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Mercury is out of view behind the sun most of this month, but it may just become visible in the western sky just after sunset by 8 January. On the evening of 21 Dec, as seen from northern Europe, the moon passes through the Pleiades. Venus is still bright in the morning sky. Not quite as bright as Venus, but now very prominent, is Mars, as it reaches opposition on 24 Dec. It rises around sunset, and sets around sunrise in the constellation Gemini. Mars is closest to Earth on 22 Dec, when it is 88 million kilometres, or 4.9 light minutes away. It is not one of its closest encounters (these happen in August), but for observers in the northern hemisphere, Mars is well placed, being so far north in the sky, and something special happens this year: the full moon gets very close (in line of sight) to Mars on the night 23/24 Dec, and occults it as seen from around Seattle in the United States, from western and NW Canada, from central and northern Greenland, Iceland, the Faroes, far north and east Scotland, including Orkney and Shetland, Scandinavia, north and east Germany, Central and Eastern Europe (but not the western Balkans or Greece) and Turkey except the SW. From Seattle, the moon covers Mars from 17:42 to 18:00 on 23 Dec (01:42 to 02:00 UT, 24 Dec); Vancouver: 17:41 to 18:06 (01:41 to 02:06 UT); Yellowknife: 18:51 to 19:33 (01:51 to 02:33 UT); Qaanaaq (Thule): 22:21 to 23:12 (02:21 to 03:12 UT); Reykjavik: 03:07 to 03:29 UT; Lerwick: 03:22 to 03:53 UT; Thurso: 03:28 to 03:49; Aberdeen: 03:35 to 03:48; Oslo: 04:22 to 05:03 (03:22 to 04:03 UT); St Petersburg: 06:21 to 07:09 (03:21 to 04:09 UT); Moscow 06:27 to 07:14 (03:27 to 04:14 UT); Berlin: 04:41 to 05:09 (03:41 to 04:09 UT); Kiev: 05:39 to 06:20 (03:39 to 04:20 UT); Budapest: 04:53 to 05:15 (03:53 to 04:15 UT); Bucharest: 05:56 to 06:22 (03:56 to 04:22 UT); Ankara: 06:01 to 06:26 (04:01 to 04:26 UT). As seen from Portland in Oregon, and from Inverness in Scotland, Mars is only partially covered by the moon. On 30 Dec, Mars re-enters the constellation Taurus. Saturn is now growing somewhat brighter in the night and morning sky, and on the mornings of 28 and 29 Dec, the moon is nearby. On the mornings of 4 and 5 Jan, the old moon is near Venus. Jupiter is out of view behind the sun. On 12 Dec, Vesta passes 0.6°N of the brighter star HIP97944 in Sagittarius. The new crescent moon is nearby; as seen from much of the Caribbean, it occults HIP97944 after sunset and before moonset, and from most of South America it occults Vesta. On 16 Dec, Vesta is 0.3°S of the brighter star HIP98575, and on 17 Dec is 0.4°S of HIP98785. On 19 Dec Vesta crosses into the constellation Capricornus. On 24 Dec Vesta passes 0.6°S of 4 Capricorni, and on 29 Dec 0.5°N of HIP101090. On 2 Jan Vesta passes 0.4°S of HIP101858, on 6 Jan 0.5N of 17 Capricorni, and on 8 Jan 0.6°N of HIP102908. Look out for the Geminid meteors for a few days around 14 Dec.
Venus and Jupiter, the two brightest planets, shine together in the morning sky. Towards the end of the lunar month, they come close together, making a lovely pair. They are closest on the morning of 1 February; Venus is the brighter of the two. On 4 February, the old moon passes south of Venus and Jupiter in the pre-dawn sky. Around towards the west in the morning sky is Saturn, which has risen much earlier, in the first part of the evening, shining brighter than nearby Regulus in Leo, and nearing its closest pass to Earth this year. You may also see Mars right in the west, especially if you are in the northern hemisphere. It sets an hour or so before dawn, having shone brightly all night in the northern part of the constellation Taurus. Until Venus and Jupiter rise, it is much the most prominent planet in the sky. On the night of 19/20 January, the moon passes 0.7°N of Mars. Mercury reaches 18.6°E of the Sun on 22 January and may be visible for a few days around this date in the western sky after sunset. At Dark Moon at the end of the month there is an annular, or ring, eclipse of the sun, visible from parts of Antarctica. A small partial eclipse can be seen from New Zealand and SE Australia, where the maximum eclipse occurs in the early afternoon, within a quarter of an hour or so of 04:30 UT, 7 February, according to place.
