2024 Astronomy Calendar | Astronomical & Celestial Events

JANUARY

January 3/4 - Quadrantid Meteor Shower (AN)

While not the most prolific meteor shower (that honor belongs to the Perseids and the Geminids), the Quadrantids are known to produce the occasional fireball. There’s good news and bad news this year; the good news is that the Moon is at last quarter, so you may be able to see some shooting stars during the evening of the 3rd. However, you’re likely to see more meteors after 1 am, when the radiant is above the horizon, but unfortunately, that’s also when the last quarter Moon will also be rising. While not as bright as the full Moon, its light may still drown out the fainter shooting stars.

January 8 - Waning Crescent Moon close to Antares (AM)

If you live in the western half of North America, you may be lucky enough to see an occultation of Antares this morning. In this case, the waning crescent Moon will appear to move in front of the star, thereby hiding it from view. The exact details will vary by location, but it will start at around 5:30 a.m. PT and will last for roughly an hour. Be sure to check online or use an astronomy app to get the precise details for your location.

January 9 - Waning Crescent Moon close to Mercury, Venus, and Antares (AM)

It’s not often that the Moon appears close to two planets and a star, so be sure to rise early if you want to check this out. Look toward the southeast at around 30 minutes before sunrise and you’ll see the waning crescent Moon. To its upper left will be Mercury, while brilliant Venus will be hanging to its upper right. Look a little to the right of Venus and you’ll also see coppery Antares glowing softly in the twilight.

January 12 - Mercury at Greatest Western Elongation (AM)

There are four opportunities to see Mercury in the predawn twilight this year. Besides January 12th, Mercury reaches greatest western elongation on May 9th, September 5th, and December 25th. On each occasion bar one, Mercury will be roughly 14 degrees above the eastern horizon at 15 minutes before sunrise. The odd one out is May 9th, when the planet will be at an altitude of only 9 degrees. If you want to try your luck on January 12th, rise about 30 minutes before dawn and look toward the southeast. Mercury appears at about half the altitude of Venus and roughly midway between that planet and the glow of the rising sun.

January 25 - Full Moon (AN)

January’s full Moon is often known as the Wolf Moon, as the wolves can often be heard howling throughout the night. This month the Moon turns full at 12:55 p.m. Eastern Time and will appear among the stars of Cancer, the Crab, that night. Unfortunately, Cancer is one of the faintest constellations of the zodiac, and the Moon’s light will brighten the sky and make the stars of the constellation impossible to see with the naked eye. However, you should still be able to spot Regulus in Leo to the east, with Castor and Pollux in Gemini and Procyon in Canis Minor to the west.

January 27 - Mercury Close to Mars (AM)

If you miss seeing Mercury at its greatest western elongation on the 12th, you might want to try your luck on the 27th. By this time, the planet will be edging closer to the Sun, while Mars is gradually moving away from it. The two will be very close together - just a quarter of a degree apart, or roughly half the diameter of the full Moon - but you may have to wait until about 30 minutes before sunrise to see them. Mercury should be relatively easily seen over the southeastern horizon. Mars, being the fainter of the two, may require binoculars.

FEBRUARY

February 7 - Waning Crescent Moon close to Venus (AM)

Rise at about 30 minutes before sunrise on the 7th and you’ll see the waning crescent Moon to the lower right of Venus. That bright planet will mark the top of a triangle, with the western point marked by the Moon and the eastern point marked by Mars. Wait another 15 minutes and you may also catch a glimpse of Mercury to the lower left of the red planet and very close to the horizon.

February 14 - Waxing Crescent Moon close to Jupiter (PM)

Looking for a romantic sight to share with your loved one? Golden Jupiter appears to the upper left of the waxing crescent Moon in the evening twilight, with both remaining above the western horizon until around 11 pm. Despite the Moon being roughly a third illuminated, you may still be able to glimpse the darkened portion of its surface glowing with Earthshine.

