Monthly Night Sky information provided by Chris Vaughan (@Astrogeoguy) at Starry Night Education (@StarryNightEdu).
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 several degrees to the celestial south of) the brilliant planet Venus. The pair will share the view in binoculars and will make a pretty photo […]
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 located just south of the moon’s equator. A prominent crater named Piccolomini is located in the lunar highlands a small distance to the lower left […]
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 due south after dusk and then set in the west around 11 p.m. local time. On Sunday night, the half-illuminated first quarter moon will hop […]
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 northeast) of the bright star Aldebaran. At opposition, planets rise in the east at sunset and cross the sky all night long before setting in […]
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 last through its mid-January opposition and into late February. Tonight the bright, reddish dot of Mars will be positioned in the eastern evening sky in […]