Sun, Moon, and Stars: January 2002
Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff 
Sun, Moon & Stars
Movement of the heavenly bodies: January 2002
Movement of the heavenly bodies: January 2002
| Celestial links · Visibility of the Planets · Sunrise/Sunset, Moonrise/Moonset · Equinoxes and Solstices · Eclipses in 2001 · Astronomical terms · Calendar 2002 | Visit the Astronomy Center for more on the universe, the solar system, and related astronomical phenomena |
January Calendar
| Moon Phase | Day | Phenomenon | Hour (UT) | Hour (EST) |
 | 1 | Jupiter is at opposition, that is, Jupiter and the Sun are aligned on opposite sides of the Earth. | 0600 | 1 am |
 | 2 | The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. | 0700 | 2 am |
| 2 | Earth is at its perihelion, or closest point to the Sun in its yearly orbit. | 1400 | 9 am |
 | 6 | LAST QUARTER | 0400 | 11 pm (Jan. 5) |
 | 8 | Pallas, the second-largest asteroid, is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Pallas and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun. | 2200 | 5 pm |
 | 9 | Mercury is 1 degree 3 minutes south of Neptune. | 0500 | 12 am (midnight) |
 | 11 | Mercury is at its greatest elongation, or angular distance from the Sun, at 19 degrees east of the Sun | 2300 | 6 pm |
 | 13 | NEW MOON | 1300 | 8 am |
 | 14 | Venus is in superior conjunction, that is, Venus and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun. | 1200 | 7 am |
 | 15 | Mercury is 4 degrees north of the Moon. | 0200 | 9 pm (Jan. 14) |
| 15 | Uranus is 4 degrees north of the Moon. | 2200 | 5 pm |
 | 16 | Vesta, the third-largest asteroid, appears to be motionless in the sky as its apparent backward, or retrograde, motion changes back to direct motion. | 1700 | 12 pm (noon) |
 | 18 | Mercury appears to be motionless in the sky as its direct motion changes to apparent backward, or retrograde, motion. | 0900 | 4 am |
| 18 | The Moon is at its apogee, or farthest point from Earth in its monthly orbit. | 0900 | 4 am |
| 18 | Mars is 5 degrees north of the Moon. | 2200 | 5 pm |
 | 21 | FIRST QUARTER | 1800 | 1 pm |
 | 24 | Saturn is 0 degrees 8 minutes south of the Moon. Saturn is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon. | 1600 | 11 am |
 | 26 | Jupiter is 0 degrees 9 minutes south of the Moon. Jupiter is occulted, or hidden from view, by the Moon. | 1900 | 2 pm |
 | 27 | Mercury is in inferior conjunction, that is, the Sun and the Earth are aligned on opposite sides of Mercury. | 1900 | 2 pm |
 | 28 | Neptune is in conjunction with the Sun, that is, Neptune and Earth are aligned on opposite sides of the Sun. | 1400 | 9 am |
| 28 | FULL MOON | 2300 | 6 pm |
 | 30 | The Moon is at its perigee, or closest point to Earth in its monthly orbit. | 0900 | 4 am |
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