Moondark for January: What's Up in 2007?  
As 2007 begins, Venus lies low in the chilly, evening twilight. Despite being closest to Earth on the 3rd of January, the Sun's southerly declination and low path across the sky provide little warmth. The Full Moon, known as the “Old Moon,” is on the 3rd, and New Moon is on the 19th. Saturn rises early in the evening, while Jupiter dominates the morning sky by month’s end. February’s Full Moon occurs on the 2nd, but the bright constellations of winter will really shine by the New Moon on the 17th. March’s moons are eclipsed: the Full Moon on the 3rd, rises in near full eclipse, providing great opportunities for astrophotographers. Unfortunately, the partial solar eclipse on the 19th is best seen from Asia. This is, however, a good year for Messier Marathon with over 9 hours of deep night around the middle of the month. With the equinox on 21st, warmer but shorter nights are surely ahead.

Get you taxes done early this year, so you don’t miss Star Gaze XIII star party: this April event concludes with New Moon is on the 17th. Venus, Saturn and Jupiter will form a planetary parade for telescopes at the star party. May’s Full Moon is on the 2nd, and New Moon on the 16th. In June, we experience the briefest deep nights of the year, just over 5 hours long, and summer begins with the solstice on the 21st. Venus dominates the evening sky, setting over three hours after sunset, and it is joined by the crescent Moon on the 18th. 

Humidity and bugs are part of the observing “experience” in July, but those who do persevere and stay awake will enjoy some awesome views of the Summer Milky Way spanning clear across the sky. Venus all but disappears into the evening twilight, but not before a close conjunction with Saturn on the 1st. Earth is farthest from the Sun on the 7th, and the New Moon is on the 14th. In August, a New Moon on the 12th means moon-free viewing for the Perseid meteor shower. The Full Moon falls on the 28th, and in contrast to the eclipse just months earlier, this Moon will set as the eclipse deepens. With the New Moon (and a partial eclipse) on September 11th, hopefully much more comfortable and dark observing conditions return. The equinox arrives on the 23rd, and the Harvest Moon rises on the 26th.

The date for fall's No Frills Star Party is not set yet, but in any case, reserve the weekend of October 13th-14th for some great dark-sky observing in crisp, clear air. Jupiter is low, but Mars is brightening and drawing much closer. The Hunter’s Full Moon occurs on the 26th. In November, New Moon falls on the 9th, and Full Moon on the 24th. Unfortunately, a late setting First Quarter Moon may interfere with the Leonid meteor shower, sandwiched in-between. In contrast, December’s Geminid meteors are unhampered by moonlight. The longest deep nights of the year, over 11 hours, run from the 6th to the 11th. Winter begins with the solstice on the 22nd. Mars comes to a well-placed, high northern opposition on Christmas Eve.

It’s hard to believe that the year 2007 has passed so quickly. Don’t let it go by without exploring a new region of the sky, adding to your life list of celestial phenomena, challenging yourself with a Messier Marathon or glimpsing a rarely viewed, distant galaxy. Clear skies for 2007!

Dates for local circumstances are Universal Times (UT) for Tuckahoe State Park, the Delmarva Star Gazers dark sky site. Visit the links embedded above for more celestial events for the year, including a moon phase calendar and deep night table usable through 2008. Additional information can be found in Guy Ottewell’s Astronomical Calendar 2007. Moondark is written by Doug Miller, published at the Moondark web site, and printed in the Delmarva Star Gazers' Star Gazer News. This document was last revised on 20 December 2006. Text and images copyright © 2007 by Douglas C. Miller, All Rights Reserved. This material may not be reproduced in any form without prior permission.