If you’ve resolved to do more stargazing in the New Year, then 2024 will start you off with a bang! As told in this month’s Sky Tour astronomy podcast, you can look forward to some excellent celestial events.

This episode is sponsored by Celestron, manufacturer of high-quality telescopes and an industry leader in developing exciting optical products with revolutionary technologies.

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If you’ve resolved to do more stargazing in the New Year, then 2024 will start you off with a bang! As told in this month’s Sky Tour astronomy podcast, you can look forward to some excellent celestial events.

First, on January 2nd at 8 p.m. Eastern Standard Time, Earth is closer to our star than it’ll be at any time for the rest of the year. Being 3 million miles closer to the Sun now than it will be in July won’t affect the temperature much, but it does mean that Earth is zipping along its orbit about 2200 mph faster. And that has a tangible effect on the times of sunrise and sunset if you live at higher latitudes. In Boston, for example, sunset comes a minute later each day throughout most of January.

Next, the annual Quadrantid meteor shower peaks on January 4th at around 4 a.m. Eastern Time. These meteors get their name from Quadrans Muralis, an obsolete constellation near the handle of the Big Dipper, and they seem to radiate from that point in the sky. This year’s peak is very well timed for North America, with the shower’s radiant high in the northeastern sky. (But a last-quarter Moon will diminish the frequency of these “Quads” somewhat.)

Venus-Mercury-Mars-Moon in January 2024
Early in January, the crescent Moon swings amid a trio of bright planets in the eastern sky before dawn. On January 8th, the crescent will pass directly in front of the bright star Antares.
Sky & Telescope

Then, before dawn on January 8th, a slender crescent Moon will occult, or cover, the bright star Antares. And the planets Venus and Mercury will be positioned nearby. (Mars, deep in predawn twilight, will emerge into better view by month’s end.)

Of course, there’s plenty of chances to do amazing celestial sightseeing throughout the month — and January’s skies are often so crisp and clear that you feel you can just reach out to touch the stars. Overhead are the brilliant winter constellations of Orion, Taurus, Auriga, Cassiopeia, and many more. (Did you know that there’s a bright star in Cassiopeia that almost got named for an Apollo astronaut? Listen to the podcast to get the whole story!)

Every episode of our Sky Tour astronomy podcast offers you a personally guided tour of a month’s worth of celestial sights. If you’ve never listened to one of these highly-rated podcasts, maybe doing so would be a fun and informative New Year's resolution!

Read the full podcast transcript.

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