This year's farthest apogee (moon's farthest monthly point) comes on February 5, 2019, and the closest perigee (moon's closest monthly point) occurs some 2 weeks later, on February 19, 2019.
Mars is the bright object near the moon these next several evenings. You'll find Mars much fainter than six months ago, but still as bright as our sky's brightest stars.
Astrology and astronomy differ. In some systems of astrology, zodiac signs remain fixed relative to seasonal markers, such as the equinox and solstice points.
On January 7, the moon will be near the sunset. You'll need an unobstructed horizons. Bring binoculars, just in case. On January 8 and 9, the slim crescent will be farther from the sunset. All very beautiful.
The longest lunar month in 2019 starts with the new moon on January 6, and concludes with the new moon on February 4. Its duration will be 29 days 19 hours and 35 minutes.
Venus reaches a milestone - greatest elongation - on January 6, 2019. At that time, this gem of a planet rises a maximum time before sunrise. Don't miss the Jupiter/Venus conjunction on January 22.
The last morning of 2018 and 1st mornings of 2019 will feature a dazzling line-up of the moon and 3 planets. Here are tips on how to see the moon sweep past Venus, Jupiter and Mercury. Great start to the New Year!
Bruce McClure served as lead writer for EarthSky's popular Tonight pages from 2004 to 2021, when he opted for a much-deserved retirement. He's a sundial aficionado, whose love for the heavens has taken him to Lake Titicaca in Bolivia and sailing in the North Atlantic, where he earned his celestial navigation certificate through the School of Ocean Sailing and Navigation. He also wrote and hosted public astronomy programs and planetarium programs in and around his home in upstate New York.