Some highlights for the night sky in December 2005
Thursday 1 December 2005
- New Moon at 10:01 AM EST
- Shortly after sunset look for Venus high and bright in the SSW
Friday 2 December 2005
- About 20 minutes after sunset look for young crescent Moon in SW
- Venus is bright early after sunset, and 105 degrees from Mars
Sunday 4 December 2005
- About 1 hour after sunset, look for waxing crescent Moon near Venus
- Sagitarius is low in the sky after sunset
Thursday 8 December 2005
- First Quarter Moon
- Asteroid 3 Juno is at opposition 5 degrees WSW of Delta Orionis
Saturday 10 December 2005
- Look for waxing gibbous Moon in SE
- Mars ends its retrograde motion and is 22 degrees West of Pleaides
Sunday 11 December 2005
- George Mason born in 1725
Tuesday 13 December 2005
- Although peak of Geminid meteor shower, bright Moon will prevent good seeing
- Look for nearly full Moon near Pleaides (Full Moon on 15 December)
Saturday 17 December 2005
- Two hours after sunset look for waning gibbous Moon near Pollux in ENE
- Before sunrise, look for Mercury and Jupiter in SE
Sunday 18 December 2005
- Happy Birthday Nancy Jo
- Look for Moon near Saturn about 5 hours after sunset
Wednesday 21 December 2005
Thursday 22 December 2005
- Shortly before sunrise look for Mercury and Jupiter as bookends to Libra
- Moon approaching last quarter
Sunday 25 December 2005
- Merry Christmas
- Look for the Moon near Spica, upper right of Jupiter in early morning
- First Hannukah candle lighting in the evening
Friday 30 December 2005
- New Moon at 10:12 PM EST
- Try your hand at finding Uranus and Neptune after sunset
Saturday 31 December 2005
- It's New Year's Eve - DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE
- After sunset look for very young crescent Moon beneath Venus
Good skywatching resources
John Avellone's provided web sites