Astronomical Events

The Pheonicid meteor shower will be active from 28 November to 9 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 2 December. 

The December φ-Cassiopeid meteor shower will be active from 1 December to 8 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 6 December. 

The Puppid-Velid meteor shower will be active from 1 December to 15 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 7 December. 

Mercury will reach half phase in its Nov–Dec 2023 evening apparition. It will be shining brightly at mag -0.3. 

The Monocerotid meteor shower will be active from 5 December to 20 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 9 December. 

The Moon and Venus will share the same right ascension, with the Moon passing 3°38' to the south of Venus. At around the same time, the two objects will also make a close approach, technically called an appulse. 

Comet 144P/Kushida will make its closest approach to the Earth on 12 December, at a distance of of 0.57 AU.It will then reach its highest point in the sky at 21:44, 82° above your southern horizon. It will continue to be observable until around 02:34, when it sinks below 21° above your western horizon. 

The σ-Hydrid meteor shower will be active from 3 December to 15 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 12 December. 

The Geminid meteor shower will be active from 4 December to 17 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 14 December. 

On 15 December,The Orion Nebula (M42; mag 0.4) will reach its highest point in the sky at 00:22, 61° above your southern horizon. 

The Comae Berenicid meteor shower will be active from 12 December to 23 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 16 December. 

The Moon and Saturn will share the same right ascension, with the Moon passing 2°28' to the south of Saturn.At around the same time, the two objects will also make a close approach, technically called an appulse. 

The December Leonis Minorid meteor shower will be active from 5 December to 4 February, producing its peak rate of meteors around 20 December. 

Asteroid 4 Vesta will be well placed, lying in the constellation Orion, well above the horizon for much of the night. 

The South Pole of the earth will be tilted toward the Sun, which will have reached its southernmost position in the sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.22 December will be the shortest day of 2023 in the northern hemisphere .

The Moon and Jupiter will share the same right ascension, with the Moon passing 2°36' to the north of Jupiter.At around the same time, the two objects will also make a close approach, technically called an appulse. 

The Ursid meteor shower will be active from 17 December to 26 December, producing its peak rate of meteors around 23 December. 

The Moon will reach full phase. At this time of the month, it is visible for much of the night.early Native American tribes as the Cold Moon because this is the time of year when the cold winter air settles in and the nights become long and dark. 

On 29 December,The open star cluster NGC 2232 (mag 3.9) in Monoceros will reach its highest point in the sky at 00:20, 61° above your southern horizon. 

On 30 December,The Rosette Nebula (C49; mag 9) in Monoceros will reach its highest point in the sky at 00:20, 71° above your southern horizon.