What’s Up in the Night Sky? – December 2024

Fred Barrett | Dec 04, 2024

Lucky us! We have 2 meteor showers this month but don’t celebrate yet. A major one is the Geminids that runs from December 4 to the 20th. Sadly we have that big Christmas tree ornament in the sky called an almost Full Moon blotting out most of the meteors on the peak night of December 13. The Geminid meteor numbers are more than any other shower of the year. You can expect 100, with possible peaks of up to 150 meteors per hour. That’s more than a meteor a minute! Also the Geminids are unusually bright. I believe a lot will punch through the Moon’s brightness to thrill your eyes. Don’t forget that there will be plenty of streaks across the sky in the days leading up to the peak and afterwards as well, when the Moon’s brightness is not so dominant.

This shower’s meteors all radiate out from an area near the bright star Castor in the constellation Gemini. This area is thus called the ‘radiant’ or source direction. Gemini rises above the eastern horizon by 6 pm and by midnight is about 65 degrees high.

Discovered relatively recently in 1983, the source of the debris trail is the asteroid 3200 Phaethon. Normally a comet provides the materials for a meteor shower, so this is very unusual. An explanation might be that asteroid Phaethon may be either an extinct or dormant comet. A dormant comet is one where all its volatile materials are sealed up and trapped beneath its surface. An extinct comet may have no more volatile material to spew out when it heats up on its close passage by the Sun.. No clues yet from the scientists as to how or why it is releasing debris out into the meteor stream.

Another shower peaking on the 22nd is the Ursids. This shower radiates from the handle area of the Big Dipper. It lasts from December 17 to the 26th. It peaks on the 22nd. Its radiant is in Ursa Minor, the Little Dipper and, considering its close proximity to the Pole star Polaris, will be up in the sky all night. The Moon is in its last quarter and the sky will be dark until it rises about midnight.

Sadly, its hourly rate is much lower, about 10 to 12 per hour. Still, I’m sure a few fanatics will be out there seeing what’s up.

Jupiter is the big planet to watch this month. It’s above and between the constellations Orion and Taurus and pretty hard to miss in the east. Taurus is shaped like an arrow head and points right at it. Jupiter is Bright, with a capital B, and that’s not surprising since it reaches opposition on December 7 and is at its the best close presentation in more than a decade. At 9:30 pm both constellations are above the eastern horizon. Another pointer is that the constellation Auriga is above and to the left of it. Use a modest telescope to observe the belts on both sides of the equator and, since it rotates so quickly, you might catch a glimpse of the Great Red Spot. Great storms are produced by the differential rotation rates of the higher latitudes and the equatorial regions. The violently swirling atmosphere at the interfaces produce clashing storms that produce ever changing features.

Venus is brilliant in the west shortly after sunset and Saturn is about 40 degrees up in the south. It sets about midnight early in the month and by 10 pm by month’s end. Can’t forget Mars. It’s up by 8:30 in the east on the 1st and climbs to about 30 degrees by midnight. It’s in Cancer and near Castor and Pollux in Gemini. It’s bright and increases in brightness as the month passes. It even outshines brilliant Procyon in Canis Minor not too far away. Don’t miss this opportunity to observe Mars and its features. It will be in opposition, its closest approach, in January.

Don’t forget to keep watching for meteors and aurora every clear night. In other words, keep looking up! Their might be a few reindeer about practising for the big night too.

Highlights this month:

Dec. 4: New Moon passes just south of Venus at 6 pm. Dec. 7: Jupiter is at opposition. Dec. 8: Moon passes 0.3 degrees north of Saturn at 4 am. First quarter Moon. Dec. 12: The Moon is at perigee – 363,240 Kms. Dec. 13: Geminid meteor shower peaks. Dec. 14: Moon passes 5 degrees north of Jupiter at 3 pm. It’s a long shot to see in daylight but Jupiter is bright. Try with your binoculars. Dec. 15: Full Moon. Not surprisingly, this month’s full Moon is called the Full Cold Moon. Put your woollies on! Dec. 18: Moon passes 1 degree north of Mars at 4 am. Attention early risers! Dec.21: Winter solstice! Winter is here. Days start to get longer but not soon enough for me. Dec. 22: Last quarter Moon. Ursid meteor shower peaks. Dec. 24: The Moon is at apogee – 402,136 Kms. And Oh Yes, it’s Christmas eve. Watch for Santa crossing the Moon in his sleigh. Use binoculars and Good Luck with that! Have a very Merry Christmas! Dec. 30: New Moon.

Don’t forget to check out events at the North Frontenac Dark Sky site.

Also check the Lennox and Addington Dark Sky Viewing Area for observing opportunities in the coming months.

The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada (RASC) website https://rasc.ca has a listing of astronomy events for Ontario and the Kingston branch of the RASC website lists events happening, especially in our area.

Feel free to contact me with questions or observations at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Clear skies and long, dark nights! Bundle up!