Start seeing red: Mars begins 2010 with a bright show.

Mars ascends the eastern sky before 8 p.m., loitering between the constellations Cancer and Leo. Our rusty red neighbor becomes a bold, negative first magnitude object -- very bright -- making it easy to find in Washington's light-polluted night sky. Each night, it sashays from the eastern heavens to high in the southern sky, where you can find it in the morning before it sinks in the west. During the month, you might notice that Mars snuggles closer to Cancer.

Reaching opposition Jan. 29, Mars hangs out with the big, fat moon that night. Opposition means that from our earthly perspective, Mars and the sun are opposite each other, and the planet can be viewed almost all night.

Jupiter spends evenings in the southwestern sky before setting in the west. At negative second magnitude, it is very bright and easily seen from an urban area. This gaseous giant sets about 8 p.m. early in January and then near 7 p.m. at month's end.

The ringed Saturn follows Mars in the late night sky, rising before midnight in the eastern sky, in the constellation Virgo. Find this zero magnitude planet rising near 10 p.m. later in January.

Fleet as ever, Mercury (zero magnitude) can be found hugging the southeastern horizon in the second half of January. You'll need a clear view of the horizon to find it, something free of trees and buildings, such as an eastern-facing beach.

Heard rumors of an annular solar eclipse Jan. 15? No need to worry, because it is not visible from Washington. It passes through central Africa, the Indian Ocean, India, the Bay of Bengal and Asia.
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And then there was light: On Sunday, Washington will have 9 hours and 32 minutes of light, according to the U.S. Naval Observatory. Since Friday, we've gained two minutes of sunshine. By Jan. 31, we'll have 10 hours and 13 minutes between sunrise and sunset -- a gain of 43 minutes.

Down-to-earth events

-- Jan. 4: Brian B. Schwartz of the City University of New York presents the 2009 Andrew W. Gemant Award Lecture, "Science as Performance: Communicating and Educating Through Theater, Music and Dance," at the American Astronomical Society convention. The Gemant Award is given by the American Institute of Physics. This is a free, public lecture. 6:30-8 p.m. Marriott Ballroom, Salon 1, Washington Marriott Wardman Park, 2660 Woodley Rd. NW.

Luk 21:11  And great earthquakes shall be in different places, and famines and plagues. And there shall be terrors and great signs from Heaven.