Not one, but two "Christmas Stars" will be visible in the night sky this month.
We sign off 2023 with a fabulous month for stargazing. A couple of bright planets blazing are obvious candidates for a “Christmas Star,” while the year’s best meteor shower, the Geminids, will also be a festive show.
However, the weirdest sky event this month has to be the occultation by an asteroid of Betelgeuse—the star in Orion that’s famous for being the likely next supernova in our cosmic neighborhood.
Here are the sky-watching highlights for December 2023:
Saturday, December 9: A Waning Crescent Moon And Venus
1. Venus And A Crescent Moon
When: One hour before sunrise on Saturday, December 9
Where: Southeastern horizon
It’s a tough time of day for most, but one of the most beautiful celestial sights awaits anyone who can rise an hour before dawn. Look to the southeast for a slender 13%-lit waning crescent moon just 3 degrees from Venus.
2. An Eclipse Of Betelgeuse
When: Around 8:17 p.m. EST on December 11, 2023
Where: Southeastern sky from Central Asia, southern Europe, Florida and Mexico.
Only North Americans in a narrow part of Florida will see this, but tonight, an asteroid, called 319 Leona will pass in front of Betelgeuse and block its light for a few seconds as a shadow falls across Earth’s surface. It could cause a “ring of fire” annular eclipse, according to Sky & Telescope.
Jupiter, taken by the NASA/ESA Hubble Space Telescope on 25 August 2020.
3. ‘King of Planets’ Shines As ‘Star Of Bethlehem’
When: all night, all month
Where: southern sky
This year, we get a bright “Star of Bethlehem” or “Christmas star” as the “King of Planets” Jupiter shines brightest in the night sky. Shining at a magnitude of -2.8, Jupiter will be in the constellation Aries, high above the eastern horizon, immediately after sunset. On December 21 and 22 nights, a waxing gibbous moon will drop by Jupiter.
4. Geminid Meteor Shower Peaks
When: December 13/14, 2023
Where: all-sky
Up to 150 multicolored meteors could be visible from the northern hemisphere tonight as the annual Geminid meteor shower peaks. Since the constellation Gemini—where the “shooting stars” will appear to shoot from—will be high in the sky before midnight, you can witness this meteor shower at or near its best well before midnight. Naked eyes are all you’ll need—though a clear sky and a warm jacket will help enormously.
The constituent stars of the "Winter Loop."
5. ‘Winter Circle’ Returns
When: After dark in late December, 2023
Where: Southeastern sky in the east
This giant hexagonal pattern joins five of the brightest—and closest—stars in the entire night sky and finding it will give you a unique wide-eyed perspective. Start at Sirius, low on the horizon, and travel south to Rigel underneath Orion’s Belt. Now go up to orangey Aldebaran (not to be confused with the red planet Mars slightly further to the south), up again to bright white Capella, then turn back east to the two stars of Gemini—Castor and Pollux. Dive towards the horizon on your way back to Sirius, and you’ll find Procyon. The Winter Circle is complete!
6. ‘Cold Moon’ Rises
When: Sunset on December 26, 2023
Where: Rising in the east
The 13th and final full moon of 2023, the aptly named “Cold Moon,” will be best seen from North America during dusk on December 26 as it rises in the east. See it as it appears on the horizon, and the full “Cold Moon” will look a beautiful orange color for about 15 minutes.
Wishing you clear skies and wide eyes.
