Bermuda Community Online - The Astronomical Society

December 2004

December is a poor month for observing the Planets unless you are a pre-dawn person, in which case Venus and Jupiter will be prominent in the Eastern Sky. Mars will be there also but not as bright.

Before dawn on December 7th the waning Moon will pass in front of Jupiter at 5am. The planet will re-appear about 6:15am. You should watch as 2 of Jupiter's Moons, Callisto and Gannymede, will appear just ahead of the planet from behind the darkened side of the Moon - at about the 2:30 position (using the moon as a clock face, Noon - at north). Nearer the horizon Venus and Mars will be side by side.

Saturn will start to make an appearance this month, rising in early evening. The rings are quite open and will make a nice binocular sight.

To make up for the lack of Planets, perhaps the Geminii Meteor shower will put on a show. A few days before and after the scheduled appearance date of December 13th it will be worth looking out for these heavenly streaks. There will be no moon these nights and the viewing time is 7pm till whenever. Just look overhead.

The winter sky will be ablaze with such Constellations as the kite-shaped Orion, the V shape of Tuarus, the heavenly twins Castor and Pollux and dominating all, the beautiful star Sirius.

On Christmas Eve an almost Full Moon will look as though it is balanced evenly between the extended horns of the Bull.

Compliments of the season and clear viewing!

Eddie McGonagle