December 2014

Moon Phases

Saturday, December 6, 7:27 a.m. EST

Full Moon

The Full Moon of December is known as the “Oak Moon,” “Cold Moon,” or “Long Nights Moon.” It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Sunday, December 14, 7:51 a.m. EST

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11:45 p.m. and sets around 12:15 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Sunday, December 21, 8:36 p.m. EST

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Sunday, December 28, 1:31 p.m. EST

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around noon and sets around 1 a.m. It dominates the evening sky.

 

Observing Highlights

Monday, December 1, 7 p.m. EST

Uranus and the Moon

The waxing gibbous Moon will pass just north of the planet Uranus. Observers in northwestern Canada and eastern Alaska will see the Moon occult Uranus, as in this view from Yellowknife, NWT, Canada.

Friday, December 5, midnight EST

Aldebaran and the Moon

The nearly full Moon passes just north of the red giant star Aldebaran and the Hyades star cluster. The bright Pleiades star cluster is above and towards the West.

Monday, December 8, 11:20–11:25 p.m. EST

Double shadow transit on Jupiter

For a brief 5-minute period, the shadows of both Io and Europa will fall simultaneously on opposite limbs of Jupiter, the first of a series of double transit events culminating in a triple shadow and satellite transit on January 24, 2015.

Sunday, December 14, 7 a.m. EST

Geminid meteor shower peaks

A last quarter Moon will interfere with viewing this most reliable meteor shower. The best meteors will be visible about 90 degrees away from the radiant in Gemini.

Tuesday, December 16, 1:12–02:02 a.m. EST

Double shadow transit on Jupiter

For 50 minutes the shadows of both Io and Europa will fall simultaneously on Jupiter. Note that this event occurs after midnight on Monday, December 15.

Friday, December 19, 1 hour before sunrise

Saturn and the Moon

Saturn makes a reappearance as a “morning star” close to the slender waning crescent Moon, just before sunrise Friday morning.

Sunday, December 21, 6:03 p.m. EST

Winter solstice

The Sun reaches its southernmost position in the sky, and begins moving northward again. New Moon is less than 3 hours away, so the Moon is close by, and the Sun is flanked by four planets (Mars, Venus, Mercury, and Saturn) and two dwarf planets (Pluto and Ceres). As happens every year at the solstice, the Sun is only a few degrees away from “alignment” with the black hole at the center of our Galaxy. This is the summer solstice in the Southern Hemisphere.

Sunday, December 28, midnight EST

Uranus and the Moon

The waxing gibbous Moon again passes just north of the planet Uranus. Observers in northeastern Asia, Alaska, and northern Canada will see the Moon occult Uranus, as in this view from Yellowknife, NWT, Canada.

 

Planets

Mercury is too close to the Sun to observe all month. 

 

Venus reappears as an “evening star” in the southwestern sky just after sunset at the beginning of the month.

 

Mars moves from Sagittarius into Capricornus on the 4th low in the southwestern sky, moving behind the Sun. Mars is at its closest to the Sun (perihelion) on the 12th, and spring is well advanced in its southern hemisphere.

Jupiter now rises in mid-evening in the constellation Leo, and shines brightly in the southern sky the rest of the night. A two-month series of double shadow transits begins on December 8.

Saturn reappears in as a “morning star” in Libra in the southeastern dawn sky.

Uranus is well placed in Pisces in the evening sky, setting after midnight. Two close approaches by the Moon on the 1st and 28th will make it easy to spot.

Neptune is in the early evening sky in Aquarius, setting in late evening.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2014 Starry Night Software

Sky Events November 2014

Moon Phases

Thursday, November 6, 5:23 p.m. EST

Full Moon

The Full Moon of November is known as the “Beaver Moon” or the “Frosty Moon.” It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Friday, November 14, 10:15 a.m. EST

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11:00 p.m. and sets around 1:00 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Saturday, November 22, 7:32 a.m. EST

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Saturday, November 29, 5:06 a.m. EST

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around noon and sets around 11:45 p.m. It dominates the evening sky.

Observing Highlights

Saturday, November 1, dawn

Mercury at greatest elongation west

Mercury will be best placed in the morning sky for the entire year. Look for it low in the eastern sky about half an hour before sunrise.

