Get ready for a celestial treat this December! Tonight, December 6th, asteroid 15 Eunomia will be making a close pass by the constellation Auriga, offering stargazers a fantastic possibility for observation.
By 9 PM local time, Eunomia will be shining brightly, nearly 50 degrees high in the eastern sky. It will be positioned just 1 degree east of the 5th-magnitude star Phi (φ) Aurigae, making it easily visible through binoculars or a small telescope.
Adding to the spectacle, the 6th-magnitude open cluster M36 will be just 1 degree east of Eunomia, forming a celestial trio with Phi Aur. These three objects, along with M37 and M38, create a striking line running northwest to southeast across Auriga.
For an extra bonus, look for NGC 1931, a captivating reflection nebula sometimes called a “miniature Orion Nebula,” located a mere 0.3 degrees south-southwest of Eunomia. This nebula, spanning 4 arcminutes, surrounds a small open cluster of five luminous stars.
Don’t miss this chance to witness this celestial alignment!
Skywatching Details
Table of Contents
Here’s a quick rundown of tonight’s skywatching conditions:
- Sunrise: 7:08 AM
- Sunset: 4:34 PM
- Moonrise: 11:37 AM
- Moonset: 10:00 PM
- Moon phase: Waxing crescent (30%)
*Times are for local time from 40° N 90° W. The Moon’s illumination is given at 12 PM local time from the same location.
Get ready for a celestial spectacle this December! Astronomy enthusiasts across the U.S. are in for a treat as Jupiter reaches its peak visibility in the Northern hemisphere on December 7th, marking a decade-long high point.
This celestial event coincides with Mars reaching its stationary point against the backdrop of the Cancer constellation at 4 p.m. EST on December 7th. After this point, the red Planet will begin its retrograde motion, appearing to move westward against the stars.
But the star of the show is undoubtedly Jupiter. Rising around sunset and gracing the sky until sunrise, this splendid planet will be a dazzling sight. By 9 p.m. local time, Jupiter will be 50° high in the east, soaring to over 70° above the southern horizon by midnight, when it reaches its zenith.
“Once Venus sets about three hours after the Sun, Jupiter is the brightest point of light in the sky, outshining even the night sky’s brightest star, magnitude –1.4 Sirius,” says Astronomy magazine.
Jupiter will be located in the heart of Taurus the Bull, positioned to the upper left of Aldebaran, the constellation’s brightest star. through binoculars or a telescope, Jupiter’s remarkable 48″-wide disk reveals intricate details, especially its alternating light and dark horizontal cloud bands. Around 9 p.m. EST, the planet’s iconic Great Red Spot will be visible, moving from east to west as Jupiter rotates.
adding to the celestial show, Jupiter’s four Galilean moons will also be visible. As jupiter rises for the eastern half of the U.S., only three moons will be initially visible, as Europa will be hidden behind the planet. Ganymede will be positioned to Jupiter’s east, with Io (closest) and Callisto (farthest) to its west. Europa will emerge from behind Jupiter shortly before 7 p.m. EST, moving eastward, while Io, on the opposite side, will approach the northwestern limb over the following hours.
In a captivating event, Io will disappear in an occultation that lasts over two hours, just 10 minutes before 2 a.m.EST on December 8th (for the eastern two-thirds of the U.S.). It will reappear at the northeastern limb just after 4 a.m. EST, now visible for the entire continental U.S. With Jupiter’s long, dark shadow stretching almost directly behind the planet from our perspective, the moons will both disappear and reappear, creating a mesmerizing celestial dance.
Stargazers are in for a celestial treat this weekend as Saturn and the Moon put on a dazzling display in the evening sky. On Sunday, December 8th, the two celestial bodies will appear in close proximity, offering a stunning visual spectacle for astronomy enthusiasts.
The celestial dance begins early sunday morning when the Moon passes a mere 0.3 degrees north of Saturn at 4:00 AM EST. As the day progresses,the Moon will reach its First Quarter phase at 10:27 AM EST,setting the stage for the evening’s main event.
An hour after sunset, Saturn and the moon will grace the southern sky in the constellation Aquarius, separated by approximately 8.5 degrees. Saturn, shining brightly at magnitude 1, will be easily visible to the naked eye, outshining all the stars in its vicinity. It will appear about 2 degrees to the lower left of Phi aquarii, a fainter star with a magnitude of 4.
“Saturn outshines all the stars around it, and even those farther away,” notes the astronomy website. “The closest luminary of similar magnitude is magnitude 1.2 Fomalhaut in Piscis Austrinus, hanging below Saturn and much closer to the horizon.”
Through a telescope, Saturn’s iconic rings will be a breathtaking sight, encircling its 17-inch wide disk.Adding to the celestial spectacle, Saturn’s brightest moon, Titan, will be visible about 2.3 arcminutes west of the planet. Several other fainter moons will cluster closer to the planet and its rings.
Adding another layer of intrigue,the moon Iapetus,a “stranger” from the northeast,will be making its way towards inferior conjunction north of Saturn in just two days.