Saturn is opposite the Sun on 24 February, and is at its nearest to the Earth this year at 1.2 billion kilometres, or 1.1 light hours. Its rings are turning towards being edge-on as seen from Earth, and so Saturn is not overall as bright in the sky as usual. However, at 0.2 magnitude, is is considerably brighter than nearby Regulus, the bright star of Leo. At full moon on the night 20-21 February, there is a total eclipse of the moon, visible from Europe, West Africa and the Americas. Maximum eclipse is at 03:26 UT on 21 February. Saturn and Regulus are easily visible on either side of the moon. The moon does not pass very close to the centre of the Earth’s shadow, so it probably won’t become as dark as it sometimes does. The total phase also lasts only about three-quarters of an hour, from 03:04 to 03:48. The partial phase starts at 01:45 and ends at 05:07. Mars is still shining brightly most of the night, setting in the early hours. On 5 March, it moves forward into the constellation Gemini. The bright Venus and Jupiter are still in the eastern morning sky, and towards the end of the lunar month, they are joined by Mercury. It reaches 27.1°W of the Sun on 3 March, and is easily seen in southern hemisphere pre-dawn skies for weeks around this date. Indeed, on the mornings of 26 and 27 February, Venus passes near Mercury, and the pair will make for a lovely sight, with Jupiter further out from the sun. The moon is near Jupiter on the morning of 3 March, and on the morning of 5 March it is near Mercury and Venus (Neptune is also near, but you will need good binoculars or a telescope to see it). Later that day, the moon passes in front of Venus, as seen from Mexico and much of the southern USA in the daytime. On the morning of 6 March, you may be able to see the very thin cresent moon below the planets in the twilight.
Venus and Mercury are close again on 24 March in the eastern morning sky, easier to see from the southern hemisphere. On the morning of 5 April, you should be able to see the very old crescent moon near Venus and Mercury in the dawn twilight. Jupiter becomes brighter and brighter, and rises earlier and earlier in the small hours of the night. As seen from the northern hemisphere, it is low down in the south; seen from the south, it is high in the north and growing ever prominent. Round in the evening sky are Mars and Saturn. Mars, in the constellation Gemini, is beginning to move towards the far side of the sun, and now sets around midnight. It is considerably less bright than earlier in the year, and is now outshone by Saturn round near Regulus in Leo. The waxing moon is close to Mars on the night 14/15 March, and the nearly full moon is near to Regulus and the brighter Saturn on 19/20 March. On 12 March, the moon is near the Pleiades.
Jupiter dominates the second half of the night for observers in the southern hemisphere. From the north, it shines brightly, but low down in the south, rising around midnight. The waning moon is nearby on 27 April. Mercury passes the far side of the Sun on 16 April, and Venus is also moving towards the far side, making an appearance in the dawn sky at the beginning of the lunar month, but soon lost in sunlight. Saturn approaches close to Regulus in Leo, but on 3 May, it stops its retrograde motion, and starts moving away from Regulus again. Saturn is fainter than earlier in the year, but always remains brighter than Regulus, even now that its rings are turning more edge on to Earth. Mars shines in Gemini, south of Castor and Pullux. At the start of the lunar month, it is brighter than both, but it recedes further from Earth, it fades considerably, and by the end of the month, it is fainter than Pollux, but still brighter than Castor. On the evenings of 11 and 12 April, the moon is near Mars. As seen from some Arctic regions around 06:00 UT on 12 April, the moon passes in front of Mars. On 5 May, Mars enters the constellation Cancer.
Mercury appears in the evening sky, and on 6 May, the very new crescent moon is nearby. Mercury reaches 21.7°E of the Sun on 14 May, and is well placed to be seen from the northern hemisphere in the sky after sunset. Further out in the evening sky, Mars and Saturn are gradually approaching each other, with Saturn the brighter of the two. On the evening of 10 May, the moon is close to Mars, and during the day occults it as seen from all but the northern end of Europe, as far north as central Scotland and southern Sweden, and also from the Mediterranean countries of Africa and much of the Middle East. The occultation is seen after sunset from India and parts of SE Asia. On the evening of 12 May, the moon is near Saturn and Regulus. On the morning of 24 May, the just past full moon is near the ever brighter Jupiter. On the morning of 27 May, the moon passes very close south of Neptune, and occults it as seen from North Africa and the Middle East. Venus is out of view towards the far side of the sun.