Tuesday, November 4, 1 p.m. EST

Uranus and the Moon

The nearly full Moon will pass just north of the planet Uranus at 1 p.m. By the time it gets dark in eastern North America, the Moon will have moved eastward, but will still be close enough to Uranus to make the planet easy toolkit.This chart shows the positions of the Moon and Uranus at 7:30 p.m. EST.

Saturday, November 8, 8 p.m. local time

Aldebaran and the Moon

When the Moon rises tonight in the northeastern sky around 8 p.m. local time, it will be close to the bright red giant star Aldebaran and the Hyades and Pleiades star clusters.

Monday, November 17, 6 p.m. EST

Leonid meteor shower peaks

The peak of this meteor shower occurs at 6 p.m. E.S.T. when the radiant is below the horizon in North America. The radiant rises in the northeast at midnight local time, but meteors may still be seen. The best meteors are visible about 90 degrees away from the radiant.

Saturday, November 22, 7:32 a.m. EST

Grand conjunction

On the morning of November 22, six solar system objects will be packed into an area of the sky less that 20 degrees wide. Centered on the Sun and the New Moon, the planet Venus and dwarf planet Ceres will be to the east of the Sun, and the planets Saturn and Mercury will be to the west of the Sun. Unfortunately, the bright Sun will make it impossible to see any of these objects except the Sun itself.

Planets

Mercury will be well placed in the morning sky for observers in the Northern Hemisphere for the first half of the month.

Venus is too close to the Sun to be observed all month.

Mars is now in Sagittarius, closing in on the Sun.

Jupiter now rises in the late evening in the constellation Leo.

Saturn is in conjunction with the Sun this month, so cannot be seen.

Uranus is well placed in Pisces in the evening sky. A close approach by the Moon on the 4th will make it easy to spot.

Neptune is well placed in the early evening sky in Aquarius, and sets near midnight.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2014 Starry Night Software

Sky Events October 2014

Moon Phases

Wednesday, October 1, 3:33 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 2:15 p.m. and sets around 12:30 a.m. It dominates the evening sky. This is the first of two First Quarter Moons this month.

Wednesday, October 8, 5:51 a.m. EDT

Full Moon

The Full Moon of October is known as the Hunter’s Moon because it is the Full Moon following the Harvest Moon; it is also sometimes known as the “Blood Moon” or “Sanguine Moon.” It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

Wednesday, October 15, 3:12 p.m. EDT

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around 11:30 p.m. and sets around 2:15 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Thursday, October 23, 5:57 p.m. EDT

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Thursday, October 30, 10:48 p.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 1:45 p.m. and sets around 12:30 a.m. It dominates the evening sky. This is the second of two First Quarter Moons this month.

Observing Highlights

Tuesday, October 7, 5 p.m. EDT

Uranus at opposition

The planet Uranus reaches opposition, located exactly opposite the Sun in the sky. It is visible all night. You can locate it by projecting a diagonal of the Square of Pegasus to two stars in Pisces just north of Uranus.

Wednesday, October 8, early morning

Total eclipse of the Moon

This eclipse is visible over much of the World, except for Europe and Africa. It occurs in the early morning in the Americas, and in the early evening in Asia and Australia. As shown here, the Moon enters the umbra, the darkest part of the Earth’s shadow, at 5:15 a.m. EDT. Greatest eclipse will be at 6:55 a.m. EDT.

Wednesday, October 8, 7 a.m. EDT

Moon in conjunction with Uranus

In the middle of tonight’s lunar eclipse, the Moon will be just north of the planet Uranus. Use the eclipsed Moon to locate Uranus with binoculars.

Sunday, October 12, 6 a.m. EDT

Moon in conjunction with Aldebaran

The Moon will pass just to the north of the bright red giant star Aldebaran, located in the Hyades star cluster.

Thursday, October 23, afternoon

Partial eclipse of the Sun

This partial solar eclipse will be visible most of North America and eastern Siberia. The Sun will be covered to the greatest extent at sunset from the Canadian arctic to the American Mid-west. It is shown here as seen from Yellowknife NWT. Partial solar eclipses are particularly dangerous if viewed without adequate protection, so use a special solar filter (“eclipse glasses”) to look at it.