For those with binoculars or telescopes, the distant ice giant Neptune will also be visible in the constellation Pisces, located about 4.7 degrees below (south-southeast) of magnitude 4.5 Lambda (λ) Piscium, one of the stars in Pisces’ Circlet asterism. Neptune reached its stationary point at 6:00 AM EST this morning.
Don’t miss this opportunity to witness the celestial ballet of Saturn and the Moon. Grab your binoculars or telescope and head outside for a captivating view of the night sky.
Get ready for a celestial show this week as the Moon dances through the night sky, bringing us close encounters with fascinating celestial objects.
On Monday, December 9th, the Moon embarks on a journey through the constellation Pisces, passing a mere 0.8 degrees north of Neptune at 4:00 AM EST. By nightfall, our lunar companion will have shifted eastward, positioning itself about 9 degrees away from the distant ice giant.
As the evening unfolds, the Moon graces the constellation cetus the Whale, home to the enigmatic variable star Mira. Located approximately 12.9 degrees southwest of the bright star Menkar (magnitude 2.5), Mira’s brilliance fluctuates dramatically, sometimes shining brightly enough to be seen with the naked eye, other times fading into obscurity.
“Mira is a red giant that undergoes periodic changes in temperature, which we see here on Earth as changes in brightness,” explains an astronomy expert. ”It is the archetype Mira variable, a class of red giant stars that exhibit similar changes in temperature and brightness on roughly the same timescale.”
These aging stars, having fatigued the hydrogen fuel in their cores, are fusing hydrogen in a shell surrounding their core, leading to these dramatic brightness variations. Currently, Mira is hovering around magnitude 9, making it invisible to the naked eye. Though, through a telescope, its faint glow will be readily apparent.
Sunrise: 7:11 AM
Sunset: 4:34 PM
Moonrise: 12:52 PM
Moonset: 12:23 AM
Moon Phase: waxing gibbous (63%)
On Tuesday, December 10th, the icy moon iapetus reaches inferior conjunction, appearing a mere 45 arcseconds north of the ringed planet Saturn. Saturn, the brightest object in the constellation Aquarius, will be high in the southern sky after sunset.
Iapetus,with its intriguing two-toned surface,orbits Saturn every 79.3 days. Tidally locked to its planet, it always presents the same face to Saturn. From Earth, we witness Iapetus’s brightness fluctuate as it orbits, a phenomenon caused by the stark contrast between its light and dark hemispheres.
at inferior conjunction, Iapetus will shine at a faint magnitude 11. In contrast,the larger moon Titan,currently positioned far west of Saturn,will be much brighter at magnitude 8.
Stargazers across the U.S. are in for a celestial treat this week, with Saturn and its moons putting on a show in the early evening sky, followed by a close encounter between Mars and the Beehive Cluster before dawn.
On Tuesday, December 10th, Saturn will be visible low in the eastern sky, accompanied by several of its moons. “Just before 11 P.M. EST, as Saturn is quite low in the eastern time zone, Tethys and then Mimas disappear in quick succession behind the planet’s northwestern limb,” notes the source. By the time these moons reappear, more than two hours later, Saturn will have set for most observers.
Sunrise on December 10th will be at 7:12 A.M., with sunset at 4:35 P.M. the moon will rise at 1:17 P.M. and set at 1:35 A.M., appearing as a waxing gibbous (73%) in the night sky.
Wednesday, December 11th, offers a different celestial spectacle. as the brightening moon graces the evening sky, turn your attention to the predawn hours. The bright planet Mars will be positioned near the stunning Beehive Cluster in the southwest, approximately 60° above the horizon two hours before sunrise.
Both Mars and the Beehive Cluster are visible to the naked eye. Mars, shining at magnitude –0.7,will be easy to spot amidst the fainter stars of Cancer.the Beehive, also known as M44, sits just to the left of Mars, a little over 2° away. This proximity allows both to be viewed within a single field of view using binoculars or a telescope’s finder scope. To their lower right are the brightest stars in Gemini the Twins: Castor on the right and Pollux on the left.
“M44 shines at magnitude 3.7 and appears to the naked eye as a fuzzy glow or — if your eyesight is particularly keen — perhaps a few scattered points of light,” the source explains. Known since antiquity, it is sometimes also called Praesepe or the Manger.Dozens of stars are visible under low magnification, while larger telescopes will reveal hundreds. It stretches nearly 100′ across, nearly as large as the Pleiades in Taurus.
Although Mars sometimes passes through this cluster, it won’t do so this month.”you might recall the Red Planet reached its stationary point earlier this week, so it is indeed now moving away from the Beehive, rather than toward it,” the source clarifies.
Sunrise on December 11th will be at 7:12 A.M., with sunset at 4:35 P.M. The moon will rise at 1:44 P.M.and set at 2:49 A.M., appearing as a waxing gibbous (83%).
