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January 24: Psyche makes its turn
The Moon reaches First Quarter phase at 11:47 P.M. EST this evening, showing off a face that appears halfway lit as sunrise creeps across the lunar nearside.
The Moon is now located in Aries — fitting, given our telescopic target for tonight is a feature Astronomy contributor Alister Ling calls Aries’ Hoofprint.
First, find Mare Serenitatis — the Sea of Serenity — in the northern hemisphere of the Moon, just outside the shadow of night. Just beyond Serenity’s southwestern rim is the round crater Manilius, which lies within Mare Vaporum. Continue moving in the same southwestern direction, closer to the terminator dividing night and day, and you’ll find another round crater: Triesnecker. Aries’ Hoofprint is a curved feature that lies just northeast of this pockmark — check out the accompanying photo to orient yourself at the eyepiece. Between Triesnecker and the hoofprint is Rima Hyginus, a volcanic rille that is itself split by the small crater Hyginus — a collapse pit within the linear feature.
Sunrise: 7:14 A.M.
Sunset: 5:11 P.M.
Moonrise: 10:31 A.M.
Moonset: —
Moon Phase: First Quarter
*Times for sunrise, sunset, moonrise, and moonset are given in local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 10 P.M. local time from the same location.
