Monthly Night Sky information provided by Chris Vaughan (@Astrogeoguy) at Starry Night Education (@StarryNightEdu).
Astronomical Events
Calendar of Events
S Sun
M Mon
T Tue
W Wed
T Thu
F Fri
S Sat
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Mars Buzzes the Beehive
Mars Buzzes the Beehive
As December begins, the bright reddish planet Mars will be shining just above (or celestial north of) the large open star cluster in Cancer known as the Beehive, Praesepe, and…
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The Double Cluster
The Double Cluster
The northeastern sky on December evenings hosts the bright constellations of Perseus and W-shaped Cassiopeia, with the very bright yellowish star Capella gleaming below them. The sky between Perseus and…
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Crescent Moon Shines near Venus
Crescent Moon Shines near Venus
As the sky is darkening after sunset on Wednesday, December 4, look low in the western sky to see the pretty, waxing crescent moon shining several finger widths below (or…
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Lunar Crater Piccolomini
Lunar Crater Piccolomini
On Thursday evening, December 5, the curved terminator on the moon will fall just to the left (or lunar west) of ancient Mare Nectaris, the dark and roughly circular patch…
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Moon Moves Past Saturn
Moon Moves Past Saturn
On Saturday evening, December 7 in the Americas, the waxing crescent moon will shine a palm’s width to the lower right (or celestial west) of Saturn. The pair will be…
Jupiter at Opposition
Jupiter at Opposition
On Saturday, December 7, Jupiter will reach opposition while it gleams brightly between the horns of Taurus and a palm’s width to the left (or 7.5 degrees to the celestial…
Mars Enters Retrograde
Mars Enters Retrograde
On Saturday, December 7, Mars’ easterly orbital motion through the stars of Cancer will slow to a stop in order for it to begin a westerly retrograde loop that will…
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First Quarter Moon
First Quarter Moon
The moon will complete the first quarter of its 29.53-day trip around Earth on Sunday, December 8 at 10:27 a.m. EST, 7:27 a.m. PST, and 15:27 GMT. At first quarter,…
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Mare Imbrium’s Golden Handle
Mare Imbrium’s Golden Handle
On Tuesday night, December 10, the terminator on the waxing gibbous moon will cross Sinus Iridum, the Bay of Rainbows. The circular 155 mile (249 km) diameter feature is a…
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Bright Moon Points to Uranus
Bright Moon Points to Uranus
On Thursday night, December 12, the bright, nearly full moon will shine near the planet Uranus. Use binoculars (orange circle) to look for the medium-bright star Botein (Delta Arietis) shining…
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Moon Crosses the Pleiades
Moon Crosses the Pleiades
On Friday evening, December 13, the orbital motion of the bright, nearly full moon will carry it through the Pleiades star cluster (aka Messier 45, Subaru, and the Seven Sisters)…
Geminids Meteor Shower Peak
Geminids Meteor Shower Peak
The Geminids, one of the most spectacular meteor showers of the year, is active from November 19 to December 24 annually while Earth passes through the cloud of sand-sized grains…
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Bright Moon Joins Jupiter
Bright Moon Joins Jupiter
Shortly after the very bright moon clears the rooftops in the east after dusk on Saturday, December 14, the brilliant planet Jupiter will rise to join it. The duo will…
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Full Oak Moon
Full Oak Moon
The December full moon will occur at 4:02 a.m. EST, 1:02 a.m. PST, or 09:02 GMT on Sunday, December 15. Traditionally known as the Oak Moon, Cold Moon, and Long…
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Bright Moon between the Twins
Bright Moon between the Twins
Look low in the eastern sky after dusk on Monday, December 16 to see the bright, waning gibbous moon gleaming just to the right (or celestial southwest) of Gemini’s brightest…
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Moon Moves toward Mars
Moon Moves toward Mars
On Tuesday evening, December 17, the bright, 90%-illuminated moon will shine a short distance above (or celestial WNW of) the prominent reddish dot of Mars. The moon and the reddish…
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Watch Algol Brighten
Watch Algol Brighten
The star Algol in the constellation of Perseus represents the glowing eye of Medusa from Greek mythology. Also designated Beta Persei, it is among the most accessible variable stars for…
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Stellar Halo around Mirfak
Stellar Halo around Mirfak
On mid-December evenings the constellation of Perseus is climbing the northeastern sky. Just for 2024, bright Jupiter will also be gleaming to the lower right of Perseus. The outer rim…
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The Hyades Cluster
The Hyades Cluster
Located only about 150 light years away from the sun, Taurus, the Bull’s triangular face is actually one of the nearest open star clusters to our solar system. Its stars…
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Ursids Meteor Shower Peak
Ursids Meteor Shower Peak
The Ursids meteor shower, which is produced by particles of debris dropped by the periodic comet 8P/Tuttle, runs from December 17 to 26 every year. The weak, short-duration shower will…
Northern Winter Solstice
Northern Winter Solstice
Winter in the Northern Hemisphere will officially commence in the Americas on Saturday, December 21 at 4:21 a.m. EST and 1:21 a.m. PST, or 09:21 GMT. At the solstice, the…
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Third Quarter Moon
Third Quarter Moon
The moon will complete three quarters of its orbit around Earth, measured from the previous new moon, on Sunday, December 22 at 5:18 p.m. EST, 2:18 p.m. PST, or 22:18…
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Two Shadows and the Red Spot Cross Jupiter
Two Shadows and the Red Spot Cross Jupiter
From time to time, observers with good quality telescopes can watch the small, round, black shadows of the Galilean moons traverse Jupiter’s disk. On Monday morning, December 23, sky-watchers located…
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Crescent Moon Moves Toward Spica
Crescent Moon Moves Toward Spica
Early risers on Tuesday morning, December 24 will see the pretty sight of the waning crescent moon shining in the southern sky close to Libra’s brightest star, Spica. The star…
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Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation
On the mornings surrounding Wednesday, December 25, Mercury will reach its widest angle of 22° west of the sun, and peak visibility, for its current morning apparition. Starting around 5:45…
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Night’s Brightest Star
Night’s Brightest Star
Sirius, the brightest star in Canis Major and in the entire night sky, too, is hard to miss once it clears the trees and rooftops in the southeast by 7:30…
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Earthshine Moon with Antares and Mercury
Earthshine Moon with Antares and Mercury
If the weather forecast calls for clear skies to the southeast on Saturday morning, December 28, it will be worth venturing outside around breakfast time to see the pretty spectacle…
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Second New Moon of December
Second New Moon of December
The moon cycles through its phases every 29.5 days, allowing a phase to repeat if it first occurs early in a calendar month. For the second time in December, the…
