Venus reaches highest point; Full moon Thursday
Graphic created using Planetarium
Two major astronomical events will occur Thursday, Jan. 12, 2017. The full "wolf" moon will occur. Then, we will have the greatest eastern elongation of Venus!
I am sure you have noticed Venus in the night sky; it is hard to miss. It shines much brighter than any star. The only celestial bodies that shine more brightly are the moon and the sun!
The greatest elongation means that it will appear longer in the evening sky Thursday than any other evening this year!
If you are looking at Venus through a telescope, you may notice that Neptune is close by, though it will be very hard to see. Mars is not far away either. If you can't quite make out Neptune, aim higher in the sky and you will find Uranus. Uranus has an apparent magnitude of +5.5 which is on the threshold of being visible to the naked eye. Meanwhile, the apparent magnitude of Neptune is around +7.8, which is much dimmer.
If you miss the elongation, don't worry, Venus will be high in the evening sky into March. Then it will climb higher in the predawn sky through the spring!
The moon that will rise across North America Thursday night has been termed the "wolf moon."
According to Slooh, "certain Native American tribes came to view wolves as extremely important to their culture. The January moon gets its name, like many of the other moons, from those Native American tribes. During the winter months, it was usual to hear the wolves howling to their packs as they sought scarce prey. This was a warning to Native American villages who often found themselves competing with the wolves for the sparse resources."
Thanks for reading. Just look up! You never know what you will see!
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