Thursday, December 12th, marks a significant lunar event.The Moon reaches perigee, its closest point to Earth in its orbit, at 8:20 A.M. EST.At this time, our satellite will be 227,025 miles (365,361 kilometers) from Earth. This is the first month since September when perigee hasn’t coincided with the Full phase.
“This is the first month since September when this point has not lined up with the Full phase — in August, September, October, and November, the Moon was Full near or at perigee, resulting in 2024’s four super Moons. Now that the cycle is broken, the next Super Moon won’t occur until October next year,” the source notes.
With Jupiter still prominent in the night sky, attention turns to the king of planets. Overnight, Jupiter’s icy moon Europa will transit the planet’s disk, accompanied by its shadow.jupiter will be visible all night, shining brightly between the horns of Taurus, reaching its highest point in the south around local midnight. The waxing gibbous Moon will be nearby, but its brightness shouldn’t overshadow Jupiter’s brilliance.
The transit begins at 12:31 a.m. EST (the 13th in the Eastern time zone only), as Europa slips onto Jupiter’s disk from the southeast. Also visible will be Io (alone to the west) and Ganymede and Callisto to the planet’s east; Callisto lies slightly closer to Jupiter than Ganymede.
Get ready for a celestial show! Tonight, Jupiter and its moon Europa will put on a captivating performance across the night sky. As Jupiter graces us with its presence near opposition, the Sun will be almost directly behind it, creating a stunning visual spectacle.
Around 1:00 A.M. EST on December 13th, Europa will begin its journey across Jupiter’s cloud tops, its shadow trailing closely behind. For over two hours, this celestial duo will traverse the Jovian landscape, with Europa finally exiting the disk around 3:00 A.M. EST.Its shadow will follow suit, disappearing within 20 minutes.
Mark Your Calendars: Key Celestial Events
Here’s a rundown of other notable celestial events for December 13th:
- Sunrise: 7:13 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:35 P.M.
- moonrise: 2:15 P.M.
- Moonset: 4:06 A.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (91%)
And don’t forget to mark your calendars for the peak of the geminid meteor shower on December 14th! While the bright Moon might slightly obscure the show, early morning hours will offer the best viewing opportunities.
Happy stargazing!
Stargazers, get ready for a celestial show this Friday, December 13th! While the bright gibbous Moon might steal some of the spotlight, the annual Geminid meteor shower is set to peak, offering a chance to witness some dazzling shooting stars.
Early Friday morning, around 5 A.M. EST, the Moon will pass just 4 degrees north of Uranus in the constellation Aries. While this celestial duo will be sinking in the western sky by then,the Moon’s glow will unfortunately impact the visibility of the Geminids.
“Despite the poor conditions, it’s worth trying to catch a few of the brightest fireballs before dawn,” advises astronomy experts. “The shower is expected to produce some 150 meteors per hour.”
To maximize your chances of spotting these celestial streaks, look towards the radiant point – the area from which the meteors appear to originate – around 2 A.M. local time. The radiant, located near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini, will be about 80 degrees high in the southern sky at that time.
For the best viewing experience, focus your gaze slightly away from the radiant, about 40 degrees to the left or right. This technique increases your chances of catching the meteors with the longest, brightest trails. Remember,early morning is prime time as Earth rotates into the meteor stream.
Looking ahead, next year’s Geminids will be less affected by moonlight, promising a more impressive display. And if you’re still eager for more celestial wonders, keep an eye out for the Ursid meteor shower later this month, peaking on December 22nd. With no moonlight interference, the Ursids might offer a clearer view, though their rate is considerably lower.
Here’s a quick rundown of Friday’s celestial events:
- Sunrise: 7:14 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:35 P.M.
- Moonrise: 2:54 P.M.
- Moonset: 5:26 A.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (96%)
sky This Week is brought to you in part by Celestron.
This text provides a detailed and engaging description of celestial events happening from December 10th to 13th.It’s clearly writen for astronomy enthusiasts, offering specific times, locations, and magnitudes for various occurrences.
Here’s a breakdown of its strengths:
* **Specifics:** It includes precise times for events like moonrise, moonset, transits, and peak viewing for the meteor shower.
* **Clear Descriptions:** The writing effectively describes the appearance and relative positions of celestial objects like Mars, the Beehive Cluster, and Jupiter’s moons.
* **Context:** The text relates events to broader astronomical phenomena, explaining why this month isn’t seeing a supermoon and contrasting it with previous occurrences.
* **Audience Engagement:** It uses language that is both informative and excited, encouraging readers to look up and observe.
**Suggestions for Improvement:**
* **Visual Aids:**
The inclusion of star charts or diagrams would considerably enhance the text’s accessibility,helping readers visualize the positions of celestial objects.
* **Links and Tools:**
Providing links to resources like stargazing apps or online planetarium software would make it easier for readers to find additional facts and plan their observations.
* **Accessibility:**
Consider adding alt text to the image and ensuring that color choices (if applicable) are accessible to users with color blindness.
this text is a well-written and informative guide to a series of exciting celestial events. With a few additions, it could be even more engaging and accessible for a wider audience.
