By Heather Durham | December 5, 2019
Due to holidays and snowstorms, we join the celestial show already in progress.
December 2. The Pheonicid meteor shower will originate from the Constellation Phoenix.
December 4. The first quarter phase of the Moon should shine brightly in the evening sky. The Moon is at its apogee (its greatest distance from the Earth), which will result in it appearing smaller than usual.
December 6. The Cassiopeia meteor shower from Andromeda should be visible.
December 7. The Puppid-Velid meteor shower from Veda will appear in the night sky.
December 9. The Monocerotid meteor shower from Monoceros should be visible.
December 10. The Moon will be at its farthest distance from the Sun. This is commonly referred to as the Moon at aphelion. Also this evening, Saturn and Venus will both rise at a right ascension,
December 11. Saturn and Venus will be passing one another.
December 12. The Moon will be full on this date. This Moon is the third full autumn Moon of 2019, known as the Oak Moon (in-the-sky.org, 2019). The Hydrid meteor shower from the Constellation Hydra presents itself. An object in space orbiting the Milky Way, known as the Large Magellanic Cloud or LMC will present itself today (Wikipedia, 2019).
December 13. Venus and Pluto will be rising otherwise known as conjunction.
December 14. The Geminid meteor shower from the Constellation Gemini is upon us this date.
December 15. From the Constellation Cancer, the Beehive Cluster will be making a close approach to the Moon. An open cluster from Orion will be visible, also known as NGC 1981.
December 16. From the Constellation Leo comes the Comae Berenicid meteor shower.
December 18. The Moon will be at perigee meaning at its closest point to the Earth. This Moon should appear larger than usual. This date also brings us to the last quarter of the Moon.
December 20. December Leonid Minorid meteor shower from the Constellation Leo Minor.
December 21. December Solstice and shortest day of the year.
December 22. Both the Moon and Mars will ascend a.k.a be in conjunction. As well, they both will be moving close together.
December 23. Ursid meteor shower from the Constellation Ursa Minor.
December 26. There will be a new Moon. The Moon will also be closest to the Sun.
December 27. The Moon and Saturn will ascend. Jupiter will move very close to the Sun.
December 28. From the Constellation Monoceros comes an open star cluster generally referred to as NGC 2232. The Moon and Venus will rise and will be approaching one another.
December 29. Once again coming from the Constellation Monoceros comes an open star cluster commonly referred to as NGC 2244.
December 30. Mercury will be located at its greatest distance from the Sun, otherwise referred to as aphelion.
We wish you a very Happy New Year! My resolution will be to issue this report in a more punctual manner. But you know how it is with New Year’s resolutions.
Previous in sequence Celestial Seasonings – November 2019; next in sequence: Celestial Seasonings – January 2020
References:
in-the-sky.org. (2019). Retrieved from in-the-sky.org/newscal.php?month=12&year=2019&maxdiff=7#datesel
spacetourismguide.com. (2019, November). What to See in the Night Sky in 2019. Retrieved from spacetourismguide.com/night-sky-2019/
Wikipedia. (2006, October 29). Large Magellanic Cloud. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Large_Magellanic_Cloud
Wikipedia. (2017, November 17). NGC 1981. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/NGC_1981
Wikipedia, (2007, April 20). NGC 2244. Retrieved from en.wikipedia.org/NGC_2244
Milton Observer 