December is an exciting month for those who like to look up, with a comet, a meteor shower and a conjunction between the Moon and Jupiter in the coming weeks.
Comet 3I/ATLAS
First of all, this month offers those with a telescope with an aperture of at least 30 centimeters the opportunity to observe Comet 3I/ATLAS, the third object in history from outside our own solar system to be seen within our own solar system, and one that has been in the news quite a bit recently.
At its closest approach to Earth on December 19, early in the morning before sunrise, look east to northeast and you should be able to see the comet directly beneath Regulus, a star at the heart of the constellation Leo.
If you have an observatory near you, check to see if they are hosting skygazing events later this month to spot the comet.
NASA determines that Comet 3I/ATLAS poses no threat to Earth. “At its closest approach to our planet on December 19, it will still be about 170 million miles away, or more than 700 times the distance between Earth and the Moon,” the space agency said on its website.
Geminid meteor shower
This year, the Geminid meteor shower peaks on the evenings of December 13th and 14th.
NASA points out that this particular meteor shower, made up of debris left behind by the asteroid 3200 Phaethon, is known for being “bright and colorful” so it’s definitely worth watching.
To do this, look at the eastern sky at any time on the evenings of December 13th and 14th. The meteors appear near the bright planet Jupiter, which is easy to see with the naked eye. With skies as dark as possible and away from bright city lights, you may be lucky enough to see up to 120 Geminid meteors every hour.
The moon and Jupiter
On the evening of December 7th, the moon appears near Jupiter, an impressive scene that you can easily enjoy with the naked eye.
“During a conjunction, objects in the sky – such as planets and moons – appear close to each other, although they are actually far apart,” NASA explained. “For example, while the Moon and Jupiter are moving closer together from our perspective this month, they are actually hundreds of millions of miles apart in space.”
