|
1
|
New Moon at 6:21 UT. Start of lunation 1261.
|
|
3
|
Mars 2.1° NNW of Beehive Cluster (M44) at 23h UT (morning sky). Mag. −0.6.
|
|
5
|
Moon near Venus at 1h UT (evening sky). Mag. −4.2.
• Venus (Wikipedia)
|
|
6
|
Mercury at inferior conjunction with the Sun at 2h UT. The innermost planet passes into the morning sky.
|
|
7
|
Jupiter at opposition at 21h UT. This is the best time to view the largest planet in the Solar System. Mag. −2.8.
• Jupiter (Wikipedia)
|
|
8
|
Moon near Saturn at 9h UT (evening sky). Mag. 1.0. Occultation visible from E. Indonesia, Japan, eastern Philippines and north-western Papua New Guinea.
• Saturn (Wikipedia)
• Occultation of Saturn (In-The-Sky)
|
|
8
|
First Quarter Moon at 15:27 UT.
|
|
9
|
Moon near Neptune at 9h UT (evening sky). Occultation visible from eastern Russia, western Alaska, Japan and north-eastern China. Mag. 7.9.
• Neptune (Wikipedia)
• Occultation of Neptune (In-The-Sky)
|
|
12
|
Moon at perigee (closest to Earth) at 13:24 UT (distance 365,361km; angular size 32.7').
|
|
13
|
Moon near Uranus at 8h UT (evening sky). Mag. 5.6.
• Uranus (Wikipedia)
|
|
13
|
Moon near the Pleiades at 19h UT (evening sky).
• The Pleiades (Wikipedia)
|
|
14
|
Geminid Meteor Shower peaks in a broad maximum centred at 1h UT. Active December 4−17. Produces bright, medium-speed meteors at its peak (up to 80 meteors/hour). The best and most reliable of the major annual showers. Just before Full Moon so poor viewing conditions this year.
• Geminids (American Meteor Society)
|
|
14
|
Moon near Jupiter at 19h UT (evening sky). Mag. −2.8.
• Jupiter (Wikipedia)
|
|
15
|
Full Moon at 9:01 UT.
|
|
16
|
Moon near M35 star cluster at 0h UT (morning sky).
|
|
17
|
Moon near Castor at 7h UT (morning sky).
|
|
17
|
Moon near Pollux at 13h UT (morning sky).
|
|
18
|
Moon near Mars at 10h UT (morning sky). Mag. −0.9. Occultation visible from Canada, Greenland, eastern Russia and Alaska.
• Mars (Wikipedia)
|
|
18
|
Moon, Mars and Beehive cluster (M44) within circle 3.2° diameter at 12h UT (morning sky).
|
|
18
|
Moon near Beehive cluster M44 at 15h UT (morning sky).
• Beehive Cluster (Wikipedia)
• M44: The Beehive Cluster (APOD)
|
|
20
|
Moon near Regulus at 9h UT (morning sky).
• Regulus (Wikipedia)
|
|
21
|
December solstice at 9:19 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.
• December Solstice (Wikipedia)
|
|
22
|
Last Quarter Moon at 22:19 UT.
|
|
24
|
Moon at apogee (farthest from Earth) at 7h UT (distance 404,485km; angular size 29.5').
|
|
24
|
Moon near Spica at 21h UT (morning sky). Occultation visible from eastern China, Japan, North Korea and South Korea.
• Spica (Wikipedia)
• Occultation of Spica (In-The-Sky)
|
|
25
|
Mercury at greatest elongation west at 2h UT (22° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −0.3.
|
|
28
|
Moon near Antares at 15h UT (28° from Sun, morning sky). Occultation visible from NE French Polynesia.
• Antares (Wikipedia)
• Occultation of Antares (In-The-Sky)
|
|
29
|
Moon near Mercury at 4h UT (22° from Sun, morning sky). Mag. −0.4. Use the Moon to help find the elusive planet Mercury.
• Mercury (Wikipedia)
|
|
30
|
New Moon at 22:27 UT. Start of lunation 1262.
|
|
|
|
All times Universal Time (UT).
- US Eastern Standard Time = UT − 5 hours.
- US Pacific Standard Time = UT − 8 hours.
- Australian Eastern Daylight Time = UT + 11 hours
- Singapore Standard Time = UT + 8 hours.
|
Back | Next 
