Get ready for an exciting month of planet-watching, as this December’s Sky Tour episode reveals where and when to catch five bright planets visible by eye. The highlight is arguably the best meteor show of the year – the Geminid meteor shower.
Start with Venus, which rises in the southwest as evening twilight fades. It’s incredibly bright, outshining any other nighttime star. Look diagonally up from Venus towards Saturn on a clear night, and follow the Moon to spot it.
For this month’s headliner, Jupiter is the main attraction. As sunset fades, look east for the brilliant planet rising low in the horizon. On December 7th, it reaches opposition, making it appear closest to us in our sky. Note its position relative to the horizon and check the time to spot it again four hours later with Mars.
Mars follows closely behind Jupiter in this month’s parade of bright planets. Mercury will be visible in the southeast starting about 45 minutes before sunrise during the final days of 2024, making for an easy spotting opportunity.
As winter approaches, stars like Orion begin to appear in the east after nightfall. December also marks the peak of the Geminid meteor shower, one of the year’s best displays. This month’s Sky Tour episode will guide you on when and where to see this spectacular event, so listen now for a fun and informative ride through the month’s celestial sights.
Source: https://skyandtelescope.org/observing/sky-tour-podcast-december-2024