Astroblog: Thursday December 25 to Thursday January 1

Tuesday, December 23, 2025

Thursday December 25 to Thursday January 1

The First Quarter Moon is Sunday December 28. Saturn is in the north-western sky and is close to the waxing Moon on the 27th. Jupiter is rising before astronomical twilight but is still best in the morning sky near the bright star Pollux.

The First Quarter Moon is Sunday December 28.

North-eastern twilight sky on the morning of Saturday, December 27 as seen from Adelaide at 04:55 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 27 as seen from Adelaide at 22:18 ACDST (90 minutes after sunset, click to embiggen). Saturn is lowering in the west. Saturn is near the waxing Moon.

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 27 as seen from Adelaide at 22:18 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).

Whole sky on Saturday, December 27 as seen from Adelaide at 22:18 ACDST, 90 minutes after sunset (click to embiggen).

Saturn is in the northwest. Jupiter is just rising.

Bright Canopus and Sirius are rising. Orion is now high in the north-western sky.

The Southern Cross is low in the Southern sky. The moon is waxing and the fainter clusters and nebula are becoming harder to see.

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

Mercury is lost in the twilight.

Venus is lost in the twilight glow.

Mars is lost in the twilight.

Jupiter climbs in the morning twilight and is now rising before 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