January 2025 - On & Off Earth

January 2025 - On & Off Earth

A new year lends itself to much reflection, we look back, we look ahead, we plan, we resolve, we dream. This new year, 2025, sees us looking back on the first quarter of the 21st century. For me, I look back on five years of writing this column in the Central Virginian. For all humans, we try not to look back on the five years since the Covid virus began its rampage around our planet. But, new years are really about what lies ahead, so let’s look at January.

A new lunar cycle is just getting started as the new year begins, the first easy to spot crescent moon pairs nicely with brilliant Venus on the 3rd. The Moon moves on to much dimmer Saturn the next night. The 4th is also perihelion, our closest annual approach to the sun. Completely unrelated to our solar proximity, the 4th also marks the latest sunrise for the year. Sunrises increase very slowly all month but sunsets increase a minute a day, every day of the month. 

As the month with the coldest average temperatures, January chills are the norm and at some point there will be forecasts, and hopes, for snow. It is also a rare year without a January thaw, a brief reprieve from the cold and a reminder of warmer times ahead. January also sees the arrival of seed catalogs. I just received my e-catalog from our local heirloom seed exchange, Southern Exposure. Garden plans made now mean early garden treats in the spring (if only I listened to myself).

Perhaps that will change this year as I have a new house guest amongst the wall of house plants I bring in for the winter. A tiny tree frog, remained calm, and came in with one of the plants back in November. I just checked and he’s moved from his spot against the glass up onto a plant, maybe time for a snack. I don’t know what he’s eating but as long as he doesn’t start singing at night he is more than welcome to eat all the little bugs he wants.

Even as the daylight increases in January, darkness is still the dominant feature. Get out on the evening of the 10th to see a bright gibbous moon beside Jupiter. But, find binoculars or a small scope for the night of the 13th. At 9:15 that evening, the Full Wolf Moon will occult, or block, our view of the red planet, Mars. Without visual aid, the moon’s glare will wash out the planet. With visual aid, the grey of the moon and red of Mars will be a visual treat. The red world will appear from behind the moon about an hour later. As always, hope for clear skies!

The last close sky encounter of the month is on the 17th when Saturn sits just left of Venus in the southwest sky. Catch it now, Saturn will be almost gone by month’s end. The sun moves from Sagittarius into Capricorn on the 20th.

I’ll close this month by once again saying ‘Thank You’ to the Central Virginian and to readers out there for the support and kind words over the last five years. Special thanks to Michelle D. for the push and to David Holtzman for taking a chance on me. And, to Mitchell Sasser and the current staff for keeping the tradition of a local newspaper alive and well. We all need you now more than ever.

One last reminder; Covid is not gone! After 5 years of heeding the warnings and following the protocols, current on my vaccinations, I felt the Covid wrath! As promised, the vaccine did it’s job and my symptoms were short lived and mild. It’s not the only health heads-up I received in 2024; stay safe out there and let’s all work toward a happy and healthy 2025.

And...just for the TOE: to dementia donnie, you piece of crap..thanks for the covid...hope you get it again soon...and stroke out!!