NH Planet Watch With Cosmic Train

This month of January has the potential to be one of the most magical for amateur Granite State astronomers. Two planets I've never seen before will be in view!

Thanks to Kevin Skarupa of WMUR-TV for putting together these monthly events to check out in the night sky. I was so disappointed with the non-stop overcast skies that dogged 'The Great Conjunction' last month that, I had been pouting and gave up on the rest of the Universe.

Alas, hope springs eternal and I'm now stoked about checking out some rare planetary views.

MERCURY?

I know this following statement will completely disqualify me as 'Cosmic Train' but I thought Mercury was completely impossible to ever see.

For the past 47 years, I thought you'd need to have to be in an observatory, on a mountain, on the equator, to even catch a glimpse of it.

WRONG!

In fact, over the next two weeks, you'll be able to see Mercury, right after sunset, in the southwest sky! It will continue to get higher and higher until it reaches it's apex on January 25th.

URANUS?

Alright, enough with the jokes folks, it's pronounced Yernis.

On January 20th, this large blue green planet will appear in the same southwestern section of the sky! Since it is dim, your best chance to see it will be around 10pm using the red planet Mars as your guide.

It will appear very close to the left of Mars. A quarter moon will be just below them around this time as well.

What an astronomical fireworks display in January!