Saturday, October 25, evening

Saturn and the Moon

The Moon passes just north of the Saturn in the constellation Libra. Viewers in central Europe will see the Moon occult Saturn, as shown here from Vienna, Austria at 6:30 p.m.

Planets

Mercury will too close to the Sun to observe most of the month, but begins a good morning apparition at the end of the month for observers in the Northern Hemisphere.

Venus is in superior conjunction with the Sun on the 25th, so will be hard to see all month. Look for it during the partial solar eclipse on the 23rd.

Mars is now fading rapidly in brightness as it moves towards the far side of the Sun.

Jupiter rises well after midnight in the constellation Cancer, moving into Leo in mid-month.

Saturn, in Libra, vanishes into evening twilight late in the month.

Uranus is in opposition on October 7 in Pisces, visible all night.

Neptune is well placed in the evening sky in Aquarius.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2014 Starry Night Software

Sky Events September 2014

Moon Phases

Tuesday, September 2, 7:11 a.m. EDT

First Quarter Moon

The First Quarter Moon rises around 2:30 p.m. and sets around 12:30 a.m. It dominates the evening sky.

Monday, September 8, 9:38 p.m. EDT

Full Moon

The Full Moon of September is known as the Harvest Moon because it is the Full Moon closest to the autumn equinox on September 22; it is also sometimes known as the Full Corn Moon. It rises around sunset and sets around sunrise; this is the only night in the month when the Moon is in the sky all night long. The rest of the month, the Moon spends at least some time in the daytime sky.

 

Monday, September 15, 10:05 p.m. EDT

Last Quarter Moon

The Last Quarter Moon rises around midnight and sets around 3 p.m. It is most easily seen just after sunrise in the southern sky.

Wednesday, September 24, 2:14 a.m. EDT

New Moon

The Moon is not visible on the date of New Moon because it is too close to the Sun, but can be seen low in the East as a narrow crescent a morning or two before, just before sunrise. It is visible low in the West an evening or two after New Moon.

Observing Highlights

Wednesday, September 10, 10 p.m. EDT

Uranus and the Moon

The waning gibbous Moon passes just north of Uranus in the constellation Pisces. The Moon will occult Uranus as seen from eastern Canada, Greenland, and northern Siberia. Seen here from Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sunday, September 14, after midnight

Aldebaran and the Moon

The waning last quarter Moon will pass just north of the bright star Aldebaran in the constellation Taurus.

Sunday, September 21, early evening

Mercury close to Spica

The planet Mercury will pass close to the bright star Spica in Virgo. This is a particularly good apparition of Mercury for observers in the Southern Hemisphere, less so for northerners.

Monday, September 22, 10:29 p.m. EDT

Equinox

The Sun crosses the celestial equator moving southward. Day and Night are of equal length. The Sun rises due east and sets due west everywhere on Earth. This is the autumnal equinox in the Northern Hemisphere, the vernal equinox (Spring) in the Southern Hemisphere.

 

Saturday, September 27, 9 p.m. EDT

Ceres and the Moon

The Moon passes just south of the dwarf planet Ceres in the constellation Libra.

Sunday, September 28, midnight EDT

Saturn and the Moon

The Moon passes just north of the Saturn in the constellation Libra.

Sunday, September 28, 11 a.m. EDT

Vesta and the Moon

The Moon passes just south of the asteroid Vesta in the constellation Libra.

Monday, September 29

Double shadow transit on Jupiter

The shadows of Europa and Callisto cross the face of Jupiter simultaneously, best seen from India and central Asia. Seen here from New Delhi.

 

Planets

Mercury will be in its best evening apparition of 2014 for observers in the Southern Hemisphere. Northern observers will have more difficulty seeing it.

 

Venus is low in the eastern sky, rising just before the Sun.

 

Mars is now fading rapidly in brightness as it moves towards the far side of the Sun.

 

Jupiter is low in the morning sky in the constellation Cancer.

 

Saturn, in Libra, is low in the WSW evening twilight sky, setting in mid evening.

Uranus is rising in mid-evening in the constellation Pisces, heading towards opposition on October 7.

Neptune was in opposition on the August 29th in Aquarius, so is visible all night long.

Geoff Gaherty
Starry Night Software Support
All graphics © 2014 Starry Night Software