Leonard’s Comet, Christmas Star and Other Landmarks in the December Night Sky
In December, a lot happens in the night sky, from the impressive Geminid meteor shower to the brightest Venus. Here are some of the most impressive December events to mark on your calendar.
The brightness of Venus will be at its maximum on December 3.
Venus is the December planet of the month! Rebel and conqueror, Venus is the hottest planet in our solar system (sorry Mercury) and the only one that rotates clockwise. The brightest manifestation of Venus in 2021 (or “the greatest illumination ” according to astronomers) will occur on December 3. Look west just after sunset and you will see the Venus crescent, although you may need binoculars to actually check it out. Due to urgent matters in other parts of the Universe, Venus will disappear from the earth’s sky on January 9th.
On December 4, a total solar eclipse will occur in Antarctica.
Our readers in West Antarctica and sailors in the Ross Sea will be able to see a total solar eclipse on December 4, while observers in the rest of Antarctica, South Africa, Tasmania and the South Atlantic will be able to see a solar eclipse. partial eclipse. For the rest of us, the Moon is new (i.e. invisible), so the tides will be higher all over the world. Surf, baby.
You can (probably) see Leonard’s comet on December 9th.
If you really wanted to see a comet, may I suggest Leonard’s comet? In the morning around December 9, from 3:30 am to dawn, is the best watch for viewing comet C / 2021 A1, also known as Leonard. According to Space.com, this will be “one third of the way up the eastern sky, near the circle of stars forming the head of the Serpens Caput.” You may or may not need binoculars to see this (comets are difficult to predict), but the shot is worth it. What else are you going to do at this time? Sleep?
Peak of the Geminid meteor shower on December 14.
The Geminid Meteor Shower is a stunning celestial event in December 2021. It will run from November 19 to December 24, but its absolute peak is expected on December 14. You will be able to see tons of meteors in between hours. sunset on Monday 14th and sunrise on 15th. At around 2am, up to 120 meteors per minute can be seen. They will be all over the sky, but they will come directly above the stars of Castor and Pollux. These meteors would be even more impressive if the Moon hadn’t spoiled everything with its reflected sunlight, but if you wait until it sets around 3 AM, more shooting stars should be visible.
You will be able to spy on Copernicus Crater on December 18th.
Copernicus Crater can be seen with binoculars every time you can see the moon, but if you want a really deeper view, look through a telescope on December 18th. On the night before the full moon, you will be able to see the terraced edges of Copernicus, its central summit, and its vast blanket from the ejection beyond the rim of the crater. Copernicus is located slightly northwest of the center of the Moon’s Earth-facing hemisphere.
The full “Cold Moon” comes on December 19th.
Don’t miss the December full moon on the 19th: here’s everything you ever wanted to know about it.
Head to the winter solstice on December 21st.
In the Northern Hemisphere, December 21 is the shortest day of the year. The sun is lowest at noon, and darkness lasts longer than any other day of the year. The winter solstice is the best day for vampires who need to work hard. The exact moment of the solstice – when the sun reaches its southernmost point in the sky and winter begins – occurs at 15:59 UTC. Here’s how to convert UTC to your local time .
See the peak of the baby Ursids meteor shower on December 22nd.
This short meteor shower is caused by debris from Comet 8P / Tuttle and is visible between December 13 and 24, but is expected to peak in the early hours of the 22nd. After the moon sets around midnight, you will be able to see between five and ten meteors per hour in the sky. They can come from anywhere, but they will likely appear to come from above the Ursa Minor.
See the Christmas star on December 25th (yeah)
If you look out the window after midnight on December 25, you will see Sirius, the brightest night star in the southern sky. Sometimes referred to as the “Star of the Dogs”, Sirius is a twinkling blue and white fireball located just 8.6 light years from Earth. It’s probably not the Star of Bethlehem that the three wise men from the East followed to Bethlehem – you can’t really follow the star anywhere – but it’s still a cool star that you can see on Christmas night (and other nights).