Astronomy Calendar For December 2024
Find all the astronomical events of December 2024 in this guide! Comet forecast, all the meteor showers, best visibility of Mercury and Jupiter, and more. To easily find celestial objects in the sky, use the free astronomy app Sky Tonight. Let's get started!
Contents
- Astronomical events in December 2024
- Planets in December 2024
- Constellations in December
- Jupiter at opposition
- Moon near Venus and Jupiter
- December solstice
- Full Cold Moon
- Mercury at greatest western elongation
- Meteor showers in December 2024: Geminids, Ursids
- Comets in December 2024
- How to navigate the night sky?
- Bottom line: celestial events in December 2024
Astronomical events in December 2024
We provide the event dates in GMT (Greenwich Mean Time). For your location, the exact dates may vary. To find out the time and date of the event for your city, use the Sky Tonight astronomy app.
- December 1: New Moon; Phoenicids’ peak (ZHR = variable).
- December 2: Moon passes 4°55' from Mercury (mag 3.9).
- December 4: Moon passes 2°18' from Venus (mag -4.2). 🌟
- December 6: Phi Cassiopeiids’ peak (ZHR = variable).
- December 7: Jupiter (mag -2.8) at opposition 🌟; Puppid-Velids’ peak (ZHR = 10). 🌟
- December 8: Moon passes 0°18' from Saturn (mag 1.0); First Quarter Moon.
- December 9: 333P/LINEAR (mag 11) at closest approach to Earth; December Monocerotids’ peak (ZHR = 3); σ-Hydrids’ peak (ZHR = 7); Moon passes 0°44' from Neptune (mag 7.9).
- December 13: Moon passes 0°6' from Pleiades (mag 1.2); Moon passes 4°10' from Uranus (mag 5.8).
- December 14: Geminids’ peak (ZHR = 150) 🌟; Moon passes 5°26' from Jupiter (mag -2.8). 🌟
- December 15: Full Moon. 🌟
- December 16: Comae Berenicids’ peak (ZHR = 3).
- December 17: Moon passes 2°0' from Pollux (mag 1.2).
- December 18: Moon passes 0°54' from Mars (mag -0.9).
- December 19: December Leonis Minorids’ peak (ZHR = 5).
- December 20: Moon passes 2°30' from Regulus (mag 1.4).
- December 21: December Solstice. 🌟
- December 22: Ursids’ peak (ZHR = 10) 🌟; Last Quarter Moon.
- December 24: Moon passes 0°12' from Spica (mag 1.0).
- December 25: Mercury (mag -0.4) at greatest elongation west. 🌟
- December 28: Moon passes 0°6' from Antares (mag 1.1).
- December 29: Moon passes 6°21' from Mercury (mag -0.4).
- December 30: New Moon.
*The highlighted events are the outstanding events of the month.
About magnitude: the faintest magnitude for stars and planets visible to the naked eye in cities with moderate light pollution is about 4. The limiting magnitude of an optical device depends on its specification but rarely exceeds 11.
Planets in December 2024
Northern Hemisphere
Mercury (mag -0.4) becomes visible in the southeastern morning sky starting mid-month, appearing near the horizon in Scorpius for no more than an hour.
Venus (mag -4.4) shines brightly low above the southern horizon in the evening sky, beginning the month in Sagittarius before moving into Capricornus later in the month.
Mars (mag -0.8) is visible in Cancer throughout the night and early morning.
Jupiter (mag -2.8) rises in the evening and remains visible all night in Taurus.
Saturn (mag 1.1) graces the evening and night sky in Aquarius.
For those with binoculars or a telescope, Uranus (mag 5.5) can be seen in Taurus during the evening and night, while Neptune (mag 7.9) is visible in Pisces at the same time.
Southern Hemisphere
Mercury (mag -0.4) appears low above the eastern horizon in the morning sky from mid-month in Scorpius.
Venus (mag -4.4) is well visible in the western evening sky, starting in Sagittarius and moving to Capricornus later in the month.
Mars (mag -0.8) remains visible at night and early morning in Cancer.
