This is not intended to be comprehensive - it is a quick guide to help you find a few things in the night sky without any equipment, just your eyes. All of these are bright and fairly easy to spot while walking around the village, or from slightly darker spots on the edge of Eynsham.
The Planets This Month
Jupiter
At the start of January, Jupiter rises in the North-East around sunset (about 5:30pm) and remains visible through the night, setting in the West around sunrise (about 7:00am). It is very bright and steady, and is the easiest planet to spot this month.
By the end of the month, Jupiter is already high in the eastern sky at sunset and continues to be visible throughout the night, finally setting in the North-West at about 6:30am.
On 3 January, the Full Moon will appear close to Jupiter, creating a striking pairing in the evening sky, although the Moon’s brightness will wash out fainter stars nearby.
Saturn
Saturn is mainly an early-evening object this month.
At the beginning of January, it is high in the South at sunset (around 5:00pm) and becomes clearly visible from about 5:30pm. It drifts gradually down toward the horizon during the evening and sets in the West at about 10:00pm.
By the end of the month, Saturn is high in the South-West at sunset (around 6:00pm) and sets earlier, at around 8:30pm. It is therefore best viewed shortly after sunset, before it gets too low in the sky.
Other Planets
Mercury, Venus and Mars are not visible this month, as they are too close to the Sun in the sky and remain lost in the glare.
Phases of the Moon
Full Moon - 3 January
The brightness of the Full Moon will reduce how many faint stars can be seen around this date, but it does create good opportunities for moonlit evening walks and views of the brighter planets.
International Space Station (ISS)
There is a bright International Space Station pass on 3 January at 6:48pm.
It will appear low in the South-West and move across the sky toward the North-East over a period of about six to seven minutes. We can see it because sunlight is reflecting off its large solar panels, even though the ground below is already in darkness.
Toward the end of the pass the ISS will fade and disappear as it moves into the Earth’s shadow. This is normal and marks the end of the visible track.
It will look like a bright, steady, fast-moving star, with no flashing navigation lights.
Meteor Showers
Quadrantid Meteor Shower - Peak on the night of 2-3 January
Under ideal dark-sky conditions, the Quadrantids can produce 25 or more meteors per hour, and occasionally higher rates.
However, this year the Full Moon falls on the same night as the peak. The glare of the Moon will make the shower very difficult to observe from our village, and only the brightest meteors are likely to be seen.
Anyone wishing to try may have the best chance after midnight, from as dark a location as possible, and with expectations kept modest.
What Else to Look For
Orion rises after sunset in the east and climbs higher through the evening sky during January. The same area of sky also includes Gemini and the stars of the Winter Triangle, which are shown on the accompanying chart. This part of the winter sky contains many of the brightest stars of the season and is a good area to explore with the naked eye.
Clear winter evenings after the Full Moon has passed later in the month generally offer the best overall conditions for casual stargazing.
Attached Charts: -
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Winter Triangle
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3rd Jupiter and Moon
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3rd ISS pass
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23rd Saturn and Moon
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30th Jupiter and moon
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Phases of the Moon