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1
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Moon near Venus and Mars at 11h UT (morning sky). The thin crescent Moon will form a spectacular compact triangle with brilliant Venus (mag. 4.7) and Mars (mag. +1.5). Favors dawn skywatchers in North America.
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2
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Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 9h UT (distance 362,288 km; angular size 33.0').
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4
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Total Solar Eclipse. The path of totality extends from southern Africa to southern Australia. A partial eclipse will be visible from most parts of Africa and Australia.
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4
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New Moon at 7:34 UT. Beginning of lunation 989.
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6
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Venus 1.5° from Mars at 12h UT (morning sky).
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11
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First Quarter Moon at 15:49 UT.
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13
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Geminid Meteor Shower. Produces bright, medium-speed meteors at its peak on the night of December 1314. Radiant indicated on sky map.
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14
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Moon at apogee (furthest from Earth) at 4h UT (distance 404,914 km; angular size 29.5').
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17
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Saturn at opposition. Visible all night long, the ringed planet is at its closest (disk diameter 20.7") and brightest (mag. 0.5) in 30 years. An awesome sight even in a small telescope!
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19
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Moon near Saturn at 15h UT.
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19
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Full Moon at 19:10 UT. The full Moon of December is known as the "Moon Before Yule" in old almanacs.
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22
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December solstice at 1:14 UT. The time when the Sun reaches the point farthest south of the celestial equator marking the start of winter in the Northern Hemisphere and summer in the Southern Hemisphere.
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23
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Moon near Jupiter at 15h UT.
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26
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Mercury at greatest elongation, 20° east of the Sun. Visible low in the southwest at dusk (mag. 0.5).
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27
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Last Quarter Moon at 0:31 UT.
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30
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Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 1h UT (distance 367,902 km; angular size 32.5').
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30
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Moon near Venus and Mars at 2h UT (morning sky). Favors dawn skywatchers in the Middle East.
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All times in Universal Time (UT).
(USA Eastern Standard Time = UT 5 hours.)
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