February 22 - Venus close to Mars (AM)

If you’re looking for a sharp contrast in brightness and color, you can’t go wrong with this conjunction of Venus and Mars. Venus, of course, is far brighter than its more distant neighbor and shines with an unmistakable, brilliant white light. Mars will be trickier to see and will appear as a faint, coppery starlike point about a full Moon’s width to the lower right of Venus. You’ll find them both low over the southeastern horizon from about 30 minutes before sunrise.

February 24 - Full Moon (AN)

February’s full Moon is known as the Snow Moon - for fairly obvious reasons (if you live in the northern hemisphere!) This month, the Moon turns full at 7:31 a.m. Eastern Time in the constellation Leo. If you go outside on the evening of the 23rd, you’ll see the almost full Moon about three and a half degrees to the east of Regulus, that constellation’s brightest star.

MARCH

March 8 - Waning crescent Moon close to Venus and Mars (AM)

You’ll need to be quick and have a clear, unobstructed view of the southeastern horizon to see the Moon beside our two closest planetary neighbors. Unfortunately, all three are rather close to the Sun, but that doesn’t mean they’ll be invisible. You can start your search around 30 minutes before sunrise. Venus will be very low over the horizon, with Mars faintly glimmering to its upper right. The slender crescent Moon will be below Mars and to the right of Venus but may be too low to be easily seen. Waiting another 10-15 minutes will allow it to rise, but beyond that, the sky may be too bright for Mars to be visible.

March 13 - Waxing crescent Moon close to Jupiter (PM)

Jupiter is slipping closer to the Sun, but there’s still some time to observe the giant planet before it disappears completely. On this occasion, the four-day-old Moon appears three degrees to its right. Besides the planet itself, look out for the Pleiades above the pair and Earthshine illuminating the darkened lunar surface.

March 24 - Mercury at greatest eastern elongation (PM)

This is the first - and best - of three evening elongations of Mercury this year. You’ll find the planet about 15 degrees above the western horizon at around 15 minutes after sunset, and while there’s no Moon, bright stars, or planets nearby, at magnitude -0.1 it should be reasonably easy to see.

March 24/25 - Full Moon & Penumbral Eclipse (AN)

March’s full Moon is a little unusual in that it occurs at 2:59 a.m. on the 25th for observers on the east coast, or 11:59 p.m. on the 24th for those on the west coast. More than that, it coincides with a penumbral eclipse, which happens when the Moon passes through the outer portion of the Earth’s shadow. Called the penumbra, it’s much lighter than the remainder of the shadow, and you may not even notice a difference! Lastly, the full Moon in March is also known as the Worm Moon, as this is the time of year when the worms start to appear from out of the ground.

APRIL

April 6 - Waning crescent Moon close to Mars and Saturn (AM)

If you miss the Moon, Venus, and Mars together in March, you might want to try for the Moon, Mars, and Saturn in April. Again, look toward the east at about 30 minutes before sunrise. The Moon, just two days from turning new, should be easily seen, with Saturn appearing as a faint, yellowish star two degrees above it. Mars, roughly the same brightness as Saturn (but coppery in color) will be to the upper right of the pair.

April 8 - Total Solar Eclipse

This is it - the big event for 2024. April’s total solar eclipse cuts a path up from Mexico, through Texas, Oklahoma, Arkansas, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, Pennsylvania, New York, Vermont, and Maine. It then moves across New Brunswick and Newfoundland before coming to an end in the Atlantic, to the west of Europe. This means the whole of Mexico, the contiguous United States, and Canada will experience at least a partial eclipse. Details will vary by location, so be sure to check with Time and Date for the most precise information.

April 10 - Mars close to Saturn (AM)

Mars and Saturn will be slowly drawing closer together at the start of the month, with the pair at their closest on the morning of the 10th. Step outside at 30 minutes before sunrise and you’ll see them about 11 degrees above the eastern horizon. Both will be the same brightness (mag 1.1) with yellow Saturn appearing just a half degree below coppery Mars.