Saturn and Mars grow ever closer in the evening sky. The crescent moon is near Mars on the evening of 7 June. On 10 June, Mars enters the constellation Leo. On 1 July, Mars passes 0.7°N of Regulus, the bright star of Leo. Mars is much dimmer than it was earlier in the year, and Regulus is just the brighter of the two. Saturn, nearby, is brighter than both. Jupiter is now very bright in the southern constellation Sagittarius, and is nearing its time of closest approach to Earth this year. Venus passes behind the sun on 9 June. Mercury passes this side of the sun on 7 June, and rushes out to reach 21.6°W of the Sun on 2 July. It is not particularly well sited for a good view of it from any part of Earth, but on the morning of 1 July, the very thin old crescent of the Moon is above it.
Jupiter is opposite the Sun on 9 July, and shines very brightly all night in the constellation Sagittarius. As seen fron the northern hemisphere, the planet is low down in the south, but still unmissable. From the southern hemisphere, Jupiter shines brightly and prominently high up in the northern sky. It is 622.5 million kilometres or 34.6 light minutes from Earth. The moon is nearby on 17 July. On the evening of 6 July, the moon is close to Mars and Saturn. On 10 July, Mars passes 0.7°S of the brighter Saturn, making for a lovely view in the evening sky. The Earth is moving in towards the plane of Saturn’s rings over the next year or so, and from now on, the rings will start turning more edge on, and harder to see. The planet as a whole will also seem slightly less bright, as we see less sunlight reflected from the rings. Mercury passes the far side of the Sun on 29 July, and Venus is still out of view over on the far side as well. At Dark Moon on 1 August, there is a total eclipse of the Sun, visible from the east coast of Ellesmere Island and nearby parts of the Canadian Arctic, from the north coast of Greenland, from western Siberia, including Novosibirsk, from SW Mongolia and a strip of northern and central China, including Xi’an. Maximum eclipse is at 10:21 UT (11:21 BST), when the eclipse is over the Ob estuary on Russia’s Arctic coast. A partial eclipse can be seen from NE Canada, Greenland, Europe (exc Iberia and the rest of the Mediterranean coastal area) and all of Asia away from the Pacific coastal area. Observers in Canada, Europe and most of Asia will see the northern section of the sun obscured, and the further north they are, the more of the sun will be covered. In London, a maximum of 13% of the sun will be hidden at 10:18 BST; in Dublin, it will be 17.5% at 10:12, and in Glasgow 24.5% at 10:16. In Reykjavik, 51% of the sun will be hidden at 09:11 GMT.
All five bright planets are in the evening sky this month: Jupiter shines brightly in the east, and Mercury, Venus, Mars and Saturn are low down in the western sky, soon after sunset. On the evening of 2 August the new cresent moon is near Venus in the sky, but as seen from the northern hemisphere, it is very low on the horizon, and may be hard to see. You may have better luck on 3 August, when the slightly older and more visible moon is near Saturn and Mars. Mercury may hard to see in the evening twilight, but it is closest to Saturn on 15 August, and closest to Venus on 21 August. Mars is further out from the sunset. On 9 August, it enters the constellation Virgo, and on 15 August, it passes just 1.6 minutes of arc of the fainter star Beta Virginis (visible after dark from Alaska, the west coast of Canada and much of the Eastern Pacific). On 13 August, the moon is near Jupiter. On 23 August, the moon is near the Pleiades; if you are watching from western Europe, you may be able to see the moon among the cluster as it rises. At Full Moon, there is a partial eclipse of the Moon, visible from Europe, Africa, Asia (exc NE), Australia and South America (exc NW). All but a small northern portion of the moon will go through the Earth’s main shadow (umbra). The partial phase of the eclipse begins at 20:36 BST on 16 August, which is soon after moonrise in England and Wales, and during or just before moonrise in Scotland and Ireland. Maximum eclipse is at 22:10, and the partial phase ends at 23:44. Neptune is opposite the Sun on 15 August. It is 4.3 billion kilometres, or 4.0 light hours, from Earth. If you have good binoculars or a telescope, look out for it on nights around this date when the bright moon is not so close. You may like to try during the partial eclipse. Look out for the Perseid meteors around 12 August.
