The parade of planets and other astronomical events of January

In January 2016, residents of the northern hemisphere will be able to watch many interesting astronomical events. Among them - a parade of bright planets in the solar system to join them by the Moon.

Today, the Earth will be located at a distance of 0.983 AU from the Sun, that is at the closest point of its orbit. The apparent diameter of the Sun will be greatest.

The January sky decorate Comet Catalina, which is New Year's Eve will be in the sky near the bright Arcturus (alpha Bootes) and January 17 will be held in near-Earth distance. You can see it with a conventional binoculars on a clear no light-polluted city lights and a full moon sky. In January, the comet moves through the constellations Bootes, Canes Dogs, Great Bear and the Dragon; then - through the constellations Camelopardalis, Perseus, Auriga and 28 May disappear from sight, flying in the depths of space.

January 4 is expected to peak Quadrantids meteor shower. Consider up to 200 meteors per hour (the best - from 23:00 till dawn) can the naked eye, but the meteors are faint luminosity and average speed. Quadrantids fly out of the constellation Bootes, which in January rises above the horizon in the eastern sky.

January 9 at 7.00 MSK happen conjunction of Venus and Saturn. The distance between the heavenly bodies will be only 5 minutes of arc, that is, when viewed from Earth, the planet is almost merge into one bright point. But the most interesting phenomenon occurs on the last day of the second month of winter: Mercury, Venus, Saturn, Mars and Jupiter form a parade of bright planets in the solar system with the Moon to join them.