April 22 - Lyrid Meteor Shower (AN)

As one of the major meteor showers, the Lyrids can usually be relied upon to put on a good show. However, this year the Moon is almost full and will brighten the background sky, making the fainter shooting stars difficult to see. Under ideal conditions, you could expect to see around 18 meteors an hour, but the Moon will certainly have a negative impact on that. That said, the shower has been known to produce fireballs, and your best chance is most likely to be in the predawn hours of the 23rd when the Moon is low in the southwest and the shower’s radiant is high in the east.

April 23 - Full Moon (AN)

The Moon turns full at 7:47 p.m. Eastern Time and will appear in the southeastern corner of Virgo that evening, about 12 degrees to the southeast of Spica. May’s full Moon is known as the Pink Moon, as this is the time of year when flowers bloom, particularly the creeping ground phlox.

April 29 - Mars close to Neptune (AM)

Here’s a challenging close encounter you’ll need clear, dark skies for. Mars passes within 0.2 degrees of Neptune, but the problem is that they’re both still close to the Sun. Spotting Mars shouldn’t be too much of a problem (it rises a few hours before dawn) but Neptune will be difficult. The sky needs to be sufficiently dark and the planet needs to be sufficiently high in the sky. Try your luck at about an hour before dawn; Mars will be about 8 degrees above the eastern horizon, but you’ll need binoculars or a telescope to spot Neptune, which will appear to the upper right of the red planet.

MAY

May 4 - Waning crescent Moon close to Mars and Saturn (AM)

Rise early to see the waning crescent Moon between Saturn and Mars in the predawn twilight. All three should be easily visible over the eastern horizon from about an hour before sunrise, with Saturn appearing to the upper right of the Moon and Mars appearing to its lower left. Both planets will be the same brightness, but Mars will outshine Saturn in the months to come.

May 6 - Waning crescent Moon close to Mercury (AM)

This isn’t Mercury’s best appearance in the morning sky this year; at magnitude 0.7, it’s hardly at its brightest, and at 8 degrees above the horizon 15 minutes before sunrise, it’s not at its highest either. However, if you look towards the east at that time, you should see the thin crescent Moon with Mercury a little way to its right. If it’s not apparent, using binoculars will always help.

May 23 - Full Moon (AN)

Like April, this month’s full Moon, the Flower Moon, is so-called because of the flowers blooming at this time of year. It turns full at 9:53 a.m. Eastern Time and can be found in Scorpius that night, very close to Antares, that constellation’s brightest star. In fact, if you live on the east coast, you may not see the star at all, as an occultation will also take place. Observers south of Philadelphia will see the star in mid-occultation as the Moon is rising, while those in Miami will be able to witness the star disappearing at around 9:10 pm. Chances are, if you live in the southeastern corner of the US, you’ll at least be able to see the star reappearing about an hour later.

May 31 - Last Quarter Moon close to Saturn (AM)

Rise early on the last day of the month and you’ll see the last quarter Moon just below Saturn in the predawn twilight. Both are moving among the faint stars of Aquarius and with no other bright stars nearby, Saturn will be easily identifiable.

JUNE

June 2 - Waning crescent Moon close to Mars (AM)

June is a relatively quiet month, and it kicks off with the waning crescent Moon to the right of Mars in the morning twilight. Mars has yet to significantly brighten, but it should still hold its own against the moonlight. Roughly six degrees will separate the pair, placing them both within the same field of view when observed through most 10x50 binoculars.

June 11 - Waxing crescent Moon close to Regulus (PM)

Step outside on the 11th and you’ll see a widening crescent Moon, five days old, a little less than three degrees from Regulus. That star lies just half a degree from the ecliptic - the path the Sun, Moon, and planets appear to follow as they move across the sky. On this particular evening, the Moon is two and a half degrees from that path, so there’s no chance of an occultation this time around.

