SkyEye

The Calendar

The Solar System

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for 'wanderer'. Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars. Dwarf planets and small solar-system bodies, including comets, are not so constrained, often moving far above or below the ecliptic.

Sun Sagittarius → Capricornus

The Earth makes its annual closest approach to the Sun on 4 January. The date of perihelion can range from New Year's Day to 5 January.

Mercury Sagittarius → Capricornus → Aquarius

At superior conjunction late last month, this elusive litte planet emerges from the Sun's glare in the west after sunset. It gets easier to spot later in the month as it climbs higher and higher above the horizon. It reaches greatest elongation east on the last day of the month.

Venus Sagittarius → Capricornus → Scutum

The evening star falls towards the horizon, disappearing early in the month and reaching inferior conjunction on 11 January. It reappears in the east before sunrise late in the month.

Mars Virgo

Last year was a fairly miserable year to observe the red planet but 2014 promises to be better. At west quadrature on 3 January, Mars now rises before midnight.

Jupiter Gemini

The largest planet in the solar system is at opposition on 5 January, making it visible throughout the night.

Saturn Libra

The ringed planet is a morning sky object so you will have to stay up very late or get up very early to spot it this month. On 25 January the Moon occults Saturn.

Uranus Pisces

This ice giant was at east quadrature near the end of last month and sets by late evening.

Neptune Aquarius

A small telescope is necessary to view the most distant planet in the solar system. However, with solar conjunction approaching next month, it may be too close to the Sun to easily observe.