For other maps of the night sky you can go to the website Heavens Above or Telescope House
Here is a list of the objects that you might want to look out for in 2024. Rather than logging the rise and set times of the planets every day they have been logged every week. Please note that the rise and set times are for Herstmonceux. Planets will rise at different times at different latitudes in the UK.
The links take you to the astronomy glossary which will give you further information. For ISS passes please go to Heavens Above
Likewise for the Moon and Sun, rise times will be different for different latitudes see Time and Date for rise and set times for different locations.
| Date | |
| 1 January |
Sunset 16:01; Astronomical twilight ends at 18:05; Sunrise 08:06. Mercury: MAGNITUDE 0.6: Constellation Ophiucus; Rises before sunrise at 06:30 so low on the eastern horizon before being engulfed by the dawn. Dawn begins just over half an hour before sunrise. Venus: MAGNITUDE -3.9: CONSTELLATION Scorpius; Rises before sunrise at 05:00 so visible for about 2.5 hours looking east before being engulfed by dawn. Jupiter: Magnitude -2.4; CONSTELLATION Aries; rises 12:28 and sets 02:35 the following morning. Passes the highest point in the sky (Meridian Transit) at 19:28. Saturn: Magnitude 0.9; Constellation Aquarius; sets at 20:37; MERIDIAN TRANSIT at 15.38. |
| 3 January |
Earth is at its closest point to the Sun: Perihelion |
| 3/4 January |
Evening of 3 and morning of 4 January: peak of Quadrantids Meteor Shower associated with Asteroid 2003 EH1 OR is it Comet C/1490 Y1?. |
| 4 January |
Last Quarter Moon: rises at 00.11 and sets at 11.36. Morning object. |
| 7 January |
Sunset 16:08; Astronomical twilight ends at 18:11; Sunrise 08:04. Mercury: MAGNITUDE 0: CONSTELLATION Ophiucus; Rises before sunrise at 06:18 so low on the eastern horizon before being engulfed by the dawn. Dawn begins just over half an hour before sunrise. Venus: MAGNITUDE -3.9: CONSTELLATION Ophiucus; Rises before sunrise at 05:15 so visible for about 2.25 hours looking east before being engulfed by dawn. Jupiter: MAGNITUDE -2.4; CONSTELLATION Aries; rises 12:04 and sets at 02:12 the following morning. Passes the highest point in the sky (Meridian Transit) at 19:05. Saturn: Magnitude 1.0; Constellation Aquarius; sets 20:16. MERIDIAN TRANSIT at 15:16. |
| 11 January |
New Moon: rises at 08:44 and sets at 15:45 |
| 12 January |
Mercury at Maximum Western Elongation so a good time to look for it low in the eastern sky in the morning. You will need a clear horizon and clear skies! |
|
14 January |
Sunset 16:18; Astronomical twilight ends at 18:19; Sunrise 08:00. Mercury: MAGNITUDE -0.2: CONSTELLATION Sagittarius; Rises before sunrise at 06:25 so low on the eastern horizon before being engulfed by the dawn. Dawn begins just over half an hour before sunrise. Venus: MAGNITUDE -3.9: CONSTELLATION Ophiucus; Rises before sunrise at 05:32 so visible for about 2 hours looking east before being engulfed by dawn. Jupiter: MAGNITUDE -2.3; CONSTELLATION Aries; rises 11:37 and sets at 01.40 the following morning. Passes the highest point in the sky (Meridian Transit) at 18:39. Saturn: Magnitude 1.0; Constellation Aquarius; sets at 19:53. |
| 18 January |
First Quarter Moon: rises at 11:00 and sets at 02:03 the following day. |
| 21 January |
Sunset 16:29; Astronomical twilight ends at 18:28; Sunrise 07:54. Mercury: MAGNITUDE -0.2: CONSTELLATION Sagittarius; Rises before sunrise at 06:39 so low on the eastern horizon before being engulfed by the dawn. Dawn begins just over half an hour before sunrise. Venus: MAGNITUDE -3.9: CONSTELLATION Sagittarius; Rises before sunrise at 05:46 so visible for about 1.75 hours looking east before being engulfed by dawn. Jupiter: MAGNITUDE -2.3; CONSTELLATION Aries; rises 11:10 and sets at 01.15 the following morning. Passes the highest point in the sky (Meridian Transit) at 18:13. Saturn: Magnitude 1.0; Constellation Aquarius; sets 19:29. |
| 25 January | Full Moon: Wolf Moon: rises at 15:59 and sets at 08:43 the following day. |
| 28 January |
Sunset 16:41; Astronomical twilight ends at 18:38; Sunrise 07:45. Mercury: MAGNITUDE -0.2: CONSTELLATION Sagittarius; Rises before sunrise at 06:54 so low on the eastern horizon before being engulfed by the dawn. Dawn begins just over half an hour before sunrise. Venus: MAGNITUDE -3.9: CONSTELLATION Sagittarius; Rises before sunrise at 05:58 so visible for about 1.5 hours looking east before being engulfed by dawn. Jupiter: MAGNITUDE -2.2; CONSTELLATION Aries; rises 10:44 and sets at 00:54 the following morning; Passes the highest point in the sky (Meridian Transit) at 17.47. Saturn: Magnitude 1.0; Constellation Aquarius; sets 19:06. |
