What's to see in the night sky in January?

This chart represents the sky as it looks at around 10 PM local time. Some adjustment should be made for longitude, but it shouldn't be much. Right click on the chart, select "Save As" and save the image. You can then print this chart from a photo application, like Print Shop Pro, hold it in front of you with the direction you are facing at the bottom. Then, raise it above your head and you should be able to find your way around from there.

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Moon phases
New-1/13___First quarter-1/21____Full-1/28____ Last quarter-1/5

Planets Mercury, Venus, Mars, Saturn and Jupiter

Mercury may be visible in the evening after sunset in the southwest. Reaches greatest elongation on 1/11, but due to the low inclination of the ecliptic angle in northern winter, may or may not be seen.
Venus Behind the Sun.
Mars Setting earlier and earlier.
Jupiter rises in early evening, transits before midnight and sets after dawn.
Saturn is high in the sky at sunset and sets around 4 AM. Very nice, wide ring attitude, so hope for good seeing and crank up the power!

Meteor showers
1/3/00 Quadrantid shower peaks. Estimate 50-60/hr.
1/17/00 Delta Cancrids peak. Estimate 10/hr. Smack in the middle of Cancer.

Deep Sky Objects (DSO's)
Messier Objects
M1-Supernova remnant in Taurus, M42 & M43-The great Orion Nebula complex, M79-Small globular cluster in Lepus, M78-another emmision nebula in Orion, M35-Open cluster in Gemini, M36, M37, M38-Open clusters in Auriga.
Named DSO's
The Hyades open cluster in Taurus, including Aldeberan, is nice in binoculars. Iota Orionis-Multiple star system, can be seen just south of M42, this system contains at least 6 stars of different colors. Very nice in a small scope. Just east of Orion runs the winter Milky Way. This is a fun area to just surf around with binoculars. It runs through Auriga, Monoceros, Perseus and Gemini.

Here's the link to SEDS as promised.

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