📝 Steven Burr

The Moon

The month starts off with a waxing gibbous moon followed by the full Wolf Moon arriving on the 3^rd of January.  According to the Farmer’s Almanac, the name has been attributed to the time of year when wolves can be heard howling.  On the 10^th, we have the last quarter moon followed by the new moon on the 18^th.  To end off the month, a first quarter moon arrives on the 26^th.  This is followed by the Moon passing in front of the open star cluster Pleiades on the 27^th shortly after sundown.

The Planets

Venus and Mars remain hidden from our view as they pass in front of the sun. Jupiter is now visible throughout the night in the constellation of Gemini.  On the 10^th of January, Jupiter reaches opposition. This is a good time to view the four largest Galilean moons with binoculars or a modest telescope.  Saturn remains an evening planet with the rings beginning to once again reveal themselves.  However, the evening viewing window to observe the planet is diminishing as its elongation from the sun diminishes.

Quadrantid Meteor Shower

This meteor shower radiating from the end of the handle of the Big Dipper reaches its peak on the 3^rd/4^th of January and is best seen in the early morning hours of the 4^th.  Unfortunately, we have a waning gibbous moon that will interfere with our viewing.  The name of this meteor shower can be attributed to the now obsolete constellation Quadrans Muralis between Boötes and Draco.  The origins of the Quadrantid can be traced back to debris left by asteroid 203 EH1 and Comet 96P/Machholz.

📸 Comet Swan - Kevin Wood

Constellation Taurus

Taurus - Urania's Mirror 1825

Taurus from the Latin meaning bull is a constellation located between Auriga and Orion in the night sky.  According to Greek mythology, Zeus placed the bull in the sky to honour it for carrying Europa across the sea from Phoenicia to Crete.  This is a very old constellation and it was known even earlier by the Akkadians as the Bull of Heaven.  One of the most easily seen deep sky objects is Messier 45, the Pleiades an open star cluster.  This star cluster is also known as the Seven Sisters and is one of the closest star clusters to earth at a distance of 444 light years.  The Akkadian name for this star cluster was the Bristle referring to the tuft of hair on the Bull of Heaven’s shoulder.  Visible to the naked eye, the Pleiades are prime for viewing this month.

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References:

Boeckmann, Catherine, Full Moon Names 2025 [online]. Almanac, updated January 2025 [cited 3 January 2025]. Available from: https://www.almanac.com/full-moon-names

Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2025, ed. by James S. Edgar (Marquis Book Printing, 2024)

Edgar, James S. ed., RASC Observer’s Handbook 2026, ed. by James S. Edgar (Marquis Book Printing, 2025)

Geminids Meteor Shower 2025 [online], Timeandddate, [cited 29 January 2025], Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/geminids.html

Hard, Robin, Eratosthenes & Hyginus: Constellation Myths (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2015)

Mortillaro, Nicole, RASC 2025 Night Sky Almanac (Richmond Hill: Firefly Books, 2024)

Quadrantids Meteor Shower 2026 [online], Timeanddate, [cited 27 October 2025], Available from: https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/quadrantids.html

Ursids Meteor Shower 2025 [online], Timeanddate, [cited 29 January 2025], Available from:  https://www.timeanddate.com/astronomy/meteor-shower/ursids.html

White, Gavin, Babylonian Star-Lore: An Illustrated Guide to the Star-Lore & Constellations of Ancient Babylonia (London: Solaria Publications, 2014)