It’s been an action-packed year for stargazers so far, and the fun’s not over just yet. December closes 2024 with a bang, including chances to spot meteor showers, lunar occultations, and the winter solstice in the night sky.
December will also be a great month for planet watching — especially for fans of Jupiter — as well as catching the best-in-a-decade northern lights. According to NASA and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), we’re officially in the peak period of aurora activity, known as solar maximum. That means now is the time to take that bucket-list northern lights trip.
Ready to close out the year with the cosmos? Here are the top night-sky sights to watch for in December
December 7: Jupiter reaches opposition
Look for Jupiter on the night of December 7, as its opposition from the sun will make it more vivid than normal. In fact, with a -2.8 magnitude, Jupiter will be among the brightest objects in the sky, according to stargazing app Starwalk. You can admire the gas giant all night; it rises in the east-northeast in the early evening and sets beneath the west-northwest around dawn. It will be easily noticeable with the naked eye, although stargazing binoculars or a telescope will enhance the view.
December 7-8: Moon meets Saturn
On the night of December 7, the moon and Saturn will make a close approach above the southern horizon, with luminous Venus nearby. The two will tango throughout the evening before setting above the western horizon around midnight. Those in eastern Indonesia, Japan, and the eastern Philippines are lucky this night, according to Starwalk. The moon and Saturn will hang high enough in the sky here for stargazers to see the lunar occultation (when the moon passes in front of) the ringed planet.
December 13: Moon nears Pleiades
November and December are the best months to see the Pleiades star cluster, a shimmery asterism of more than 1,000 stars. The night of December 13 will make spotting it even easier, as the nearly full moon and Pleiades will travel close together throughout the night, with Jupiter just beneath them. Catch them above the eastern horizon after sunset, then follow their journey across the sky and to the western horizon just before dawn.
Related Stories
December 13: Geminid Meteor Shower
The Geminid meteor shower is among the most prolific of the year, producing up to 150 “shooting stars” per hour during its peak, and under prime viewing conditions, according to Space.com. This year’s event coincides with a 90 percent illuminated moon that will obscure some of the show, but it’s still worth heading out — especially since the Geminids are known to produce a rainbow of colours. According to physics and astronomy site The Secrets of the Universe, 65 percent of Gemini meteors are white, 26 percent are yellow, and the rest are blue, red, and green. To catch the spectacle, head far from light pollution and look near, but not directly within, the Gemini constellation. It will rise in the eastern sky, and will climb up to its greatest height in the sky — when meteor shower viewing is the best — around 2 am local time.
December 17-18: Lunar Occultation of Mars
The moon’s busy planet-meetup schedule continues on December 17, as it joins Mars in the evening sky, then cosies up to the red planet for a lunar occultation as the night goes on. Catch the pair above the eastern horizon after sunset, and watch as they appear to inch closer on their transit northwest. The moon will cover Mars for a lunar occultation from around 2:45 to 5:45 am. on December 18, according to In-the-Sky.org.
December 21: Winter Solstice
It’s officially winter in the northern hemisphere, and summer in the southern hemisphere, on December 21 at around 4:20 am. EST, according to Time and Date. People around the world celebrate the winter solstice in all sorts of ways, from Vancouver’s Solstice Lantern Festival to Japan’s hot yuzu baths. Enjoy the longest night of the year by hunting the northern lights in a far-north locale like Alaska, or chase summer in southern hemisphere escapes like New Zealand.
December 22-23: Ursid Meteor Shower
Is it Santa, or a shooting star? From December 17 to 26 — the duration of the Ursid meteor shower — it may be tough to tell. The Ursids peak from December 22 to 23, and while the shower only produces a handful of shooting stars per hour, it’s still worth giving the year’s last meteor shower a whirl. The meteors appear near Ursa Minor, which is visible above the northern horizon after sunset. The moon doesn’t rise until around 12:40 am., so head out early for the best shooting star odds.
(Feature Image Credit: Getty Images)
This story first appeared on travelandleisure.com
Related: Did You Know The Northern Lights Have A Southern Hemisphere Counterpart?
The information in this article is accurate as of the date of publication.
Written By
