I'm going to begin posting the monthly astronomy calendar that I do for two of my astronomy clubs. This calendar reflects my mid-northern latitude, eastern USA location.

January Calendar by Dave Mitsky

All times are UT (subtract 5 hours and when appropriate 1 calendar day for EST)

1/2 The Moon is at the ascending node at 20:11
1/3 Mercury is at a maximum of 7.0 degrees north of
the ecliptic at 12:00; the Moon is 3.1
degrees south southeast of M45 (the
Pleiades) at 19:00; minimum lunar libration
of 1.8 degrees occurs at 19:00; the Moon is
at apogee subtending 29'27" from a distance
of 405,707 km (252,095 miles), at 20:17
1/4 The peak of the Quadrantid meteor shower (45 to
200/hour) is compromised by moonlight;
Jupiter is stationary in right ascension at
14:00 - westward (retrograde) motion
commences; the Earth is at perihelion (0.983
astronomical units or 91,400,177 miles) at
18:00
1/5 Latest sunrise at 40 degrees north latitude
occurs at 12:22 (7:22 a.m. EST)
1/6 Mercury is stationary in right ascension at
14:00 - eastward (direct or prograde) motion
commences
1/7 Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) passes north of Eta
Piscium (magnitude 3.6) tonight; the Moon is
4.6 degrees north of Saturn at 00:00; Full
Moon, known as the Old Moon or Moon After
Yule, occurs at 15:41
1/8 The Moon is 2.1 degrees south of the first
magnitude star Pollux at 05:00
1/9 Venus is approximately 1.0 degree northwest of
Delta Capricorni; the Moon is 3.4 degrees
north northeast of M44 (the Beehive Cluster)
at 07:00; asteroid 1 Ceres (magnitude 6.8)
reaches opposition at 12:00
1/11 Maximum lunar libration of 8.5 degrees occurs at
00:00; the Moon is 4.5 degrees north
northeast of the first magnitude star Regulus
at 03:00
1/12 The Moon is 3.1 degrees north northeast of
Jupiter at 14:00; asteroid 6 Hebe (magnitude
8.6) reaches opposition at 21:00
1/13 Asteroid 10 Hygiea (magnitude 10.2) is 26' due
south of 44 Geminorum tonight
1/15 Asteroid 1 Ceres (magnitude 6.9) passes to the
south of a 6.2 magnitude star in Gemini; the
Moon is 4.1 degrees north northeast of the
first magnitude star Spica at 04:00; Last
Quarter Moon occurs at 04:46; Venus
(magnitude -4.0) is 0.87 degree south
southeast of Uranus (magnitude 5.9) near the
star 38 Aquarii (magnitude 5.4) at 7:00;
asteroid 14 Irene (magnitude 10.4) is 27'
south of Tau Tauri tonight
1/16 The Moon is at the descending node at 21:12
1/17 Mercury reaches greatest elongation west of 23.9
degrees at 09:00
1/18 Minimum lunar libration of 3.1 degrees occurs at
01:00; the Moon is 2.7 degrees north of the
first magnitude star Antares at 10:00
1/19 The Moon is at perigee, subtending 32'56" from
at distance of 362,771 km (225,415 miles), at
19:00
1/20 The Moon is 4.7 degrees south of Mercury at
03:00; the Sun enters Capricornus at 06:00
1/21 New Moon (lunation 1003) occurs at 21:07
1/22 The Moon is 5.0 south southeast of Neptune at
16:00
1/23 The Moon is 4.1 degrees south southeast of
Uranus at 00:00
1/24 The three day old Moon is 4.2 degrees southwest
of Venus at sunset; maximum lunar libration
of 8.8 degrees occurs at 10:00; the Moon is
3.3 degrees south southeast of Venus at 19:00
1/26 Mercury is at the descending node of the
ecliptic plane at 22:00
1/28 The Moon is 2.3 degrees south southeast of Mars
at 05:00; Venus is 3' south of Phi Aquarii
(magnitude 4.3) around 22:00
1/29 First Quarter Moon occurs at 06:03; the Moon is
at the ascending node at 22:07; asteroid 337
Devosa (magnitude 11.0) is 15' due north of
67 Cancri
1/31 The Moon is 2.9 degrees south southeast of M45
(the Pleiades) at 02:00; minimum lunar
libration of 2.2 degree occurs at 02:00; the
Moon is at apogee, subtending 29'31" from a
distance of 404,807 km (251,536 miles), at
14:00

Times and dates for the lunar light rays predicted to occur this month are available at http://www.lunar-occultations.com/rlo/rays/rays.htm

Speedy Mercury is visible low in the southeast about 15 minutes before sunrise during mid-January.

Venus, in Capricornus, dominates the evening sky. It decreases in phase while growing in apparent size to 15" and sets more than 3 hours after the Sun by the end of the month.

Mars shrinks to less than 8" and shines in Pisces at about the same brightness as Betelgeuse.

Situated in the hind quarters of Leo Jupiter rises after Venus sets and is then the brightest object in the night sky with the exception of the Moon.

Saturn continues to be unusually bright at -0.4 magnitude after its excellent opposition late last month. The Ringed Planet is visible for almost the entire night as it retrogrades in Gemini. It passes close to the zenith at midnight.

Uranus is just to the north of Venus at mid-month.

This month Comet C/2002 T7 (LINEAR) travels through Pisces towards Pegasus. The seventh magnitude comet should be visible through binoculars.

Asteroid 1 Ceres passes to the south of the fine multiple star Castor during January.

Forty-five deep-sky objects for January: M36, M37, M38, NGC 1664, NGC 1778, NGC 1893, NGC 1907, NGC 1931, NGC 1857 (Auriga); Kemble 1, NGC 1501, NGC 1502, NGC 1569 (Camelopardalis); NGC 1532, NGC 1535 (Eridanus); IC 418, M79, NGC 1964 (Lepus); B33, Collinder 70, IC 434, M42, M43, M78, NGC 1662, NGC 1977, NGC 1981, NGC 2022, NGC 2023, NGC 2024, NGC 2112, Collinder 65 (Orion); NGC 1491, NGC 1499, NGC 1513, NGC 1528, NGC 1545 (Perseus); Melotte 25, M1, NGC 1514, NGC 1587, NGC 1647, NGC 1746, NGC 1807, NGC 1817 (Taurus)

__________________
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