What's Up In The Sky Now?
December, 2024
Our Solar System - notes by DMAS member, JoAnn Cogil
Time to bundle up and enjoy our night sky as winter fast approaches!
Mercury
MERCURY - reappears to our viewing mid-month. On the 22nd, it will be at its highest altitude in the SE morning sky, but very close to the horizon. On the 28th, it will have its best dawn viewing of 2024.
Venus
VENUS - now sets up to 3-1/2 hours after sunset. On the 4th, the Moon will pass close by to the South of the planet. Take time to view this conjunction in the SW between 5 & 7:45 PM CST.
Earth
EARTH - December 21st is our Winter Solstice at 3:20 AM CST. The days now begin to lengthen in daylight.
Mars
MARS - on the 7th it enters retrograde or western movement. It will sit close to the Beehive Cluster, M44, which is an open cluster found in the constellation Cancer. On the 17th/18th, Mars and the Moon rise just 20 minutes apart and stay close all night, with their closest distance at 3-4 AM.
Jupiter
JUPITER - Has reached its BEST VIEWING in a decade!! The ‘belted’ planet rises just before sunset. On the 7th, it is at opposition and will be in the east after sunset this evening. The 4 largest moons (Io, Europa, Ganymede & Callisto) will be at their brightest as well. On the 14th, we find a line-up not to be missed with Aldebaran (brightest star in Taurus), Jupiter and the full Moon in a line across Taurus in the E-NE sky. The line-up begins just after sunset, with best viewing about 10 PM.
Saturn
SATURN - is visible in our early evening southern sky. It sets about midnight early month to as early as 10 PM by month end. Titan, the planet’s large moon, should be visible on the 5th/6th, 13th/14th, 21st/22nd and 29th/30th.
Uranus
URANUS - can be seen in the evening sky as darkness begins. It stays SW of the Pleiades during this cold month.
Neptune
NEPTUNE - sets about midnight
The Moon
- New Moon, December 01 at 12:21 AM CST
- First Quarter, December 8
- Full Moon, December 15 at 3:01 AM CST
- Third Quarter, December 22