SkyEye

Welcome to SkyEye, your guide to this month's celestial events. All dates are based on Universal Time (UT).

The Sun and Moon

There are two eclipses this month. An annular solar eclipse takes place on 14 December and a practically invisible penumbral lunar eclipse occurs on 30 December.

Solstice occurs on Earth on 21 December, marking the beginning of winter in the northern hemisphere and the start of summer in the south. As seen from the Earth, the Sun is moving from the non-zodiacal constellation Ophiuchus to Sagittarius.

The phases of the Moon are

Last Quarter : 7 December
New : 14 December
First Quarter : 22 December
Full : 30 December

Depending on your time zone, you may see a Blue Moon this month.

The Moon is at perigee on 14 December and at apogee on 30 December.

Saturn is occulted by the Moon twice this month! At 2 UT on the first day of the month, observers in North America and western Europe can look for the ringed planet disappearing and reappearing from behind the Moon's limb. North America gets another chance on 28 December at 8 UT. The occultation of Venus is a daytime event on 14 December and the occultation of Jupiter on 30 December is fleetingly visible only from the Arctic.

The Planets

The word planet is derived from the Greek word for "wanderer." Unlike the background stars, planets seem to move around the sky, keeping mostly to a narrow track called the ecliptic, the path of the Sun across the stars.
Mercury
Superior conjunction with the Sun on 4 December means that this tiny planet is lost to view at the begining of the month, but can be seen low in the sunset sky later. Mercury is in the constellations Scorpius and Ophiuchus.
Venus
The "morning star" is occulted by the Moon on 14 December but this will be difficult to see as it is a daytime event. It is now getting desperately close to the horizon and is difficult to see in the constellations Libra, Scorpius, Ophiuchus and Sagittarius.
Mars
The red planet is in the constellations Capricornus and Aquarius, and sets before midnight.
Jupiter
Another Arctic occultation of Jupiter by the Moon is on the cards for 30 December. The brightest object in the constellation Gemini is the planet Jupiter.
Saturn
Saturn takes centre stage this month. Not only is it occulted twice by the Moon (1 December and 28 December), but it reaches opposition on 3 December. The ringed planet can be seen all night between the "horns" of the bull Taurus.
Uranus
This ringed gas giant is getting lower in the southwest in the constellation Capricornus.
Neptune
Neptune sets during the evening in the constellation Capricornus.
Pluto
Pluto is at conjunction on 7 December and is too close to the Sun to be seen at any time this month.

Minor Planets, Comets and Meteors

Minor Planets
A number of interesting minor planets populate the solar system.
Comets
There are no naked-eye comets visible this month.
Meteors
There are four interesting meteor showers this month. The waning Moon may cause some interference during the 6 December and 7 December peaks of the two southern hemisphere showers, the Phoenicids and the Puppid-Velids. The usually reliable Geminids peak about 02 UT on 14 December and the New Moon will offer no impediments. Similarly, the Ursids, which peak on 22 December, should also escape lunar interference.

The Celestial Sphere

Constellations are patterns of stars in the sky. The International Astronomical Union (IAU) recognises 88 different constellations. The brightest stars as seen from the Earth are easy to spot but do you know their proper names? With a set of binoculars you can look for fainter objects such as nebulae and galaxies or some of the closest stars to the Sun.

Descriptions of the sky for observers in both the northern and southern hemispheres are available for the following times this month. Subtract one hour from your local time if daylight savings time is in effect. (Note: These times are approximate.)

Northern Hemisphere : 45° N

Southern Hemisphere : 30° S

For More Information...

Credits

Much of this information can be found in this month's issue of Sky & Telescope and in other fine amateur astronomy magazines available in your local bookshop. Another excellent source is the current edition of the Astronomical Calendar by Guy Ottewell and published by the Universal Workshop at Furman University.

The image of the Sun in the SkyEye banner is courtesy of the SOHO/EIT consortium. SOHO is a project of international cooperation between ESA and NASA. Used with permission.

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Last modified on 30 November 2001
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