Jupiter (mag -2.8) shines brightly all night in Taurus.
Saturn (mag 1.1) can be seen in the evening sky in Aquarius.
Those equipped with binoculars or a telescope can observe Uranus (mag 5.5) in Taurus and Neptune (mag 7.9) in Pisces during the evening and night hours.
Constellations in December
In the Northern Hemisphere, the best visible constellations in December are the well-known Orion, Perseus, Aries, and Taurus. The last two belong to the constellations of the zodiac.
In the Southern Hemisphere, December offers a chance to see Eridanus, the sixth largest constellation in the sky, as well as fainter Fornax and Horologium.
To easily locate any of the 88 constellations in the sky, use the free astronomy app Sky Tonight. Simply type in the name of the constellation you want, tap the target icon, and the app will show you its location based on where you are.
Learn more: Best constellations by season for the Northern and Southern Hemispheres.
Jupiter at opposition
On December 7 at 20:19 GMT, Jupiter will reach opposition. This is the best time to see the planet, so don't miss your chance!
Jupiter is the second brightest planet in the sky, being visible to the naked eye. But around opposition, it will be at its brightest, shining all night at magnitude -2.8 in the constellation Taurus.
Use binoculars to see its four Galilean moons. A telescope with about 150x magnification will allow you to see Jupiter's Great Red Spot. It will be visible at 06:09 GMT and 16:04 GMT on December 7 and at 02:00 GMT on December 8.
Learn more: Facts About Jupiter, The Biggest Planet in the Solar System.
Moon near Venus and Jupiter
One of the easiest events to observe is the conjunction of the Moon and the planets (especially when the planets are bright). Even a casual observer can see this event in the sky with the naked eye.
At the beginning of the month, on December 4, the 11%-illuminated Moon will pass close to the brightest planet, Venus. The event will occur three days after the New Moon, so the lunar disc will be barely visible. This is a great opportunity for a stunning photo.
While you may miss the exact moment of conjunction, you'll still be able to see the Moon and planet close together as they rise above the horizon. Look for the objects in the constellation Sagittarius in the evening.
The second notable conjunction will occur on December 14. On this day, the Moon will meet the second-brightest planet, Jupiter. They will be visible in the sky all night, beginning in the evening. Look for them in the constellation Taurus.
Learn more: All the details about the lunar-planetary conjunctions and upcoming events in our weekly updated article.
December solstice
On December 21, at 09:20 GMT, the Earth’s Northern Hemisphere will reach its maximum tilt away from the Sun, creating a phenomenon called the winter solstice. People there will experience the shortest day of the year, as the northern half of our planet will have the least amount of daylight. Astronomically speaking, this event marks the beginning of winter in the Northern Hemisphere, which will last until the vernal equinox. Our ancestors attached great importance to this day and celebrated it with various festivals — learn more about these peculiar traditions in the article dedicated to the winter solstice.
On the same day, the Southern Hemisphere will tilt closest to the Sun and experience the summer solstice and the longest day of the year. The summer solstice marks the beginning of astronomical summer, which will last in the southern latitudes until the autumnal equinox.
By the way, the other planets in the Solar System also have seasons — on Uranus, for example, summer lasts 21 years! Learn more in our article about the summer solstice.
Full Cold Moon
On December 15, at 09:02 GMT, the Full Moon will take place. At that time, the Moon will be in the constellation Taurus. To the naked eye, our natural satellite will appear fully illuminated the day before and after the exact date.
The Full Moon in December is traditionally called the Cold Moon — a name that comes from Native American culture. Native American tribes gave it this nickname to signify the period of cold weather. See the alternative names of December Full Moons in our infographic.
About two days earlier, on December 13, the beautiful Pleiades star cluster will meet the nearly Full Moon in the sky. They will be visible side by side all night, rising around sunset, peaking around midnight, and setting just before sunrise.
Mercury at greatest western elongation
On December 25, Mercury (mag -0.4) will be at its maximum apparent distance from the Sun (22°30) in our sky and easily visible to the naked eye! Look for the planet after sunset in the constellation Ophiuchus.
