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Winter skies are known by skywatchers for its many bright, beautiful stars, more so than for any other season. This winter, the stars are joined by three bright planets, one in the early evening, with two appearing later as darkness fully settles.
In the bright evening twilight, Venus shines brilliantly low in the southwest, but sets around 8:30 p.m. Joining it on January 3 is the crescent moon, making for a dramatic scene after 6 p.m. Then climbing high in the southeast shines bright Jupiter, brighter than the brightest star in the night sky—Sirius. Below Jupiter stands Orion with its two bright corner stars Betelgeuse and Rigel, and its three unmistakable “belt” stars. The aforementioned Sirius lies twinkling to Orion’s lower left.
Mars completes the scene as it casts its reddish glow northeast of Orion and left of Jupiter. It is in the neighborhood of the twin stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, and slowly moves below them in a westwardly direction.
All of this makes a rewarding celestial scene to be admired while visiting a dark sky area such as an overlook along the Blue Ridge Parkway or a secluded clearing in a state park.
The story above first appeared in our January / February 2025 issue.
