Sunrise Sunset

Fri., Jan 11 7:07 4:31

Sat., Jan. 12 7:07 4:32

Sun., Jan. 13 7:07 4:33

Mon., Jan. 14 7:06 4:34

Tues., Jan. 15 7:06 4:35

Wed., Jan. 16 7:06 4:37

Thurs., Jan. 17 7:05 4:38

Fri., Jan. 18 7:05 4:39

Tonight’s crescent moon appears low in the western sky after sunset in the zodiacal constellation Aquarius. The moon reaches first quarter phase on Tuesday and is in the zodiacal constellation Pisces.

Color of Celestial Objects

The red planet Mars is a perfect example of how red an object in the night sky can get. The brilliant planet appears low in the eastern sky shortly after sunset and rises as the night progresses.

Mars is not as red as the flashing light at the blinker intersection in Oak Bluffs. But it is red when compared to other bright objects in the night sky. Take a look towards the southeastern sky after sunset and you’ll see the bright star Sirius. Sirius is as bright as Mars and is one of the brightest stars in the night sky. Sirius is far from red — in fact, at the other end of the rainbow when it comes to color. Sirius is blue.

Compare the color of these two brilliant objects and their color is far more apparent. In the night sky, stars and planets have color. It is just hard to distinguish that color when you stare at them apart from the others.

There are two distinctly different colored stars in the constellation Orion. Compare the red star Betelgeuse, which marks the right shoulder of Orion, to the bright blue star Rigel which is Orion’s left knee.