After sunset on January 31, 2012 take a look at the lineup of the Pleiades, the waxing moon and the planet Jupiter. From the Northern Hemisphere, they are high in the sky when the sun sets. From the Southern Hemisphere, they are low on the horizon. Another noticeable cluster, the Hyades, is near tonight’s moon, too. The bright planet Venus will also be visible low on the western horizon for part of this evening.
The Pleiades, moon and Jupiter should be easy to spot. The Pleiades – also called the Seven Sisters – is a dipper-shaped cluster – small, but very noticeable. Jupiter isn’t as bright as Venus, but it’s still very bright and noticeable not far from tonight’s moon. Jupiter is the third brightest object in tonight’s sky after the moon and Venus.
This lineup is a nice treat for mid-winter blues, if anybody has them, highlighting not one but two open star clusters visible to the naked eye.
First, we have the Pleiades, which is an open star cluster in the constellation Taurus. Six stars are visible with the unaided eye, forming a compact mini-dipper. A telescope reveals that this cluster contains several hundred stars. It is located 430 light-years away.
Then we have the Hyades open star cluster. This cluster is not in the lineup with Jupiter and the moon but close by. The Hyades is also in Taurus, and the brightest stars form the “V” in the face of the Bull. The bright red star Aldebaran is in the field of the Hyades but is 60 light-years away, while the Hyades’ stars are 150 light-years away.
Tonight’s grouping is found in the south to southwest sky at nightfall and early evening, with the Pleiades at the top left, and the moon and Jupiter to the lower right of the Pleiades.
Bottom line: On January 31, 2012, the moon is near several noticeable objects. First, there’s the tiny misty dipper-shaped star cluster called the Pleiades or Seven Sisters. Then there’s the planet Jupiter. Another noticeable cluster, the Hyades, is near tonight’s moon, too. The bright planet Venus will also be visible low on the western horizon for part of this evening. Lots to see! Check them out.
I just went outside and saw Venus, and Jupiter! The sky is so clear here in central P.A. Venus looks SO bright!
I would like to have a panoramic view of the sky down here in Miami FL. All I get from your site is a couple of well-known constellations? Is this all there is to see? Thnaks
Donatella,
Get “Star Walk” for your I-Phone. It shows you the whole sky no matter where you are and only costs $1.99.
Frank Komitsky, Jr
Just went outside here in Guyton Georgia and saw Venus .. Its amazing how bright Venus is and how close it looks..
Florida is –in my area– covered with clouds almost every night. I could see Jupiter and the moon tonight and practically nothing else. I guess the site presents those bodies that can be seen with the unaided eye and are quite obvious for the beginner. Otherwise, they would need to post maps. I just visited for the first time today and I like what I see.
Southern California beach has clear skies tonite and I see the Moon, Jupiter and Venus without a telescope! Truly magnificent.
With the naked eyes I prefer the Pleiades over the Hyades most of the time, but with binoculars the Hyades look WAY more impressive to me!
Yesterday(31st Jan) night for the first time I recognized three planets, Venus, the bright evening star, Jupiter, very near moon and Mars, the red planet in the eastern horizon. It was really wonderful day for me. It feels great to know about the planets I have studied it in school.