There’s nothing quite like experiencing the night sky from the quiet and dark of the desert. The crystal-clear air and lack of light pollution make for ideal conditions to see an incredible assortment of constellations with the naked eye. This is especially true in January, when the heavens sparkle with the twinkles of deep-sky gems not seen during the rest of the year.
Tucked away in the Sonoran Desert and surrounded by the Bradshaw Mountains, Castle Hot Springs is as idyllic a place as possible to stargaze late into the night. The obsidian skies provide a rich canvas to spot favorite and new constellations alike.
To help you fully enjoy the cosmos’ nightly show, here’s a guide to the January sky’s best finds.
The Bull and the Hunter
The two largest and best-known January constellations are Taurus and Orion. Lighting up the northern sky, these constellations embody a number of recognizable stars and — with a telescope — deep-sky objects.
Taurus is the 17th largest of all 88 constellations and represents the celestial bull. Although it was first cataloged by Greek astronomer Ptolemy in the second century, the famous bovine has been known since the Bronze Age. Taurus is easy to find, largely thanks to the major star cluster it houses: the Pleiades open cluster, also known as the Seven Sisters. The cluster is one of the nearest to earth and easily visible without binoculars or a telescope.
Next up is Orion, the celestial hunter. Another one of the most recognizable constellations, Orion’s distinct hourglass shape is formed by seven extremely bright stars, all of which are especially prominent on clear winter nights.
Going Deep
The Orion Nebula
Several popular deep-sky objects are best seen in January. The two that are easiest to identify given their location within the aforementioned constellations are the Orion Nebula and the Hyades star cluster.
The Orion Nebula (also referred to as Messier 42) has been recognized by many civilizations throughout history and is one of the closest large-star-forming regions to Earth at just 1,500 light years away. It’s here where supergiants (see below) are born, blazing brighter and bluer than their smaller, reddish-toned counterparts. You can spot it immediately below Orion’s “belt,” its four primary stars brightly blazing in a trapezoidal pattern.
The Hyades star cluster, aka the face of Taurus, consists of five prominent stars in the shape of a V and is notable for being the closest cluster of stars to the sun. While the largest and brightest star forming the bull’s face is Aldebaran, it is not technically part of the Hyades cluster. However, as it makes up Taurus’ eye, it’s worth mentioning and seeking out.
Superstars (literally)
There are stars, and then there are supergiants. A supergiant star is defined by Britannica as “any star of very great intrinsic luminosity and relatively enormous size.” Stars classified as supergiants often have diameters several hundred times that of the sun and a luminosity nearly 1,000,000 times as powerful — a vibrance that is truly impossible to imagine.
On any given January night, a handful of supergiant stars can be spotted. In Orion’s shoulder, there’s the red beauty Betelgeuse. (the warm-hued star in the upper third of the photo). Estimated to be some 8.5 million years old, the star has reliably been one of the brightest, and is especially easy to identify given its warm hue.
Another supergiant — and Orion’s brightest — is Rigel (the blueish star at the foot of Orion in the bottom third of the photo). Approximately 47,000 times brighter than the sun, Rigel is a popular sci-fi touchstone, doubling as the name of planets in Star Trek and garnering a mention in The Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Planet, as well as several other novels. Its name is fitting: Rigel derives from an Arabic term translated in English as “the left leg of the giant,” referring to Orion.
Staying with Orion, in his belt this time, you’ll find Alnilam, better known as Epsilon Orionis. It is the fourth-brightest star in the constellation, the 29th brightest in the sky, and is an incredible 537,000 times more luminous (and more than 30 times larger) than Earth’s sun. The other two stars joining Alnilam in forming the famous Belt of Orion are Alnitak and Mintaka, also supergiants.
Whether you choose to take in the majesty of the January night sky as a whole or opt to seek out these especially notable awe-inspiring star formations, there is no limit to the beauty that awaits. Simply turn your gaze upward, and let the universe do the rest.