Conjunctions, meteor shower and moon

As astronomical phenomena open the year 2023, January arrives in style, with the climax of the first meteor shower and three very bright conjunctions, plus a full moon.

All visible to the naked eye, from any part of Brazil, without the need for any special musical instrument. Just a clear sky.

Hint: one location or program From astronomy (eg SkywalkAnd the start scheduleor Sky Safari or Stellarium) useful for indicating the position of objects and showing the best viewing times in your area.

4/1: The climax of the Quadruple meteor shower

The first big meteor showers in 2023 peak in early January. Although little known, it is one of the most intense, with speeds of up to 120 meteors per hour. It will be best observed in the northern hemisphere. Here, this would be a challenge, but it would be possible to see some “shooting stars”.

To do this, you need to get up early: meteors can be seen just before sunrise, from 4:30 am until daylight. In addition, they appear very close to the horizon, so it is recommended to be in a higher place with an unobstructed view.

If you meet the requirements, just look north and wait for meteors. They will appear to converge on the constellation Boieiro – the Radiant Rain (use an app to find it).

The quadruple is of unknown origin. He does not know who you are asteroid or original offender. Its annual active period runs from December 28 to January 12.

6/1: full moon

The first of the year rises on Friday (6), shortly after 7 p.m., along with the sunset—anyone with an unobstructed view will be able to enjoy both phenomena simultaneously, one on each side of the sky. It will be visible all night, crossing the sky from one end to the other.

Tip: Try to enjoy the moon in the first hour after rising, very close to the horizon, as the visual effects make it appear larger, given perspective with terrestrial references (such as buildings and trees), and present beautiful tonal variations (yellowish, orange, reddish, pink), due to interaction with the atmosphere.

The next day is also a great opportunity for observing, as our satellite is still 100% illuminated. But it will rise a little later, around 19:50.

1/22: conjunction of Venus – Saturn

Venus and Saturn will be so close together that they will appear as one very bright object. We’ll only have a short time to observe: the pair will set shortly after the sun.

At about 7 p.m., look to the western horizon (the same direction as the sun sets), with the sky still slightly brightened, and find the two bright spots close together. Follow them until 8 p.m.

1/23: conjunction of the Moon – Saturn – Venus

Repeat the process from the previous night; This time, Saturn and Venus will be a little further apart. but the spectacle acquires the graceful company of the moon, which will be thin as a smile, above the planets.

Emphasize that when we talk about coupling, we are referring to the Earth’s viewpoint. In space, corpses are separated by millions of kilometers.

1/30: Mars Lunar Disappearance (conjunction)

Basically, the Moon will pass “in front of” Mars, which will disappear from our sky for about an hour. It’s like an eclipse. But, unfortunately, it will not be visible from Brazil. Here, we’ll see the two very close together – another pairing.

When the sun goes down, around 7 p.m., the pair will already be high in the sky, heading north. Together they head for a swim to the west, disappearing around 1am. The closer you notice them, the more sticky they are.

We won’t be able to see the unseen moment, but this “cosmic kiss” will be beautiful. Mars appears as a bright red star to the right of the crescent moon.