Star Almanack
Alexander Ferrari Miller

ISO 2027-W03

Week begins: Monday, January 18, 2027

Notation:

Calendar

DateZodiac dayEvents
Mon, Jan 18, 2027♑ 29
Tue, Jan 19, 2027♑ 30
β Men — Binoculars 5 — Antarctic Winter
β Cam — Binoculars 4 — Northern Winter
Wed, Jan 20, 2027♒ 1
♒ Sun enters Aquarius — 07:29:51 UTC
Finest NGC 25 / NGC 1788 · vdB 33 — Telescope — Tropical Winter
Cursa (β Eri) — Naked eye 3 — Tropical Winter
Thu, Jan 21, 2027♒ 2
Fri, Jan 22, 2027♒ 3
🌕 Full Moon · Wolf Moon — 12:17:23 UTC
C73 / NGC 1851 — Telescope 7 — Southern Winter
Rigel (β Ori) / Rigel (β Orionis) — Naked eye 0 — Tropical Winter
C31 / IC 405 · Flaming Star Nebula — Telescope 6 — Northern Winter
Capella (α Aur) — Naked eye 0 — Northern Winter
Sat, Jan 23, 2027♒ 4
Sun, Jan 24, 2027♒ 5
M79 — Telescope 8 — Southern Winter
Bellatrix (γ Ori) — Naked eye 2 — Tropical Winter
Elnath (β Tau) — Naked eye 2 — Northern Winter

Weekly Solar-System Ephemeris

Snapshot: Week begins January 18, 2027, 00:00 UTC.

(-90° to +90°; defaults +45°, 21:00 LAT)

Notation:
Body☉︎☽︎☿︎♀︎♂︎♃︎♄︎
Ecliptic♑︎ 27°39′
β +0°00′		♉︎ 24°55′
β +5°14′		♒︎ 8°00′
β −1°59′		♐︎ 11°22′
β +3°07′		♍︎ 10°04′
β +3°52′		♌︎ 25°00′
β +1°00′		♈︎ 9°13′
β −2°23′
ObservingNightNaked eye -11.2☉︎Naked eye -4.4Naked eye -0.6Naked eye -2.5Naked eye 0.8
Rise07:2311:3608:0803:5920:0318:4910:31
Set16:3703:1517:2213:2509:4408:5422:47

Extended targets:

Body⚳︎♅︎♆︎♇︎
Ecliptic♋︎ 14°49′
β +8°15′		♊︎ 1°53′
β −0°08′		♈︎ 1°59′
β −1°22′		♒︎ 4°52′
β −4°16′
ObservingBinoculars 7.0Binoculars 5.6Telescope 7.8☉︎
Rise14:3812:3010:1008:13
Set07:4103:3122:1216:56

β = ecliptic latitude (+ north, − south).
Rise and set are Local Apparent Time for the selected latitude.
Naked-eye observing uses the Sun’s altitude at the selected Monday observer time: Daylight (Sun ≥ −0.833°), Civil twilight (−0.833° to −6°), Nautical twilight (−6° to −12°), Astronomical twilight (−12° to −18°), and Night (below −18°).
Solar Glare identifies a body too close to the Sun when the sky-state rule does not already supersede its naked-eye classification.
The Sun’s observing status uses this same five-state sky classification.

Notation:

Planet Finder

Planet Finder — Greek / Symbols
Greek / Symbols
Planet Finder — English
English
Planet Finder — Mixed Learner
Mixed Learner

Sky Notes

Kilroy: Sky Notes · generated 2026-10-22 05:31:49 UTC

View:

ISO 2027-W03 runs from January 18 through January 24. Venus is about 1.6° in ecliptic longitude from Antares in Scorpius. Mercury and Pluto are separated by about 3.1° in geocentric ecliptic longitude at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Naked eye: 🌕 Full Moon · Wolf Moon — 12:17:23 UTC. Bright moonlight favors prominent stars and planets while reducing contrast on faint deep-sky objects. Use Cursa, Rigel, Capella, Bellatrix, Elnath as the week’s fixed-sky framework.

