Astroblog: Thursday December 18 to Thursday December 25

Monday, December 15, 2025

Thursday December 18 to Thursday December 25

The New Moon is Saturday December 20. The Earth is at Solstice on the 22nd. Saturn is in the north-western sky. Jupiter is rising near astronomical twilight but is still best in the morning sky near the bright star Pollux. Mercury is visible deep in the twilight near the Moon on the 19th.

The New Moon is Saturday December 20.The Earth is at Solstice, when the days are longest, on the 22nd.

North-eastern twilight sky on the morning of Saturday, December 20 as seen from Adelaide at 04:52 ACDST (60 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Jupiter is passing through Gemini and is near the bright star Pollux. Jupiter forms a slightly battered line with the bright stars Castor, Pollux and Procyon.

The inset is the telescopic view Jupiter at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (60 minutes before sunrise).

North-western sky on Saturday, December 20 as seen from Adelaide at 22:15 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Saturn is in the north western sky, heading west.

The inset shows the telescopic view of Saturn at this time.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Eastern sky on Saturday, December 20 as seen from Adelaide at 22:15 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Jupiter is rising.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time (90 minutes after sunset).

Eastern sky on Friday, December 19 as seen from Adelaide at 5:06 ACDST (45 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen). Mercury is close to the crescent Moon deep in the twilight. You will need a clear level horizon to see them, and possibly binoculars.

Similar views will be seen from the rest of Australia at roughly the equivalent local time 45 minutes before sunrise, click to embiggen).

Whole sky on Saturday, December 20 as seen from Adelaide at 22:15 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Saturn is in the northwest. Jupiter is just rising.

Bright Canopus and Sirius are rising, along with Orion. The galactic core is setting in the western sky.

The Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky. The moon is new and the fainter clusters and nebula are easier to see.

Elsewhere in Australia will see a similar view at the equivalent time (90 minutes after sunset).

Mercury is just visible in the twilight. It is near the crescent Moon on the 19th.

Venus is lost in the twilight glow.

Mars is lost in the twilight.

Jupiter climbs in the morning twilight and is now rising around astronomical twilight. Jupiter forms a slightly battered line with the bright stars Castor, Pollux and Procyon.

Saturn is the brightest object in the north-western skies.

Printable PDF maps of the Eastern sky at 10 pm AEST, Western sky at 10 pm AEST. For further details and more information on what's up in the sky, see Southern Skywatch.

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