June 21 - Full Moon (AN)

The Moon turns full at 6:09 p.m. Eastern Time on the 21st and will appear among the stars of Sagittarius that evening. Chances are they’ll be outshone by the moonlight, but if you could see them, you’d see the Moon just above the spout of the famous teapot asterism. June’s full Moon is known as the Strawberry Moon, as this is the time of year when the fruit is ready for harvesting.

JULY

July 7 - Waxing crescent Moon close to Mercury (PM)

Mercury is returning to the evening sky and will be at its best around the 22nd of the month. If you want a head start, you can use the Moon to locate it on the 7th, when it will appear four degrees above the planet in the evening twilight. As always, you can start searching around 15 minutes after sunset, but both should appear reasonably high over the western horizon for another 30 minutes following that.

July 13 - First quarter Moon close to Spica (PM)

If you have no luck with the occultation of Antares in July, you may fare better this time around - especially if you live in the Midwest. The first quarter Moon will appear close to Spica, the brightest star of Virgo, but observers in the Eastern time zone will only see the star disappear as the Moon is setting in the southwest. Those on the west coast have the opposite problem, as the star will already be gone by the time the sky starts to darken, but they’ll have the opportunity to see the star reappear. However, those in the western half of the Central time zone (eg, Dallas), and most of the Mountain time zone, should be able to witness the star both disappear and then reappear roughly 75 minutes later.

July 15 - Mars close to Uranus (AM)

After passing Neptune at the end of April, Mars will then pass Uranus around the middle of July. However, it’ll be easier to see both planets this time around - as long as you’re willing to be up a few hours before dawn. At that time, the skies will still be dark, and Uranus will be high enough to be detectable. Mars will be easily seen with the naked eye, rising over the eastern horizon, with Uranus visible with binoculars as an aqua-blue “star” just half a degree to its upper left.

July 21 - Full Moon (AN)

The Moon turns full at 6:17 a.m. Eastern Time and appears among the stars of Capricornus that evening. The stars of that constellation aren’t particularly bright, but you may still see Fomalhaut, the brightest star in Piscis Austrinus, and the planet Saturn, both some way to the east of the Moon, three or four hours after moonrise. July’s Full Moon is known as the Buck Moon, as this is the time of year when the male deer (bucks) grow their antlers.

AUGUST

August 4 - Mars & Jupiter close to Aldebaran (AM)

Mars will be closest to Aldebaran on this date, but you’ll also find Jupiter just five degrees to its left. In fact, all three will fit within the same field of view of most 7x binoculars. They’ll form a neat triangular pattern in the twilight, but take a moment to compare Mars and Aldebaran, as the planet and star will be of equal brightness and of very similar color.

August 12 - Perseid Meteor Shower (AN)

The Perseids are one of two showers (the other being the Geminids) that can be relied upon to put on a good show every year, and with the Moon at first quarter, there’ll be no bright moonlight to drown out the fainter shooting stars. You can start your search on the evening of the 12th, but it’s best to wait until after the Moon sets (around midnight). The shower’s radiant rises about 1 am, so anytime between then and dawn is when you’re likely to see the most meteors.

August 14 - Mars close to Jupiter (AM)

Be sure to keep your eye on these two planets throughout the month, as Mars will be rapidly catching up to Jupiter in the pre-dawn skies. However, the pair will be closest on the morning of the 14th, and with just 0.3 degrees between them, this is one sight you won’t want to miss. At magnitude -2.2, Jupiter will be far brighter than Mars, which will glow at magnitude 0.8, and the color contrast between golden Jupiter and ruddy Mars will be worth rising early for.

