Were you to step outside after midnight on the first day of 2016, the cold, clear winter air would give you a magnificent view of the winter constellations, Taurus, Orion, Gemini, Cancer, and Leo spread out across the southern sky, west to east. Low in the south would glisten Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.
Also, rising on the eastern horizon thirty minutes after midnight is the orange giant Arcturus, the fourth brightest star . On this first day of 2016, passing half a thumbs width to its right will be Comet Catalina. The comet will be on the verge of naked eye visibility, and an easy target in binoculars. Although its proximity to bright Arcturus makes it easy to spot on the 1st, skies will be darker as the week progresses and the Moon is not in the way. Be forewarned, though, that it’s a speedy little devil; Catalina moves northward a degree (thumbs width) a day, so you have to be quick to keep up. In binoculars and telescopes, Catalina should be readily visible as a small circular, perhaps bluish, cloud.
This year will be better than the last at featuring the planets, with Jupiter entertaining February through August, and Mars and Saturn putting on a show June through September.
On April 16th, Mercury puts its best evening face forward, shining brightly in the western sky after sunset. Then, on May 9th, the tiny black disk of Mercury spends seven hours from sunrise to a little after noon crossing the face of the Sun. Of course, you can’t stare at the Sun except through professionally certified solar filters. Yes, I have some, so stay tuned as the date gets closer.
On May 30th, Mars, the Red Planet, will be at its largest since 2005, and on June 3rd, Saturn will be at its brightest for 2016, showing off its wide open rings all evening for the next few months.
August through October will feature a series of planet tricks where they vie for our attention passing each other in the sky, and on November 14, we will have yet another Super Moon (yawn), the closest until 2034.
This is but a small sampling of what will be available from your own back yard in 2016; different every year, but never disappointing.
Best wishes for a New Year of warm winds at your back and clear skies overhead.
