This month in the sky
The night sky in January 2027
In January 2027 the best-placed deep-sky targets around midnight are M44 Beehive Cluster, M47, M41 Little Beehive Cluster. The darkest nights fall around the new moon on 7 January. Planets in the night sky: Venus (morning), Mars (most of the night), Jupiter (most of the night), Saturn (evening).
Moon and darkness
| New moon | 7 January |
|---|---|
| Full moon | 22 January |
| Full darkness at 52° N | about 11.5 hours a night |
Plan faint galaxies in the week around new moon; bright nebulae and clusters also work near full moon.
Best placed around midnight
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M44 Beehive Cluster | open cluster | 95′ | City-friendly | 58° | 70° | Seestar S30 Pro |
| M47 | open cluster | 30′ | City-friendly | 24° | 36° | Origin Mark II |
| M41 Little Beehive Cluster | open cluster | 38′ | City-friendly | 17° | 29° | DWARF mini |
| M48 | open cluster | 54′ | City-friendly | 32° | 44° | DWARF 3 |
| M50 | open cluster | 16′ | City-friendly | 30° | 42° | Odyssey |
| M46 | open cluster | 27′ | City-friendly | 23° | 35° | Origin Mark II |
| M93 | open cluster | 22′ | City-friendly | 14° | 26° | Seestar S50 |
Already high in the evening
These targets culminate around 22:00 this month: ideal if you do not want to stay up late.
| Target | Type | Size | Sky needed | Highest at 52° N | Highest at 40° N | Frames it best |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| M42 Orion Nebula | star-forming nebula | 66′ | City-friendly | 33° | 45° | Seestar S30 Pro |
| M35 | open cluster | 28′ | City-friendly | 62° | 74° | Origin Mark II |
| M37 Salt and Pepper Cluster | open cluster | 24′ | City-friendly | 71° | 83° | Seestar S50 |
| M36 Pinwheel Cluster | open cluster | 12′ | City-friendly | 72° | 84° | Odyssey |
| M38 Starfish Cluster | open cluster | 21′ | City-friendly | 74° | 86° | Seestar S50 |
| M78 | reflection nebula | 8′ | City-friendly | 38° | 50° | Odyssey |
| M79 | globular cluster | 9′ | City-friendly | 13° | 25° | Odyssey |
| M1 Crab Nebula | supernova remnant | 6′ | City-friendly | 60° | 72° | mosaic or too small |
Planets
Calculated for the 15th at 52° N: planets at least 10° high while it is dark.
- Venus: morning, up to 12° high
- Mars: most of the night, up to 49° high
- Jupiter: most of the night, up to 52° high
- Saturn: evening, up to 38° high
Meteor showers
- Quadrantids, peak around 3 January
Questions and answers
- What is the best smart telescope target in January?
- M44 Beehive Cluster is among the best-placed targets around midnight, and the Seestar S30 Pro frames it best.
- When are the darkest nights in January?
- Around the new moon on 7 January, when moonlight does not brighten the sky.