December 2024

Hello and welcome to UT Skywatch!

The predawn hours of the 13th and the14th bring us one of the best meteor showers of the year, the Geminids, with one caveat: the moon is full on the 15th. We will have a rough time seeing many of these meteors. On a good dark night, we might see as many as 120 per hour, however a near full moon means all night will be a challenge. Good luck.

Prepare to celebrate the winter solstice at 4:20 a.m. on the 21st. The sun will be at its lowest in the south at local noon for the year and we will experience the longest night of the year.

Venus is exceptionally bright in the evenings and slowly rising higher in the southwest all month. Venus is joined by a waxing crescent moon on the 4th.

Saturn is high in the south southwest by midmonth and is joined by a bright crescent moon on the 7th.

Jupiter shines its brightest this month between the horns of Taurus the bull and is at opposition on the 7th. The king of the planets is joined by a nearly full moon on the 14th.

Mars is rising about 10:30 p.m. by midmonth in the east northeast. The red planet is joined by a bright waning gibbous moon on the 17th.

The moon phases for this month are 1st quarter on the 8th, full on the 15th, last quarter on the 22nd and new on the 30th.