What’s Up in the Night Sky? – December 2022

Fred Barrett | Dec 07, 2022

What a great month for amateur astronomers! First, we have the eye popping Geminid meteor shower peaking at about 150 meteors per hour on the evening of December 13/14 and then we have a very bright, 70 degrees high in the sky, Mars for most of December.

Although Mars was at its closest approach to Earth on November 30th, it’s on December 8th that it is considered to be at opposition. That’s because Mars’ orbit is an elongated circle (an ellipse) and, at opposition, it is actually a bit farther away but really not enough to matter.

To find Mars, look to the east after dark. Mars will be near the star Aldebaran, the bright baleful eye of the constellation Taurus, the Bull. About 11pm, December 7, the full moon will occult Mars and during the evening of December 8, an almost full moon will pass close to Mars. Mars will be an observing gem in the sky for most of December. Views through binoculars are wonderful and a small telescope will allow you to make out surface features.

There are actually 2 meteor showers this month. The first is the always spectacular Geminids. It is arguably the best annual meteor shower and makes its annual appearance on the night of December 13/14. It’s a wonderful shower that is viewable from December 4th to the 17th. It peaks in the very early morning of the 14th.There may be as many as 150 meteors per hour. Sadly, there’s a bright gibbous Moon in the early morning that interferes with observing at its peak. Start observing early after dark and block moonlight when it arrives with a piece of cardboard or part of a building.

The radiant is just above Castor at the top of the constellation Gemini, the twins. Bright stars Castor and Pollux represent the ‘heads’ of the twins. Gemini rises in the east about 8 pm but good viewing really begins around 10pm when the radiant has risen higher in the sky. Lucky for us it’s best not to view the Geminid meteors by looking directly at the radiant since the meteors will be coming at us head on. This means that their trails will be very short. Look about 30 to 60 degrees away from the radiant. You will be rewarded with nice long trails and some protection from the Moon’s brightness. This will increase the number of meteors you can observe. Don’t forget that meteor showers can be almost as great leading up to and after the peak night!

The second shower is the Ursids. It’s active between the 17th and 26th. The radiant is above the dipper in the asterism called the Big Dipper that is part of the Ursa Major or Big Bear constellation. The Ursids peak on the night of December 22/23. Fortunately, we have a New Moon and the radiant is visible all night. Although the Ursids is considered a smallish shower with a maximum rate of about 10 per hour, I always go out for several nights to see to see what might turn up. The Ursids sometimes have a burst that pushes up the hourly numbers. Watch for sporadic meteors too. These are random meteors that can come from any part of the sky. It should be an especially dark night.

It is last call for Saturn. Soon it will set by early evening. At the start of December, Venus and Mercury set soon after the Sun. They become easier to spot soon after sunset as the month passes. On Christmas Eve Mercury, Venus and a thin crescent Moon form a triangle after sunset in the southwest. Venus, of course, is bright and obvious but Mercury is a real challenge. Jupiter is very prominent in the south and its dancing main moons are always a fascinating show. Check out Jupiter’s dark equatorial belts and see if you can make out its Great Red Spot. A telescope, the bigger the better, is recommended.

Winter solstice occurs at 4:48pm on the 21st. Need I remind you that it is the first day of winter? Take heart. Though the temperatures plummet, the days get longer. You have more daylight to watch yourself freeze to death!

On the evening of December 24, watch for a sporadic meteor flashing red at the front and trailing rainbow flashes zipping down from the northern sky.

That’s a wrap. Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays! Stay warm and keep looking up!

December Highlights: Dec. 7: Moon occults Mars about 11pm. This Full Moon is the Full Cold Moon or Winter Maker Full Moon. It’s pretty obvious why. Dec. 8: Mars is at opposition. Dec. 11: The Moon is at apogee – 403,512 Kms. Dec. 13/14: Geminid meteor shower peaks. Dec. 16: Last quarter Moon. Dec. 21: Winter Solstice at 4:48pm EST. Mars passes 8 degrees north of Aldebaran at 11pm EST. Dec. 22/23: New Moon. Ursid meteor shower peaks. Dec. 24: Moon is at perigee – 356,190 Kms. Dec. 29: First quarter Moon.

Follow the links below for information and upcoming events at the North Frontenac Dark Sky Preserve:

www.northfrontenac.com/en/open-for-business/dark-sky-preserve.aspx#

www.visitfrontenac.ca/en/explore-and-do/dark-sky-preserve.aspx

Also check https://rasc.ca/ottawa-centre for area news and events.

Useful books, star charts and related items for beginners and through to advanced amateurs can be ordered from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada at www.rasc.ca/publications. A subscription to our very own excellent Canadian astronomy magazine “SkyNews” can be arranged at the RASC website.

Fill me in on your observations and send me your questions. I welcome emails and all feedback. You can contact me through this paper or email me at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. . Clear Skies!