Stargazers are in for a treat this month, with the night sky expected to be chock-full of wondrous astronomical sights.
From showers of glowing meteors to unusually bright planets, December has a wide range of cosmic gifts ready for the holiday season.
Geminid meteor shower peaks
Often called the best meteor shower of the year, the Geminids are due to peak on December 13, with up to 120 meteors per hour being possible under ideal conditions.
This shower runs between November 19 and December 24, but the night of the peak will have the highest rates of meteors.
The meteors appear to originate in the constellation Gemini, hence the name, but will be visible anywhere in the sky.
Stock image of a meteor shower (main) and the planet Jupiter (inset). December stargazers will see the Geminid meteor shower, as well as Jupiter shining its brightest as it enters opposition.Stock image of a meteor shower (main) and the planet Jupiter (inset). December stargazers will see the Geminid meteor shower, as well as Jupiter shining its brightest as it enters opposition.ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS"The best time to view the Geminid meteor shower is around 2 a.m. local time when the radiant point is highest in the sky. However, you can start watching from mid-evening onwards," Shyam Balaji, a researcher of astroparticle physics and cosmology at King's College London, told Newsweek. "Look towards the constellation Gemini, which is where the meteors appear to originate. The radiant point is near the bright star Castor in Gemini."
Sadly, the full moon is due to fall on December 15, meaning that the moon will be very bright during the December 13 peak, possibly drowning out some of the streaks of light of the meteors.
Venus will shine as the Evening Star
Venus becomes the Evening Star when it appears in the western sky after sunset, which occurs during certain parts of its orbit around the sun. Venus will be this bright light in the evening sky all month, and is expected to slowly climb higher in the skies throughout December.
On December 4, Venus—which is the brightest natural object in the night sky after the moon—will be accompanied by a slim crescent moon.
"Venus is hard to miss in the southwest after sunset – it's that dazzling bright "evening star." You'll find it getting a bit higher in the sky each evening through the month. On December 4, look for a slim crescent Moon hanging right below it, making for a great photo opportunity," Preston Dyches of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory said in NASA's monthly skywatching guide "What's Up" video.
Jupiter hits its brightest point
Another planet will also put on a show for us this month, as Jupiter is due to shine brighter than it has all year when it reaches opposition on December 7.
When Jupiter is at opposition, it means that Earth is directly between Jupiter and the sun. In this alignment, Jupiter is at its closest approach to Earth in its orbit, making it appear larger and brighter in the night sky. Jupiter reaches opposition roughly once every 13 months because Earth orbits the sun faster than Jupiter, overtaking it periodically.
The gas giant will be best visible using a telescope, and will be situated in the constellation Taurus during its brightest point.
"Jupiter reaches opposition on December 7, meaning it's at its brightest for the year and visible all night long. You'll find it rising in the east-northeast as darkness falls, among the stars of the constellation Taurus. Mid-month, around December 14, watch for Jupiter sitting between the nearly full Moon and Taurus's brightest star, orange-colored Aldebaran," Dyches said in the video.
Mars will shine brightly next to the moon
As Mars is also approaching its own opposition in January, it will roughly double in brightness over the course of the month. The Red Planet and our nearly-full moon will approach each other closely in the night sky just before Christmas, on December 17.
"Mars will also be putting on its own show, doubling its brightness during December as it heads toward its own opposition in January," Dyches said. "And on December 17, you'll find the Red Planet super close to the Moon, which will be just two days past its full phase."
The Winter Triangle will be visible
The famous "Winter Triangle" of stars will be visible in the night skies throughout December.
The Winter Triangle is formed by three bright stars: Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky in the constellation Canis Major, Betelgeuse, a red supergiant star in Orion, and Procyon in the constellation Canis Minor. The Winter Triangle is prominent in the eastern evening sky from late fall through winter.
Stock image of the Winter Triangle. Betelgeuse is also part of Orion, which can be found by looking for the famous Orion's belt.Stock image of the Winter Triangle. Betelgeuse is also part of Orion, which can be found by looking for the famous Orion's belt.ISTOCK / GETTY IMAGES PLUS"Once you spot Orion's distinctive belt of three stars, you're well on your way to finding what we call the Winter Triangle," Dyches said. "Just follow the belt stars to the left and slightly downward—they point right to Sirius, the brightest star in the night sky. Then look upward and to the left of Sirius to spot Procyon, and back up toward Orion to find reddish Betelgeuse at its shoulder. These three bright stars form an equilateral triangle that's visible throughout the season."
The Summer Triangle, on the other hand, is visible in the Northern Hemisphere during summer nights, and is made up of Vega in the constellation Lyra, Deneb in the constellation Cygnus, and Altair in the constellation Aquila.
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