EarthSky News - Jan 3 - Planets, Stratospheric Clouds, Sunrises

January 3  Planets, Stratospheric Clouds, Sunrises by:

January guide to the bright planets Look west after sunset for Venus and Mars. The other 3 bright planets - Jupiter, Saturn and Mercury - light up the wee hours before sunrise. Wow! Polar stratospheric clouds Photos from the EarthSky community of rare, vividly colored ice clouds in Earth's stratosphere. They showed up at high latitudes last week and this weekend. Latest sunrises happen in early January Shortest day comes on the solstice, but the latest sunrises happen in early January at mid-northern latitudes.  At mid-southern latitudes, your latest sunsets are around now. Close and far moons in 2017 We list the 13 lunar perigees (close moons) and 13 lunar apogees (far moons) for the year 2017, plus share a secret on the intriguing cycle of close and far moons.

EarthSky 2017 moon calendar almost sold out! Best New Year's gift ever! Purchase one before it's too late. Your support means the world to us.

Wow! Polar stratospheric clouds Photos from the EarthSky community of rare, vividly colored ice clouds in Earth's stratosphere. They showed up at high latitudes last week and this weekend.

See it!  Moon sweeps past Venus and Mars The moon moves eastward in orbit. It swept past Venus and will continue getting higher in the west after sunset. View from Hong Kong last night by Matthew Chin. More photos here. For a chart showing how they'll look Tuesday evening, visit the EarthSky planet guide. Submit your photo to EarthSky here!

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