Compiled by Kirk Ross
The days are short,
The sun a spark
Hung thin between
The dark and dark.
— John Updike, January
January is not the coldest month of our year. It’s close, but December and February are pretty much in a tie for first. Of course, this depends on where you are and how the winds affect you. The Piedmont’s hilly land – urban and rural – makes for quite a few frost hollows, low-lying areas where it is not uncommon for a layer of warm air emanating from nearby slopes to trap a layer of cold air in the hollow. That makes for some cold nights no matter what the reading is at the airport.
Jan. 1 – Sunrise: 7:26 a.m.; Sunset: 5:12 p.m.
Jan. 31 – Sunrise: 7:14 a.m.; Sunset: 5:28 p.m.
Moon Phases
First Quarter – Jan. 1 Full Moon – Jan. 9
Last Quarter – Jan. 16 New Moon — Jan. 23
The Full Moon in January is the Old Moon, Wolf Moon and Ice Moon.
Planets & Stars: It’s a beautiful time for stargazing, with some of the brightest – like Sirius, the Dog Star – right overhead at midnight. It’s also a good time of year to view the planets. Mars gets so close that you can see the polar caps with a decent set of optics. Venus and Jupiter are still morning and evening lights, respectively, while Mercury and Saturn join the dawn patrol. The Quadrantids Meteor Shower, radiating out of Bootes in the Western North Western sky, peaks on Jan. 3-4, with the best viewing around midnight.
Get the kettle out. January is Hot Tea Month, Oatmeal Month and Soup Month.
Significant Dates
• Jan. 1 is New Year’s Day and Freedom Day
• Jan. 3 is the Festival of Sleep and Fruitcake Toss Day
• Trivia Day is – you guessed it – Jan. 4
• The Feast of the Epiphany is on Jan. 6
• January has a Friday the 13th. That’s also International Skeptics Day.
• Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday is on Jan. 15 and is celebrated this year on Jan. 16
• The Chinese ring in the year 4710, The Year of the Dragon, on Jan. 23
• Jan. 25 is Opposite Day
• Jan. 26 is Australia Day
• Jan. 31 is Yad Sdrawkcab