On 10 September, Mercury reaches 26.8°E of the Sun. As seen from the northern hemisphere, Mercury will be low down near the south-western horizon just after sunset; the brighter planet Venus is above it to make it easier to find. From the southern hemisphere, there will be a wonderful spectacle of Mercury, Venus and Mars together in the western evening sky. Venus is much the brightest of the three, followed by Mercury and then Mars. Venus and Mars are closest to each other (as seen from Earth) on the night of 11/12 September. Mars and Mercury are closest on 7 September. At sunset on 1 September, you may be able to see the new crescent moon in the twilight near Venus, Mercury and Mars. Viewed from the northern hemisphere, the moon is very low down in the south-west, with the planets are above. Jupiter is much further out from the sunset, and it still shining very brightly. It sets in the late evening (northern hemisphere) or the early hours (southern hemisphere). On 9 September, the moon is nearby. Uranus is opposite the Sun on 13 September, and is 2.86 billion kilometres or 2.65 light hours from Earth. You should be able to see it with even small binoculars. On the morning of 20 September, the moon is near the Pleiades. Saturn passes the far side of the Sun on 4 September, ad is out of view for most of the lunar month. It appears in the morning sky at the end of the month, and on the mornings of 28 and 29 September, the old crescent moon is nearby.
Jupiter is still a magnificent sight in the evening sky, low down in the south and west as seen from the northern hemisphere, and high in the north and west as seen from the southern. Venus is brighter than Jupiter, but is much nearer the sunset. Slowly, Venus climbs away from the sun as the weeks pass. On 1 October, especially as seen from the southern hemisphere, you may be able to see the new crescent moon in the evening twilight with Venus and Mars. On 15 October, now fast sinking into the sunset, Mars enters the constellation Libra. Mercury passes this side of the Sun on 6 October, and flies out to 18.2°W of the Sun on 22 October, when it should be easy to see in the dawn sky of the northern hemisphere, between Saturn and the sunrise. On 25 October, The old crescent moon is near Saturn in the eastern sky on the morning of 25 October, and near Mercury on the morning of 27 October.
The two brightest planets, Venus and Jupiter draw slowly together in the western evening sky, and look lovely together after the sun has set. By the end of the lunar month, the two will be quite close. On 1 November the new crescent moon is near Venus in the evening twilight, and on 3 November, the moon is near Jupiter. Mars is moving towards the far side of the sun, and is out of view. Mercury, moving more quickly, passes the far side of the Sun on 25 November. Saturn is drawing quickly up into the late night and morning sky, though if you look at it now through binoculars or telescope, you will find it harder than usual to make out the rings, turned now more edge on to Earth. On 21 November, the moon is near Saturn in the morning sky. Look out for the Leonid meteors around 17 November.
The magnifient bright pair of planets, Venus and Jupiter, are close to each other in the western evening sky this month. Venus, the brighter of the two passes south of Jupiter on 1 December. That evening, the crescent moon is near the two as well, making for a very special sight. Indeed, as seen from western Europe and NW Africa, the moon passes right in front of Venus, occulting the bright evening star from about 15:45 to 17:15 UT, depending on your location. The occultation begins before the sun sets, but you may still be able to see Venus disappear behind the moon, as it shines brightly enough to see in the daytime, if you know where to look. After this date, Jupiter continues to move towards the sunset, and grows dimmer, while Venus pulls away from it, and grows brighter. Mercury is out of view on the far side of the sun for most of the month, but makes an appearance in the western sky at the end, when it may be seen below Jupiter. Mars passes the far side of the Sun on 5 December. On the morning of 19 December, the moon is near Saturn, now rising in the late evening, and still in the constellation Leo, but now closer to the boundary of Virgo. By the end of the month, Saturn’s rings are almost edge on, as viewed from Earth, and will be hard to see. They widen out again a little for a few months before going completely edge on in September 2009. It will take them about another year to become prominent again. Look out for the Geminid meteors around 12 December.
William Morris