When the Curves Line Up

December 21, 2023: Winter begins in the northern hemisphere.  Jupiter and Saturn are visible in the evening sky three years after their Great Conjunction. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 21:  Winter Solstice, Great Conjunction Plus 3 Years

December 20, 2023: Brilliant Venus is in the southeast before daybreak.  After nightfall the gibbous moon nears Jupiter in the southeast sky. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 20:  Morning Star, Evening Moon Nears Jupiter

December 19, 2023: Before sunrise, Venus appears below the Scorpion’s claws.  After sundown, the moon is nearly midway from Saturn to Jupiter. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 19: A Scorpion Fumble, Moon Midway

December 18, 2023: Look for Venus between the Scorpion’s claws in the southeast before sunrise. The thick crescent moon is in the evening sky with Jupiter and Saturn. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 18: Pinched Venus

December 17, 2023: Before sunrise, Venus passes Zubenelgenubi, a planet-star conjunction.  After sundown, Saturn and crescent moon are paired, a planet-moon conjunction. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 17: Celestial Pairs

December 16, 2023: Before daybreak, Venus is above the Scorpion’s southern claw.  After nightfall, the crescent moon nears Saturn. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 16: Venus Clawed, Evening Crescent Nears Saturn

December 15, 2023: Before sunrise, brilliant Venus approaches Zubenelgenubi, the Scorpion’s southern claw.  The lunar evening crescent returns to the western sky after nightfall. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 15: Brilliant Morning Star, Evening Lunar Crescent

December 14, 2023: Brilliant Morning Star Venus nears the Scorpion’s northern claw, Zubenelgenubi.  The thin crescent moon cues Mercury’s location in the evening sky. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 14: Venus Nears Claws, Goodbye, Mercury!

December 13, 2023: Look for Planet Uranus through a binocular.  Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are visible during the nighttime hours. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 13:  Look for Planet Uranus

December 12, 2023: Brilliant Morning Star Venus, bright Jupiter, and Saturn are easy to spot during nighttime hours, a nightly three-planet waltz. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 12: Look for Nightly Three-Planet Waltz

December 11, 2023: Venus gleams from the eastern morning sky in the southeast.  The razor-thin moon is near the horizon. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 11: Spot Venus, Razor Thin Moon

December 10, 2023: Venus and Jupiter are in opposite directions (opposition) and signal the last time the two planets are in the sky together before sunrise during this Venusian apparition. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 10: Venus-Jupiter Opposition

December 9, 2023: Look for Venus and the crescent moon pair-up in a predawn spectacle. Earthshine and scenic views await in this must-see morning sight - A Predawn Venus-Jupiter Conjunction. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 9: Don’t Miss the Wonderous Predawn Venus-Moon Conjunction

December 8, 2023: Brilliant Venus is near the Moon-Spica conjunction in the southeast before daybreak.  Jupiter and Saturn are visible during the night. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 8:  Morning Moon-Spica Conjunction, Three Bright Planets

December 7, 2023: Venus Moon, and Spica are visible in the southeastern sky before sunrise.  Jupiter and Saturn are visible after nightfall.  Mercury is a challenging view. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 7: Beautiful Morning Venus, Spica, Moon Display, Bright Planets

December 6, 2023: The crescent moon moves closer to Venus in the southeastern sky before sunrise.  Aldebaran is opposite the sun rising at sunset. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 6: Moon Targets Venus, Aldebaran Opposite Sun

December 5, 2023: Venus is one astronomical unit from Earth this morning, about 93 million miles, or the Earth’s average distance from the sun.  Bright Jupiter and Saturn are visible during the early evening. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 5: Venus at 1 Astronomical Unit, Bright Jupiter and Saturn

December 4, 2023: The moon is with Leo high in the southern sky before sunrise.  Mercury’s visibility is limited at this evening greatest elongation. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 4: Leo Moon, Mercury at Greatest Elongation

December 3, 2023: The moon appears near the Sickle of Leo during the nighttime hours.  Venus, Jupiter, and Saturn are easily visible. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 3: Sliced Moon, Three Bright Planets

December 2, 2023: Antares is at solar conjunction today, beginning climb into the morning sky.  Venus continues to step eastward, moving away from Spica before daybreak. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 2: Antares at Solar Conjunction, Venus Steps Eastward

December 1, 2023: In the southeastern sky before sunrise, brilliant Venus separates from Spica, Virgo’s brightest star.  During evening hours, the moon appears with the Beehive star cluster. See the accompanying article - 2023, December 1:  Venus Moves Past Spica, Moon, Beehive

November 30: Venus and Jupiter are at nearly opposite ends of the morning sky as their opposition approaches. See the accompanying article - 2023, November 30: Venus-Jupiter Opposition Nears

November 29, 2023: Venus passes the star Spica, the brightest in Virgo, in a wide conjunction during morning twilight in the eastern sky. See the accompanying article - 2023, November 29: Venus-Spica Conjunction

November 28, 2023: The moon appears entangled with the Bull’s horns.  Venus nears Spica before sunrise.  Jupiter and Saturn are visible after nightfall. See the accompanying article - 2023, November 28: A Moon-Kabob, Bright Planets

November 27, 2023: The bright moon reaches its full phase before sunrise.  The Venus-Jupiter gap widens toward 180° - opposition. See the accompanying article - 2023, November 27: Morning Beaver Moon, Venus, Jupiter Approach Opposition