LAKE COUNTY, Calif. – “January” is named after “Janus,” the Roman god of the doorway. January, being the first month of the year, is the doorway to the new year.

The January night skies may be the most beautiful of all with the brilliant constellations Orion, Canis Major and Minor and Gemini.

Of the 20 brightest stars in the sky, January has eight of them.

Orion, the Hunter, is a majestic constellation. The outline resembles a hunter, with a shield in one hand and a club in the other.

In Greek mythology Orion was a hunter with supernatural powers. He did battle with Scorpius the scorpion, a summer constellation.

Orion has two of the brightest stars in the sky, Rigel (seventh) and Betelgeuse (ninth).

Orion is host to the Orion Nebula, a stunning object in a telescope of any size. The nebula is a star nursery – new stars are born here.

A good hunter needs hunting dogs, and Orion has an excellent pair, Canis Major and Canis Minor. Canis is Latin for “dog.”

Canis Minor, the little dog, has the eighth brightest star in the sky, Procyon.

Canis Major, the big dog, has Sirius, the brightest star in the sky.

Gemini, the twins, is another beautiful constellation featuring the bright stars Castor and Pollux. In Greek mythology Castor and Pollux were bad boys who did things we dare not repeat in this column.

Castor is a double star that can easily be viewed in a telescope of moderate size.

Note that the planet Jupiter is becoming visible. Next month we’ll explore this planet.

John Zimmerman is a resident of Lake County and has been an amateur astronomer for more than 50 years. For more information about astronomy and local resources, visit his Web site at www.lakecountyskies.com .