APOD: 2023 January 2 – After Sunset Planet Parade

Good morning, Rallypoint, and welcome to the January 2nd edition of Astronomy Picture of the Day (APOD): "After Sunset Planet Parade." If you live in the Northern Hemisphere and early evening skies are clear for the next few days, take a walk outside and look up. Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter and Saturn can all be seen with the naked eye, while Uranus and Neptune are possible to spot with binoculars or a telescope. Seeing Mercury and Venus might be a challenge as they are near the western horizon.

Stay tuned towards the end of the month...Comet C/2022 E3 (ZTF) was discovered in March last year while inside Jupiter's orbit, and will make its closest approach to the sun on January 12 and Earth on February 2. It is not expected to be as bright as NEOWISE, but may be visible to the unaided eye. Right now, the comet is moving northeast to northwest between the Big and Little Dippers. From published reports, best viewing is in the early morning hours.