August 19 - Full Moon (AN)

The Moon turns full at 2:24 p.m. Eastern Time on the 19th, placing it on the eastern edge of Capricornus that night. Saturn will appear 15 degrees to its left, but come back the following night to see the planet just barely missing the Moon to its north. August’s full Moon is popularly known as the Sturgeon Moon, as this is the time of year when the fish are most common.

August 26 & 27 - Last quarter Moon close to Mars, Jupiter, and Aldebaran (AM)

The Moon returns to Taurus in the predawn hours of the 26th and 27th. On the 26th, it appears just to the lower left of the Pleiades, but unfortunately, North American observers will miss an occultation of the cluster by just a few hours. (Europe, however, will have better luck.) By the 27th, it will have moved a little further along. Aldebaran will be visible to its right, while Jupiter will be to its lower right and Mars will be to its lower left. Also, look out for the star El Nath, to the lower left of the Moon and the upper left of Mars.

SEPTEMBER

September 1 - Uranus close to the Pleiades (AM)

This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime opportunities that you won’t want to miss - fortunately, you’ve got plenty of time to enjoy it. Uranus orbits the Sun once every 84 years, and therefore only passes the Pleiades once during that time. Since it’s a slow-moving planet, it takes months to pass the cluster, but with a separation of 5 degrees, 16 arcminutes and 20 arcseconds between them, this is the closest the pair will be this year. However, Uranus will be retrograde and will pass the cluster again in 2025 after resuming prograde motion. So if you don’t want to rise early this September, you’ll have the opportunity to see the pair 4.3 degrees apart in the evening sky next November.

September 1 - Waning crescent Moon close to Mercury (AM)

Early September is also a good time to spot Mercury in the predawn sky, and if you’ve never seen it before, the Moon will provide a convenient marker on the morning of the 1st. Both can be seen from about 30 minutes before sunrise, at about ten degrees over the eastern horizon. The Moon will be about a day and a half from turning new and will be just 2% illuminated, while Mercury will appear to its right.

September 8 - Saturn at Opposition (AN)

Saturn is the first of the outer planets to reach opposition this year and will therefore be visible from sunset to sunrise. Although the most distant and faintest of the naked eye planets, at magnitude 0.6 it will still outshine the stars of its host constellation, Aquarius. It’s slowly catching up to Neptune, but you’ll have to wait until 2026 to see those two worlds together. In the meantime, its rings are narrowing, so grab your favorite telescope and enjoy the view before they disappear.

September 18 - Full Moon (AN)

September’s full Moon is special for several reasons. Being the closest to the autumnal equinox, this month’s full Moon is known as the Harvest Moon. However, it’s also the first of two super Moons for the year, with the second occurring next month. As an added bonus, there’s a partial lunar eclipse for observers in western Asia, Europe, Africa, and the Americas. The penumbral portion of the eclipse begins at 8:41 p.m. Eastern Time, with the partial phase starting at 10:12 pm. Mid-eclipse occurs 32 minutes later, with just 4% of the Moon’s surface in the Earth’s shadow. Partial eclipse then ends at 11:15 p.m. Eastern, with the penumbral phase ending a little over 90 minutes later. For more precise info, be sure to check out Time and Date.com

September 21 - Neptune at Opposition (AN)

Just a little less than two weeks after Saturn reaches opposition, Neptune will do the same. Being the most distant and faintest of the eight planets, you’ll need binoculars to spot it, and most amateur telescopes will only show a tiny, pale blue disc. Unfortunately, given its lack of brightness, it’s not an easy planet to find, and since it’s now passing through Pisces, there are no bright stars nearby either. Your best bet is to look for 27 and 29 Piscium, to the southeast of the Circlet; Neptune will be about 1.8 degrees to the northwest of this pair.

OCTOBER

October 5 - Waxing crescent Moon close to Venus (PM)

Venus will be an easy target in the evening sky by early October. Setting about 90 minutes after the Sun, you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy it before it disappears from view. It appears to the upper right of the three-day-old Moon on the 5th, and with Earthshine illuminating the darkened portion of the Moon’s surface, it should make for a very attractive view.

