Monday, December 05, 2022
Thursday December 8 to Thursday December 15
Full Moon is Thursday December 8. Jupiter is easy to see as brightest object in the evening sky aside from the Moon. Mars is now rising well before midnight, and is at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 8th, when it is above the full Moon. Mercury and Venus climb higher in the evening twilight. Geminid meteor shower December 15.
Full Moon is Thursday December 8. The Moon is at apogee, when it is furthest from the Earth, on December 12.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent
local time (45 minutes after sunset).
Mars is at opposition, when is at its biggest and brightest as seen from Earth. The Full Moon is just below. The inset is the telescopic view at this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).
Saturn forms a line with iota, delta and gamma Capricornii with Jupiter to the north-west.
The insets are the telescopic views of Saturn and Jupiter at the same magnification at this time.
Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at the equivalent
local time (90 minutes after sunset).
Between the bright star Canopus and the Southern Cross are another wealth of binocular objects to discover but the moons light interferes substantially.
Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).
The Geminids are usually a fairly reliable meteor shower and with the
waning Moon nearby rates will not be the best, but still worth.
The Geminids have a broad peak and normally will show good activity
well before and after the peak on
the day before and after. The peak is December 13, but with the Moon almost on top of the radiant the best rates are on the morning of the 15th from around midnight until 2 -3 am. As the radiant doesn't rise until just
before midnight (daylight saving time) in most of Australia, and the Moon rises around 1:00 am you
will still have to disturb your sleep for this one.
Mercury climbs out of the twilight.
Venus climbs out of the twilight.
Mars forms a triangle the bright stars Elnath and Zeta Taurii, the tips of the horns of the Bull, but is now moving up the horns back towards red Aldebaran. Mars is is at opposition, when it is biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 8th, with the Full Moon below.
Jupiter climbs higher in the late evening sky was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 27th of September. Jupiter is visible all evening. Jupiter is close to the waxing Moon on the 2nd.
Saturn forms a line with iota, delta and gamma Capricornii. Saturn was at opposition, when it was biggest and brightest as seen from Earth, on the 15th of August. Saturn is close to the crescent Moon on the 29th.
Star Map via Virtual sky. Use your mouse to scroll around and press 8 when your pointer is in the map to set to the current time.
Cloud cover predictions can be found at SkippySky.
Here is the near-real time satellite view of the clouds (day and night) http://satview.bom.gov.au/
Labels: weekly sky
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