Sky Events

December 3: Close approach of Moon & M45 (Pleiades), with angular separation of 48.4′

December 6: φ-Cassiopeid meteor shower peaks

December 7: Puppid-Velid meteor shower peaks; Conjunction of Moon and Jupiter with angular separation of 3°42′; Mercury at greatest western elongation

December 9: Monocerotid meteor shower peaks

December 11: Moon in last Quarter

December 12: σ-Hydrid meteor shower peaks

December 14: Geminid meteor shower peaks

December 16: Comae Berenicid meteor shower peaks

December 17: Moon at apogee

December 19: New Moon; December Leonis Minorid meteor shower peaks

December 21: Winter Solstice

December 22: Ursid meteor shower peaks

December 26: Conjunction of Moon and Saturn with angular separation of 4°01′

December 27: Moon in first quarter

December 30: Close approach of Moon & M45 (Pleiades), with angular separation of 55.4′

Planets in December

Mercury: Poor position morning planet, visibility decreases as month goes on

Venus: Not visible this month

Mars: Not visible this month

Jupiter: Excellent visibility, rising in the evening, visible through night till dawn

Saturn: Excellent visibility evening visibility

January 2026

January 1: Moon at perigee

January 3: Full Moon; Earth at perihelion; conjunction of Moon & Jupiter with angular separation of 3°41′; Quadrantid meteor shower peaks

January 6: Comet 24P/Shaumasse reaches peak brightness (mag. 8.4)

January 10: Jupiter at opposition, Last Quarter Moon

January 18: New Moon

January 19: γ-Ursae Minorid meteor peaks

January 25: First Quarter Moon

January 29: Moon at apogee

January 30: Conjunction of Moon and Jupiter with angular separation of 3°50′

Planets in January

Mercury: Poor visibility planet, not likely visible

Venus: Not visible this month

Mars: Not visible this month

Jupiter: Excellent visibility, reaches opposition January 10th

Saturn: Excellent evening visibility, rings come more into view as month progresses