Stars Over the Coast astronomy Jan. 24-30: Why no Dipper this
time of year?  Published: Saturday, January 23, 2010, 12:01 AM
PLANETS TO VIEW: Jupiter spends less and less time up after
sunset, and soon it will be out of the evening sky. Venus is
still out of sight but will return to evening skies next month.
Mercury is visible with a clear southeast horizon before
sunrise. Mars reaches opposition this week, up virtually all
night and nearly as bright as Sirius. Saturn is in the low east
at midnight and high in the south before dawn.  THE MOON is
gibbous tonight and waxes to full by Saturday. Don't look for
faint objects this week; there's too much moonlight.  THIS WEEK:
A New York reader asked why he could see the Big Dipper in his
home state, but can't while "snowbirding" in Mobile. It's a good
question.  Polaris is almost directly above the North Pole, so
it would be overhead if seen there. The farther away from the
pole you get, the lower Polaris appears. In upstate New York,
it's halfway up in the sky;