Constellations by month

Constellations of January

The six constellations at their best in January are Caelum, Dorado, Mensa, Orion, Reticulum and Taurus. The charts show the whole sky at 9 pm on January 15 from 40°N and 35°S. The Quadrantids and gamma Ursae Minorids peak this month.

The sky at 9 pm in mid-January from 40°N TAURUS ORION CAELUM URSA MAJOR CETUS ERIDANUS PEGASUS DRACO LEO PISCES CYGNUS CAMELOPARDALIS ANDROMEDA AURIGA PERSEUS CASSIOPEIA CEPHEUS LYNX GEMINI CANCER MONOCEROS CANES VENATICI ARIES FORNAX CANIS MAJOR COLUMBA URSA MINOR LEO MINOR LACERTA CANIS MINOR TRIANGULUM N S E W
From 40°N (the United States, southern Europe, northern China, Japan). North at top; turn the chart so the direction you face is at the bottom.
The sky at 9 pm in mid-January from 35°S TAURUS ORION DORADO MENSA CAELUM RETICULUM HYDRA CETUS ERIDANUS PISCES PUPPIS AURIGA PERSEUS GEMINI CANCER VELA CARINA MONOCEROS SCULPTOR ARIES FORNAX CANIS MAJOR PAVO GRUS TUCANA INDUS OCTANS LEPUS COLUMBA HOROLOGIUM HYDRUS ANTLIA PYXIS APUS CANIS MINOR VOLANS MUSCA TRIANGULUM CHAMAELEON TRIANGULUM AUSTRALE CRUX S N W E
From 35°S (Sydney, Cape Town, Buenos Aires). South at top; the center is overhead and the rim is the horizon.

Bright lines and names: constellations at their best in January. Gold dashes: the ecliptic, where the Moon and planets travel. 9 pm local standard time on January 15; the same view comes an hour earlier at the end of the month and an hour later at the start. Click a name to open its chart.

Caelum, Dorado, Mensa, Orion, Reticulum and Taurus are at their best in January

A constellation is at its best when it stands highest in the evening, due south from the northern hemisphere or due north from the southern. The last two columns give its height above the horizon at 9 pm in mid-January.

ConstellationMeaningHemisphereBrightest starMessierAt 40°NAt 35°S
CaelumChiselSouthernAlpha Caeli8°82°
DoradoSwordfishSouthernAlpha Doradusbelow horizon61°
MensaTable MountainSouthernAlpha Mensaebelow horizon45°
OrionHunterNorthernRigel360°40°
ReticulumNet (Reticle)SouthernAlpha Reticulibelow horizon62°
TaurusBullNorthernAldebaran262°38°

Constellations more than 20° high at 9 pm in January

Measured at the center of each constellation. Large constellations can be partly visible when their center is lower.

From 40°N: 22 constellations

From 35°S: 33 constellations

Meteor showers peaking in January

Rates are the zenithal hourly rate, the count one observer would see under a dark sky with the radiant overhead; real counts are lower. Peak dates move by about a day from year to year.

ShowerPeakActiveRate per hourRadiantParent body
QuadrantidsJan 3Dec 28 - Jan 1280Boötes2003 EH1 (asteroid)
gamma Ursae MinoridsJan 18Jan 10 - Jan 223Ursa Minor
Chi CygnidsJan 17Cygnus

Video: January stargazing

January Stargazing: Constellations & Meteor Showers · Watch on YouTube

Constellations month by month

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