October 17 - Full Moon (AN)

The Moon turns full at 7:27 a.m. Eastern Time and will appear in the southwestern corner of Aries that night, close to the border with Pisces. However, given that the Moon is so bright, you’ll be lucky to see any stars of either constellation! October’s full Moon is known as the Hunter’s Moon, and this year it’s also the second of two Super Moons for 2024. At a distance of 221,998 miles (357,271 km), it’s roughly 2,182 miles (3,512 km) more distant than the first Super Moon that occurred last month.

October 20 - Orionid Meteor Shower (AN)

Under ideal conditions, the Orionid meteor shower typically produces 10-20 shooting stars every hour, but on rare occasions has been known to produce three to four times as many. It’s not known how many you’ll see this year, but with the Moon a waning gibbous in Taurus, you’ll find its light will brighten the sky, making the fainter meteors difficult to see. Your best bet may be to try your luck at around 11 p.m. on the 20th when the shower’s radiant is rising but the Moon is still low in the east.

October 23 - Last quarter Moon close to Mars, Castor, and Pollux (AM)

Around mid-October, Mars will pass by Castor and Pollux, the two brightest stars of Gemini. This gives you an opportunity to compare their colors; Mars appears coppery, while Castor is white and Pollux has a very pale yellowish hue. Look out for the Moon to the right of the stars and above Mars on the morning of the 23rd. It’ll be 60% illuminated and will reach last quarter at 4:03 a.m. Eastern Time on the 24th.

October 25 - Venus close to Antares (PM)

By the end of the month, the southern stars of summer will be all but gone for observers in the northern hemisphere. However, Venus will be three degrees to the upper right of Antares in the post-sunset twilight of the 25th, reminding you to take a final glance at the star before it vanishes from the evening sky for the remainder of the year.

NOVEMBER

November 4 - Waxing Crescent Moon close to Venus (PM)

The Moon takes roughly four weeks to complete its cycle of phases, so it’s no surprise that you’ll find a waxing crescent Moon to the lower left of Venus on the 4th of November, just slightly less than a month since their last close encounter on October 5th. This month, you may also be able to glimpse Mercury. It’s still 12 days from greatest elongation, but if you have a clear, unobstructed view of the southwestern horizon, you may be able to spot it from about 15 minutes after sunset. However, don’t be fooled by the star Antares. It’ll be fainter than Mercury, but a little higher in the sky and about midway between the Moon and the planet.

November 15 - Full Moon (AN)

The Moon turns full at 4:29 p.m. Eastern Time and will be seen beside the Pleiades star cluster that evening. However, given the brightness of the Moon, you’ll most likely need binoculars to spot any of the stars that make up the cluster. Fortunately, you shouldn’t have any problem spotting brilliant Jupiter to the southeast, and even the star Aldebaran should be readily visible. November’s full Moon is known as the Beaver Moon, as this is the time when the beavers are busy constructing their dams.

November 17 - Uranus at opposition (AN)

Uranus is the third of the outer planets to reach opposition in 2024 and there are pros and cons to it occurring on this particular date. On the plus side, Uranus is passing through Taurus, a constellation that allows the planet to appear high in northern skies during the long winter nights. Another plus is that Uranus will be close to the Pleiades star cluster, with both appearing within the same field of view through many 7x binoculars. However, this year’s opposition is marred by the Moon, which turns full just two days before, making it harder to see fainter stars that might otherwise act as convenient markers for the planet. That being the case, it might be worth waiting four or five days for the Moon to wane before attempting to find the planet for the first time.

November 17 - Leonid Meteor Shower (AN)

Like many of this year’s major meteor showers, the Leonids will be somewhat hampered by moonlight in 2024. Under ideal conditions, you could expect to see about 15 shooting stars an hour, but with the Moon a waning gibbous (and high in the sky as the meteor’s radiant is rising), you can expect to see significantly fewer. Matters are not helped by the Moon rising just a few hours after sunset, but you may still be able to catch a few meteors before midnight on the 17th.