Because of Mercury's orbital characteristics, its path in our sky is too close to the Sun, and the planet is often hidden in the Sun's glare. That is why Mercury is known as an “elusive” planet. So, maximum elongation is the best time to observe it.
Learn more: All About Mercury, The Smallest Planet In The Solar System.
Meteor showers in December 2024: Geminids, Ursids
Of all the meteor showers that peak in December, the Geminids, Puppid-Velids and Ursids are the most notable.
The Geminids, which peak on December 13-14, are the best and most reliable of the major annual meteor showers. On a dark night around the Geminids' peak, you can see 50 meteors per hour; on the peak night, it's possible to see 150 meteors per hour. In the Northern Hemisphere, the meteors will be visible from the local evening hours. In the Southern Hemisphere, they will be visible around midnight local time.
Unfortunately, in 2024, the Geminids will reach their maximum just before the Full Moon, so the bright moonlight will reduce the number of visible meteors. Useful tip: try to hide the Moon behind a tall tree, a mountain, or a building. Thus, you’ll get a darker sky.
The Puppid-Velids reach their maximum activity around December 7, although the activity of this meteor shower is not well established. Try to catch meteors on any favorable night from December 1-15, while the Puppid-Velids are active. This meteor shower provides about 10 meteors around the peak (with occasional fireballs) and is mainly visible from locations south of the equator. Its radiant is visible all night from tropical and southern locations, peaking around dawn.
The Ursid meteor shower peaks around the solstice on December 22, producing 5 to 10 meteors per hour. This shower is best viewed from northern latitudes. In 2024, observations of the Ursids will be less affected by the Moon than observations of the Geminids. The lunar disk will be about 60% illuminated and will rise around midnight. Look for meteors before moonrise.
Comets in December 2024
Here are some of December's best comets — to find their exact location in the sky, use the Sky Tonight astronomy app.
The best comet of 2024, C/2023 A3 (Tsuchinshan-ATLAS), was visible to the naked eye in mid-October in the Northern Hemisphere. In December, observers in the Northern Hemisphere can see C/2023 A3 with large binoculars or a small telescope. The comet is visible in the evenings relatively high above the western horizon. During the month, the comet will dim from magnitude 9 to 11.
The Jupiter family short-period comet 333P/LINEAR will reach its closest point to the Earth on December 9, 2024. According to the most promising forecasts, the comet will reach a magnitude of about 11, being visible through powerful binoculars or a telescope under ideal conditions. Look for the comet above the northern horizon as soon as it gets dark — in the Northern Hemisphere 333P/LINEAR doesn't set below the horizon. The comet won't be visible from the Southern Hemisphere. 333P/LINEAR has a retrograde orbit with a period of only 8.6 years — the shortest known retrograde orbit.
Another comet that you may want to pay attention to is recently discovered C/2024 G3 (ATLAS). Although it's not yet visible in the sky, it could become visible to the naked eye in January 2025. The comet will make its closest approach to the Sun on January 13, 2025, and could brighten to magnitude 0.6! However, the chances are not high: C/2024 G3 (ATLAS) will come extremely close to the Sun at perihelion and could fragment or evaporate completely. Learn more about this comet in the dedicated article — we are keeping a close eye on it.
How to navigate the night sky?
For non-professional astronomers, the night sky can be tricky and confusing. Which of these bright dots is Venus? Where to look to find a particular comet in the sky? The easiest and fastest way is to use an astronomy app like Sky Tonight. It's free to use, works without an internet connection, which is useful when camping, and includes a handy astronomical calendar.
Open the app, point your phone at the sky, and Sky Tonight will tell you the names of constellations, stars, and more. If you want to get really good at knowing what's in the night sky, there are videos that can teach you how to use the app.
Also, you can test your practical skills in night sky observation with the quiz! Are you just a newbie stargazer or an almighty Astro Maestro? Find out!
Bottom line: celestial events in December 2024
December 2024 is full of amazing sky events, from bright planets and meteor showers to the beautiful Full Moon and a chance to see comets. Also, December brings a change in seasons with the solstice. Use the Sky Tonight app to find all the celestial objects easily.
