December 06, 2024 / 17:25 IST
December Sky: Astronomy Events and Planetary Alignments (Image: Canva)
Prepare to be captivated by a celestial spectacle as the skies unveil their brilliance from 6 to 13 December. Jupiter will dazzle at its brightest, while Saturn gracefully commands attention, promising a week of astronomical wonders worth gazing at!
| Date/Day | Event Name |
|---|
| December 6 (Friday) | Asteroid 15 Eunomia near Phi Aurigae |
| December 8 (Sunday) | Moon passes 0.3° north of Saturn |
| December 9 (Monday) | Moon passes 0.8° north of Neptune |
| December 10 (Tuesday) | Iapetus reaches inferior conjunction |
| December 11 (Wednesday) | Mars near Beehive Cluster |
| December 12 (Thursday) | Moon reaches perigee |
| December 13 (Friday) | Iapetus at superior conjunction with Saturn |
Friday, December 6
Asteroid 15 Eunomia is moving through central Auriga this month, passing numerous deep-sky objects. By 9 P.M. local time, Eunomia is nearly 50° high in the eastern sky, skimming close to 5th-magnitude Phi (φ) Aurigae, just 1° east of the star tonight. Now magnitude 8.2, Eunomia is easily within reach of binoculars or any small telescope. The 6th-magnitude open cluster M36 is just 1° east of Eunomia, or 2° east of Phi Aur, with the asteroid between them. M36 is one of Auriga's three bright open clusters.Additionally, just 0.3° south-southwest of Eunomia is NGC 1931, a miniature Orion Nebula, with a small open cluster surrounded by a reflection nebula.
- Sunrise: 7:08 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:34 P.M.
- Moonrise: 11:37 A.M.
- Moonset: 10:00 P.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (30%)
Mars stands stationary against the stars of Cancer at 4 P.M. EST, pausing its motion 2° northwest of M44, the Beehive Cluster. The real showstopper tonight is Jupiter, which reaches its best Northern Hemisphere opposition in a decade at 4 P.M. EST. Jupiter is the brightest point of light in the sky, visible until sunrise. By 9 P.M. local time, Jupiter is 50° high in the east, more than 70° above the southern horizon by midnight. The planet’s Great Red Spot will be visible at 9 P.M., moving from east to west as the planet rotates.
Read Also: Earth Aligns with Sun and Jupiter on December 7, Rare Chance to See Jupiter at Its Brightest
Jupiter’s four Galilean moons will also be visible, with Europa passing behind Jupiter at the start of the evening.
- Sunrise: 7:09 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:34 P.M.
- Moonrise: 12:04 P.M.
- Moonset: 11:12 P.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (40%)
Sunday, December 8
The Moon passes 0.3° north of Saturn at 4 A.M. EST. Saturn is visible after sunset in the evening sky, shining brightly in Aquarius. Saturn is 2° to the lower left of 4th-magnitude Phi Aquarii, outshining all stars around it. Through a telescope, Saturn’s stunning rings will be visible. Titan, Saturn’s brightest moon, will be visible 2.3' west of the planet. Just 2 days before inferior conjunction, Iapetus, an 11th-magnitude moon, will be visible as a “stranger” wandering in from the northeast. Distant Neptune, located in Pisces, is also visible, requiring binoculars or a telescope to spot it.
- Sunrise: 7:09 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:34 P.M.
- Moonrise: 12:04 P.M.
- Moonset: 11:12 P.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing crescent (40%)
Monday, December 9
The Moon passes 0.8° north of Neptune at 4 A.M. EST, and by evening, it is 9° east of the planet. The Moon is visible above Cetus, near the variable star Mira. Mira’s brightness fluctuates, and observers currently report it to be around 9th magnitude. Under magnification, you can observe Mira's changes in brightness. - Sunrise: 7:10 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:34 P.M.
- Moonrise: 12:28 P.M.
- Moonset: —
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (51%)
Tuesday, December 10
Iapetus reaches inferior conjunction, standing 45” north of Saturn tonight. Iapetus will appear brightest when at western elongation, but tonight it will be faint. Saturn remains in Aquarius, high in the south after sunset. - Sunrise: 7:11 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:35 P.M.
- Moonrise: 1:17 P.M.
- Moonset: 1:35 A.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (73%)
Wednesday, December 11
Mars is visible in the predawn sky, near the Beehive Cluster in Cancer, 60° high in the southwest. Mars shines at magnitude –0.7, and the Beehive Cluster (M44) is 2° away. The Beehive appears as a fuzzy glow to the naked eye, but a telescope reveals dozens of stars. - Sunrise: 7:12 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:35 P.M.
- Moonrise: 1:44 P.M.
- Moonset: 2:49 A.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (83%)
Thursday, December 12
The Moon reaches perigee, its closest point to Earth, at 8:20 A.M. EST. The distance will be 227,025 miles (365,361 kilometers). This is the first month since September without a Super Moon. Jupiter is still bright in the sky, and Europa will transit the planet’s disk from 12:31 A.M. EST, traveling with its shadow for over two hours until it exits the disk at 3 A.M. EST.
- Sunrise: 7:12 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:35 P.M.
- Moonrise: 2:04 P.M.
- Moonset: 3:45 A.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (90%)
Friday, December 13
Saturn and its moon Iapetus are still prominent in the evening sky. This evening, Iapetus is at its brightest during superior conjunction. The 11th-magnitude moon will appear to fade and brighten as it orbits Saturn. Jupiter remains visible, while Mars continues its journey past the Beehive Cluster. The waxing gibbous Moon will dominate the sky with its brilliant light, enhancing Jupiter's majestic appearance.
- Sunrise: 7:13 A.M.
- Sunset: 4:36 P.M.
- Moonrise: 2:17 P.M.
- Moonset: 4:30 A.M.
- Moon Phase: Waxing gibbous (96%)
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