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 26 January, when moonlight does not brighten the sky.

This month in the sky

The night sky in January 2028

In January 2028 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 26 January. Planets in the night sky: Venus (evening), Jupiter (most of the night), Saturn (evening).

See what clears your own horizon this month

Moon and darkness

New moon	26 January
Full moon	12 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°	Atlas Single
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
NGC 2392 Eskimo Nebula	planetary nebula	1′	City-friendly	59°	71°	mosaic or too small

Already high in the evening

These targets culminate around 22:00 this month, so you don't have 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°	eQuinox 2
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: evening, up to 15° high
Jupiter: most of the night, up to 40° high
Saturn: evening, up to 44° high

Planets show up as small discs in a smart telescope. These telescopes do their best work on deep-sky objects.

Meteor showers

Quadrantids, peak around 3 January

Meteors are best seen with your eyes or a wide-angle camera, not through a telescope.

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 26 January, when moonlight does not brighten the sky.

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Calculated with Astronomy Engine for 52° N, 5° E; target data from the Messier, NGC and IC catalogues. Dates are UTC.