December 2024 Sky
- Posted by OCastronomy
- On December 1, 2024
- 0 Comments
- Antares, Beehive cluster M44, Castor, December solstice, Geminid Meteor Shower, Jupiter, M35 star cluster, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, Pleiades, Pollux, Regulus, Saturn, Spica, Uranus, Venus
December 2024 Sky
| 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. |
December 2024 Sky All times Universal Time (UT).
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