Astronomical Events in December

With all the holidays going on during this month, we often forget about other events, like astronomical events. Though not important to most people, seeing these could make the holidays feel more special & more beautiful. 

Here are some of the astronomical events December has in store for us:

★ December 1st: New Moon

☆ At the start of the month, there will be a new moon inhabiting the sky. Though sadly not visible, it is the perfect time to go out & go stargazing as the moonlight is faint & won't obstruct any star clusters or any other celestial bodies in the sky.

★ December 7th: Jupiter At Opposition

☆ On December 7th, Jupiter & it’s 4 moons will be visible in the night sky. In order to see the moons, you'd need a telescope or a pair of binoculars, however you don't need any gear to see Jupiter as it is visible to the naked eye!

★ December 13–15th: Geminids Meteor Shower

☆ Much like the name suggests, the Geminids meteor shower will be most visible by the Gemini constellation. The meteor shower starts December 7th & lasts until December 17th but from the 13th to the 15th, it will be at its peak. Unfortunately the moonlight will block out the dim meteors but that simply means the brightest will be visible. There will also be an abundance of meteors, about a staggering 120 meteors per hour!

★ December 15th: Full Moon

☆ There will be a beautiful full moon rising on the night of December 15th, also known as the cold moon as it marks the beginning of cold, dark long nights that is winter, though not to be confused with the beginning of the winter solstice.

★ December 21st–23rd: Ursids Meteor Shower

☆ In comparison to the Geminid meteor shower, the Ursids meteor shower is quite small; only 10-15 meteors appear per hour, however it's still a wonderful thing to be able to see firsthand! It doesn't last long, from about December 17th to December 24, right around christmas eve, but it peaks at the 21st to the 23rd! But also, as always, the moonlight will block out any dim meteors, but with patience, bright ones will be visible.

★ December 30th: New Moon 

☆ Much like the beginning of the month, the moon will be barely visible in the sky, making it the perfect time to look for stars with the dim moonlight– or maybe even catch some fireworks being set off early for the new year!

Maybe you didn't know much about stargazing or how to stargaze, most of these events can be seen with little to no experience & only a select few events require a telescope or other equipment to see them. They can simply be viewed by the naked eye, which makes it easier for everyone to be able to see these incredible things.