December Stargazing

from StarDate Magazine

Venus, the brightest object in the night sky after the Moon, climbs into better view as the "evening star" this month, low in the west at sunset. The next-brightest object, Jupiter, is well up in the southeast at that hour, and climbs high across the sky after Venus drops from view. Beautiful Orion, the hunter, is in view all night, with Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky, tagging along behind it.

Thursday, December 1, 2011
Betelgeuse, the bright orange star that marks the shoulder of Orion, the hunter, is in the east on December evenings. The supergiant star is at least 300 times wider than the Sun and 20 times as massive, and emits 100,000 times as much energy.

Friday, December 2, 2011
The Moon is at first-quarter today, signifying that it is one quarter of the way through its month-long cycle of phases. The cycle reaches its zenith at full Moon on December 10, when there will be a lunar eclipse.

Saturday, December 3, 2011
The ancient elements of fire and water sit side by side low in the southern sky at this time of year. Fire is represented by the constellation Fornax, the furnace. To its east is the watery constellation Eridanus, the river.

Sunday, December 4, 2011
The constellation Auriga, the charioteer, is low in the northeast at nightfall and passes directly overhead by around midnight. Its brightest star is yellow-orange Capella, one of the brightest stars in the night sky.

Monday, December 5, 2011
Jupiter is in good view tonight, to the lower left of the Moon at nightfall. The giant planet looks like a brilliant star. In all the night sky, only the Moon and the planet Venus outshine Jupiter.

Tuesday, December 6, 2011
There’s a beautiful conjunction in the sky tonight — a pairing of the Moon and Jupiter. The brilliant planet is to the right of the Moon at nightfall, and below the Moon as they set in the wee hours of the morning.

Wednesday, December 7, 2011
The Moon perches between two prominent objects tonight. As darkness falls, the brilliant planet Jupiter is to the upper right of the Moon, with the dipper-shaped Pleiades star cluster about the same distance to the lower left of the Moon.

December 5-11 Moon Meanderings. The Moon passes by the brilliant planet Jupiter this week, and they're on display for much of the night. It also passes the Pleiades, and it kicks off the weekend with a lunar eclipse. Join us for this and more.

December 12-18 Moon, Mars, and meteors. The Moon passes a bright orange companion this week: the planet Mars. We'll have details. And we'll also talk about a meteor shower that's being eclipsed by the Moon. Join us for these, plus an ancient celebration.

December 19-25 Holiday Skies. We'll help spread some holiday cheer this week with a look at some beautiful sights in the night sky — including a reindeer. And we'll also have the tales of two astronomy pioneers. Join us for this and more.

December 26-31 Planetary Debris. The process of building a solar system leaves behind a lot of debris — material that can turn deadly as the system ages. Join us for planetary bombardments, plus the bounty of the New Year's Eve sky.

December Program Schedule: http://stardate.org/radio/calendars
Find an Affiliate: http://stardate.org/radio/affiliates.

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