ hours to 3 hours after it upto second quarter of the month, about 3 hours to 2½ hours after it upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 2 hours after it for the remaining days of the month.
Uranus: The planet sets about 2½ hours to 2 hours after local midnight upto first quarter of month, about 2 hours to 1½ hours after it upto third quarter of month and about 1½ hours to ½ hour after it for the remaining days of the month. The motion of the planet becomes Direct with respect to Earth from 27th.
Neptune: The planet sets about 1½ hours to 2 hours before local midnight upto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it upto third quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 3½ hour before it for the remaining days of the month.
Conjunction of Planets:
Venus passes about 6½º north of Antares (Jyestha) on 6th.
Mercury passes about ½º north of Mars on 27th.
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Planets |
Planets in Zodiacal Constellation |
Magnitude |
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Mercury (Budha) |
Moves from Scorpion (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 07th. |
+ 0.5 to – 0.3 – 0.3 to – 0.2 – 0.2 to – 0.3 |
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Venus (Sukra) |
Moves from Scorpion (Vrischika) to Sagittarius (Dhanus) on 18th. |
– 4.0 to – 3.9 |
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Mars (Mangala) |
Remains in Sagittarius (Dhanus) |
+ 1.4 to + 1.3 |
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Jupiter (Brihaspati) |
Remains in Aries (Mesha). |
– 2.6 to – 2.4 |
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Saturn (Sani) |
Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha). |
+ 0.9 to + 1.0 |
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Uranus |
Remains in Aries (Mesha). |
+6.0 |
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Neptune |
Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha). |
+8.0 |
Source : : Director
Positional Astronomy Centre
India Meteorological Department
Salt Lake, Kolkata - 700 091.