Cursa — the footstool beside Orion points to a hidden bat — Cursa stands at the northern beginning of Eridanus, bright enough to see easily and close enough to guide a telescope to the much fainter reflection nebula NGC 1788.

Rigel — a blue supergiant that refuses to stand still — Rigel fixes one brilliant corner of Orion, but the apparent point is a swollen, wind-losing supergiant whose light and spectral lines pulse on many different clocks.

Capella — one winter beacon, two evolving giants — Capella looks like a single golden point, but precision orbits separate its light into two giant stars of nearly equal mass caught in very different, rapidly changing evolutionary stages.

Bellatrix — the warrior who did not lead a cluster — Bellatrix appears to stand among Orion's bright family, and it once seemed well placed to lend its name to a nearby young stellar group. Precise motion across space overturned that attractive association.

Elnath — the shared horn with a peculiar atmosphere — Elnath marks the northern horn of Taurus and a corner of Auriga's familiar outline. Its hot atmosphere also carries the uneven chemical fingerprints of a mercury–manganese star—although one famous mercury line is missing.

Planets: Moon: Naked eye; magnitude -11.2; direct motion; 72.9% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Jan 22 12:17 UTC. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Jan 24 23:39 UTC. Conjunction with Ceres in ecliptic longitude Jan 21 07:40 UTC. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Jan 23 23:33 UTC. Conjunction with Uranus in ecliptic longitude Jan 18 11:40 UTC. Mercury: In solar glare; magnitude -1.1; direct motion; 94.3% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Venus: Naked eye; magnitude -4.4; direct motion; 57.2% illuminated. Below the horizon at 21:00 local apparent solar time, 45°N. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Mars: Naked eye; magnitude -0.6; retrograde motion; 95.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 24 23:39 UTC. Ceres: Binoculars; magnitude 7.0; retrograde motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 21 07:40 UTC. Jupiter: Naked eye; magnitude -2.5; retrograde motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 23 23:33 UTC. Saturn: Naked eye; magnitude 0.8; direct motion; 99.8% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Uranus: Binoculars; magnitude 5.6; retrograde motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 18 11:40 UTC. Neptune: Telescope; magnitude 7.8; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Pluto: In solar glare; magnitude 14.6; direct motion; 100.0% illuminated. Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot.

Binoculars: Trace Mensa’s charted figure in the finder, then identify β Men at its charted position. Trace Camelopardalis’s charted figure in the finder, then identify β Cam at its charted position.

Beta Mensae — a distant giant over Table Mountain — The Greek letter suggests a prominent marker, but Beta Mensae is a fifth-magnitude giant in one of the faintest southern constellations—a useful reminder that a Bayer letter is a label, not a ranking guaranteed by the modern sky.

Beta Camelopardalis — a supergiant measured across a milliarcsecond — Beta Camelopardalis looks like a quiet fourth-magnitude point, yet interferometry has resolved its apparent diameter: several telescopes can combine their light to measure a star no single backyard view can turn into a disk.

Small telescope: vdB 33: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; NGC 1851: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; Flaming Star Nebula: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance; M79: consult its dedicated finder and observing story for equipment guidance

NGC 1788 — the Cosmic Bat reflects a changing nursery — NGC 1788 does not manufacture most of the light that draws its wings. Dust scatters starlight from a young cluster, while a red rim and an age sequence preserve evidence—still interpreted cautiously—of star formation pushed outward from Orion.

NGC 1851 — one globular cluster, more than one stellar history — NGC 1851 looks like one compact swarm, but its colour–magnitude diagram and chemistry divide the stars into distinct populations. The cluster is old; its history is not simple.

IC 405 — a runaway star lights a borrowed flame — The Flaming Star Nebula is not a stellar birthplace neatly surrounding its native sun. AE Aurigae crossed into the cloud after a violent ejection elsewhere, and its ultraviolet light now makes gas emit while dust reflects.

