December has come to an end and 2024 has officially begun! Even as we say goodbye to the past year, we can still count on the night sky to provide us with plenty of exciting observation opportunities. From the impressive Quadrantids meteor shower to the Wolf Moon, here are some of January’s most anticipated astronomical phenomena and rocket launches.
The Quadrantids meteor shower is predicted to peak between the night of January 3 and the early morning of January 4, though it should be visible between January 1 and January 5. While the majority of meteor showers have peaks that last for many days, the Quadrantids peak is only a few hours long, making it more difficult to catch the spectacular show it puts on. Observers can expect to spot up to 60 meteors per hour with the Quadrantids, making it an above-average meteor shower when it comes to hourly rate alone. However, under perfect conditions, the Quadrantids can produce over 200 meteors every hour. Based on the time that the crescent moon will be setting that day, it should not interfere with the view of the Quadrantids shower, meaning that any hopeful spectators will have a clear and dark sky. The Quadrantids are considered one of the four major annual meteor showers and are in a group with the Lyrids (mid-April), the Leonids (mid-November), and the Ursids (late December). The Quadrantids are known for their fireball meteors that are more long-lasting than the average meteor and brighter in colour.
Though there is no set date as of now, Firefly Aerospace will be launching its first lunar landing mission sometime during the month. Blue Ghost Mission 1 (also called Ghost Riders in the Sky), the lead in a series of planned lunar missions by the company, will be launched by a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket. Blue Ghost will begin its mission by spending 25 days in Earth orbit before making its way to lunar orbit, where it will pass another 16 days. The lander will spend 14 Earth days on the surface of the moon (which is equivalent to one lunar day). At the conclusion of this lunar day, the Sun will set, and the solar-powered vehicle will lose its power source. After entering complete darkness, Blue Ghost’s batteries will have a predicted five more hours of power before it turns off completely and the mission reaches its conclusion.
The mission is targeting the Mare Crisium, a large lunar mare over 500 km in length, for its landing. While on the moon, the lander will use its instruments to collect data on various topics, including the rock and soil making up the surface, the properties of the moon itself, and the interactions between the magnetic field of the Earth and solar wind (the continuous stream of particles that are released from the outermost layer of the Sun). There are currently two more Blue Ghost missions scheduled for 2026 and 2028.
The full moon of January, or the Wolf Moon, will become visible on January 13 at 5:26 PM (Eastern Time). Named for the wolves that become more active during the earlier months of each year, this moon has also been referred to as the Stay Home Moon, the Severe Moon, and the Quiet Moon. Some cultures know it as the Moon After Yule, which is a reference to the Yule winter solstice festival that is celebrated annually on December 21 (the astronomical first day of winter and the longest day of the year in the Northern Hemisphere).
Overall, January is shaping up to be a stellar month for astronomy fans. Whether you choose to try your hand at observing the Quadrantids meteor shower on January 4 or decide to conduct deeper research into the motivations behind the first Blue Ghost mission, the first month of 2024 will be sure to provide everyone with plenty of opportunities to explore the wonders of outer space.