November 27 - Waning Crescent Moon close to Spica (AM)

The Moon passes through Virgo toward the end of the month, where it will once again occult the star Spica. This will be its second occultation for observers in the northern hemisphere, with the first occurring in July. Locations along the east coast, from north to south, will see the star disappear at around 5:30 a.m. Eastern Time. However, the star won’t reappear for many until close to sunrise, making it difficult to spot in the brightening sky. Those in the Central time zone are much better off; although the Moon and Spica will be low over the horizon at the start of the occultation, the pair should still be high enough to be seen. Similarly, the sky will still be sufficiently dark to see both when the star reappears.

DECEMBER

December 4 - Waxing Crescent Moon close to Venus (PM)

The last pairing of the crescent Moon and Venus for 2024 takes place at the beginning of December. Last month, Mercury and Antares also appeared nearby, and while there will be no bright stars or planets near the pair this time around, you’ll be able to spot brilliant Jupiter rising in the east as the Moon and Venus shine in the southwest.

December 7 - Jupiter at Opposition (AN)

Jupiter will be the last of the outer planets to reach opposition in 2024. This year sees Jupiter in Taurus, about midway between Aldebaran and the horns of the bull. An excellent location for those in the northern hemisphere, observers will be lucky enough to see the planet rise high in the sky and be visible throughout the long winter nights. This makes it a prime time to observe its cloud belts, the Great Red Spot, and to watch its four largest moons dance about the planet.

December 13 - Geminid Meteor Shower (AN)

In recent years, the Geminid meteor shower has become more prolific than even the famous Perseids. With the shower regularly producing over 100 meteors an hour under ideal conditions, and with the long dark nights affording observers hours of enjoyment (providing you can keep warm), it’s the go-to shower of the winter. Unfortunately, once again, the Moon, just two days from turning full, will brighten the sky, making it difficult to see the fainter shooting stars. You’ll still see a few on the evening of the 13th, but for the best odds, you may need to rise a few hours before dawn on the 14th, when the Moon is low over the western horizon.

December 15 - Full Moon (AN)

It will probably come as no surprise to learn that December’s full Moon is known as the Cold Moon, and this year it lands in the very middle of the month. Full Moon occurs at 3:01 a.m. Eastern Time, with the Moon appearing in Taurus, east of Jupiter, at that time, and on the border of Gemini and Auriga later that evening. Look carefully and you’ll notice that it’ll lie near the middle of a triangle formed by Capella, Jupiter and Castor, and Pollux.

December 17/18 - Waning Gibbous Moon close to Mars (AM)

Mars won’t reach opposition at all this year but will be the first planet to do so in 2025, on the evening of January 15th for North American observers. Fortunately, given its position in Cancer, it’ll be visible from late evening onwards throughout December and is joined by the waning gibbous Moon on the evening of the 17th and throughout the early hours of the 18th. At their closest, at 4:37 a.m. Eastern Time on the 18th, the two will only be about half a degree apart - roughly the diameter of the full Moon. Roughly three degrees to the south is M44, the Beehive Cluster, but the light of the Moon will require you to use binoculars or a telescope to see its stars.

December 28 - Waning Crescent Moon close to Mercury and Antares (AM)

There’s an excellent opportunity to spot Mercury in the last few days of the year. It’ll reach greatest elongation on the 25th, but will still be visible in the predawn twilight for a few weeks after. It’s joined by the waning crescent Moon on the morning of the 28th. Look outside at about a half hour before sunrise and you’ll see the Moon low over the southeastern horizon, with Antares just a little to its left. Mercury, much brighter than Antares, will appear about nine and a half degrees left of the pair.

Free Printable Astronomical 2024 Calendar PDF