Tonight the gibbous moon appears next to the red planet Mars. The two rise together in the east, as the sun sets in the west. Mars is brilliant, brighter than at any time in the past two years. The moon and Mars are in the zodiacal constellation Cancer, a sign we associate with spring.

The planet Mars is close on Tuesday, the closest it has been in two years. You’ll have no trouble finding it when it rises in the east shortly after sunset, for it is the brightest of “stars” in the eastern sky. Mars appears high in the east at 10 p.m. and almost overhead at midnight. Mars is in the zodiacal constellation Cancer.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

Jan. 15 39 25 .00

Jan. 16 47 29 .00

Jan. 17 43 27 .00

Jan. 18 43 38 1.58

Jan. 19 39 30 .03

Jan. 20 40 31 .22

Jan. 21 40 29 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 39º F.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

Jan. 8 39 23 .00

Jan. 9 32 21 Trace*

Jan. 10 27 14 .00

Jan. 11 27 13 .00

Jan. 12 34 23 .00

Jan. 13 35 15 .00

Jan. 14 30 20 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 38º F.

If skies are clear, stargazing will be great into next week. Tonight will be moonless; the moon is in the New Moon phase and too close to the sun to be seen. The moon won’t interfere until late in the week.

Temperature: Precip.

Day Max. Min. Inches.

Fº Fº

Dec. 31 35 20 .00

Jan. 1 36 31 .35

Jan. 2 37 30 .20*

Jan. 3 33 16 .10*

Jan. 4 29 18 Trace

Jan. 5 34 13 .00

Jan. 6 35 25 .00

Jan. 7 31 24 .00

Water temperature in Edgartown harbor: 38º F.