Sky Chart For The Month of January, 2017

ASTRONOMICAL BULLETIN FOR JANUARY 2017

The Moon

First Quarter occurs on 6th at h. 1-17 I.S.T.	Full moon occurs on 12th   at h. 17-04 I.S.T.
Last Quarter occurs on 20th at h. 3-43 I.S.T.	New moon occurs on 28th at h. 5-37 I.S.T.
The Lunar Crescent becomes first visible after the New Moon day in the evening of 29th.
The Moon is at Perigee or nearest to the Earth on 10th and at apogee or farthest from the Earth on 22nd.

The Moon passes about 2º north of Venus on 2^nd, about ½ º north of Neptune on 3^rd, very close tonorth of Mars on 3^rd, about 3½ º south of Uranus on 6^th, about 2½ º north of Jupiter on 19^th, about 3½ º north of Saturn on 24^th, about3½º north of Mercury on 26^thand about ½ º north of Neptune on 30^th.

 The Earth

The Earth is at Perihelion position in its orbit or reaches nearest to the Sun on 4^th.

The Planets

Visibility of Planets:

Mercury: The planet is too close to the Sun to be visible up to 1^st of the month. Thereafter it rises before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight for the remaining days of the month. It rises about ½ hour to 1½ hours before it during the period. The motion of the planet becomesDirect with respect to the Earth from 8^th. It is in Greatest Western Elongation of about 24º from the Sun on 19^th.

Venus: The planet is a brilliant object visible in the western sky after sunset and sets about 3½ hoursafter it throughout the month. . It is in Greatest Eastern Elongation of about 47º from the Sun on 12^th.

Mars: The planet is visible in the western sky after sunset and sets about 2½ hours to 3 hours before local midnight throughout the month.

Jupiter: The planet rises about ½ hour before local midnight to close to local midnight time uptofirst quarter of the month, from close to local midnight time to ½ hour before it uptosecond quarter of the month, about ½ hour to 1 hour before it upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 12^th.

Saturn: The planet rises before sunrise and remains visible till the beginning of morning twilight throughout the month. It rises about 1½ hours to 2 hours before it upto first quarter of the month, about 2 hours to 2½ hours before it upto second quarter of the month and about 2½ hours to 3 hours before it for the remaining days of the month.

Uranus: The planet sets about ½ hour after local midnight to close to local midnight time uptofirst quarter of the month, from close to local midnight time to ½ hour before it upto second quarter of the month, about ½ hour to 1hour before it upto third quarter of the month and about 1 hour to 1½ hours before it for the remaining days of the month. The planet is in Quadrature with the Sun on 10^th.

Neptune: The planet sets after sunset throughout the month. It sets about 4½ hours to 4 hours after it upto first quarter of the month about 4 hours to 3 hours after it upto third quarter of the month and about 3 hours to 2 hours after it for the remaining days of the month.

Conjunction of Planets

Mars passes very close to south of Neptune on 1^st.

Venus passes about ½º north of Neptune on 13^th.

Jupiter passes about 3½º north of Spica (Chitra) on 21^st.

Planets	Planets in Zodiacal Constellation	Magnitude
Mercury (Budha)	Remains in Sagittarius (Dhanus).	+2.0 to 0.0 0.0 to -0.2
Venus (Sukra)	Moves from Aquarius (Kumbha) toPieces (Mina).on 27th.	-4.4 to -4.7
Mars (Mangala)	Moves from Aquarius (Kumbha) toPieces (Mina).on 20th.	+0.9 to +1.1
Jupiter (Brihaspati)	Remains in Virgo (Kanya).	-1.9 to -2.1
Saturn (Sani)	Remains in Sagittarius (Dhanus).	+ 0.5
Uranus	Remains in Pieces (Mina).	+6.0
Neptune	Remains in Aquarius (Kumbha).	+ 8.0

Source : : Director
Positional Astronomy Centre
IndiaMeteorological Department
SaltLake, Kolkata - 700 091.