M79 — an old cluster whose young-looking stars sank inward — Messier 79 is an ancient stellar city, yet its centre contains blue stragglers that look younger than their neighbours. Their concentration records the long action of gravity inside the cluster.

Substantial telescope: No fixed-sky Calendar object is classified as requiring a substantial telescope this week.

Other objects listed this week: None

Mercury

Mercury: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 08:08; sets 17:22 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -1.1. The disk is 94.3% illuminated (gibbous). It is 10.5° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 1.688° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 7.5° away. Pluto is 3.9° away at the snapshot. Mercury: 7.5° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.

Venus

Venus: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 63.7° below the horizon. Rises 03:59; sets 13:25 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -4.4. The disk is 57.2% illuminated (gibbous). It is 46.4° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is direct at 1.093° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Antares, 7.8° away. Venus: 7.8° from Antares in the Pathfinder.

Moon

Moon: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 61.6° above the horizon. Rises 11:36; sets 03:15 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -11.2. The disk is 72.9% illuminated (waxing gibbous). It is 117.1° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 14.217° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Algol, 17.3° away. Opposition in ecliptic longitude Jan 22 12:17 UTC. Conjunction with Mars in ecliptic longitude Jan 24 23:39 UTC. Conjunction with Ceres in ecliptic longitude Jan 21 07:40 UTC. Conjunction with Jupiter in ecliptic longitude Jan 23 23:33 UTC. Conjunction with Uranus in ecliptic longitude Jan 18 11:40 UTC. Moon: 17.3° from Algol in the Pathfinder.

Mars

Mars: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 9.2° above the horizon. Rises 20:03; sets 09:44 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -0.6. The disk is 95.8% illuminated (gibbous). It is 137.4° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.097° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 10.4° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 24 23:39 UTC. Mars: 10.4° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.

Jupiter

Jupiter: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 22.0° above the horizon. Rises 18:49; sets 08:54 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude -2.5. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 152.6° from the Sun, on its west side. Motion is retrograde at 0.106° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Regulus, 5.2° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 23 23:33 UTC. Jupiter: 5.2° from Regulus in the Pathfinder.

Saturn

Saturn: naked eye at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 18.2° above the horizon. Rises 10:31; sets 22:47 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 0.8. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 71.6° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.066° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Diphda, 19.4° away. Saturn: 19.4° from Diphda in the Pathfinder.

Uranus

Uranus: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 62.4° above the horizon. Rises 12:30; sets 03:31 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 5.6. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 124.2° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is retrograde at 0.018° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Aldebaran, 9.8° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 18 11:40 UTC. Uranus: 9.8° from Aldebaran in the Pathfinder.

Neptune

Neptune: telescope at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 12.0° above the horizon. Rises 10:10; sets 22:12 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.8. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 64.3° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.020° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Fumalsamakah, 16.6° away. Neptune: 16.6° from Fumalsamakah in the Pathfinder.

Ceres

Ceres: binoculars at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. At 45°N and 21:00 local apparent solar time, it is 61.1° above the horizon. Rises 14:38; sets 07:41 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 7.0. The disk is 99.8% illuminated (nearly full). It is 164.8° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is retrograde at 0.224° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Castor, 6.0° away. Conjunction with Moon in ecliptic longitude Jan 21 07:40 UTC. Ceres: 6.0° from Castor in the Pathfinder.

Pluto

Pluto: in solar glare at the Monday 00:00 UTC snapshot. Rises 08:13; sets 16:56 (45°N, local apparent solar time). Visual magnitude 14.6. The disk is 100.0% illuminated (nearly full). It is 8.4° from the Sun, on its east side. Motion is direct at 0.032° per day in ecliptic longitude at the snapshot. Position reference: Dabih, 8.9° away. Mercury is 3.9° away at the snapshot. Pluto: 8.9° from Dabih in the Pathfinder.