When the Curves Line Up

December 19, 2022:  Before sunrise, the crescent moon approaches the Scorpion’s pincers.  After sundown, attempt to spot the bright five planets. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 19: Beautiful Morning Crescent, Evening Spot Five Planets

December 18, 2022: Before sunrise, the crescent moon is with Spica.  After sundown, the five bright planet display of Venus, Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, and Mars is beginning to appear. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 18: Moon-Spica Conjunction, Five Planet Display 

December 17, 2022: The thick morning crescent is near Porrima in Virgo this morning.  An evening display of the five bright planets is beginning to form. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 17: Morning Crescent, Bright Evening Display Forming

December 16, 2022:  The morning moon is in front of Virgo near the star Zavijava.  The bright outer planets – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn, are on display during the early evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 16: Virgo Moon, Evening Planet Display

December 15, 2022: The slightly gibbous moon is below Leo this morning.  The five bright planets are about to appear together.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are easy to see during early evening hours. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 15: Morning Moon, Evening Planets

December 14, 2022: The morning gibbous moon is east of the Sickle of Leo.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are on display across the sky during the early evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 14:  Morning Gibbous Moon, Bright Outer Planets

December 13, 2022: Fifty years ago, the Apollo 17 astronauts completed their exploration of the lunar surface.  Tonight, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are visible after sundown. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 13: Remembering Apollo 17, Bright Outer Planets

December 12, 2022: Before sunrise, the gibbous moon is between Regulus and Pollux in front of Cancer.  After sundown, the three bright outer planets – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – decorate the sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 12: Crabby Moon, Nightly Planetary Platter

December 11, 2022: The Andromeda galaxy and a globular star cluster are visible above Jupiter and Saturn during the evening.  Mars joins the other two planets for a nightly display. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 11: Andromeda Galaxy, Star Cluster, Nightly Planet Display

December 10, 2022: The moon is with the Gemini Twins during the night.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn continue their overnight display, making the plane of the solar system. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 10:  Gemini Moon, Overnight Planets

December 9, 2022: Venus and Mercury are beginning to appear in the southwest.  The current view is in bright twilight.  After dark, the moon, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn hang across the sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 9: Early Birds, Venus and Mercury, Bright Planet Exhibition

December 8, 2022: Venus and Mercury are visible during bright evening twilight.  The three bright outer planets – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – and the moon are on display during the early evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 8: Early Views, Venus, Mercury, Bright Evening Planets

December 7, 2022: Mars is at opposition – in the opposite direction from the sun – this evening.  The Full moon covers Mars in a rare occultation on opposition night. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 7: Rare Occultation at Mars Opposition

December 6, 2022: One night before a Mars opposition occultation, the moon is nearing the Red Planet.  Mars, Moon, Jupiter, and Saturn are seen along the arc of the solar system during the early evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 6: Mars, Moon Final Approach, Evening Planet Display

December 5, 2022: The bright star Deneb, the tail of Cygnus, is making its first morning appearance – heliacal rising.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn span the evening sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 5: Deneb Heliacal Rising, Evening Planet Exhibition

December 4, 2022: Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn put on a nightly display during the evening.  Support the Abrams Planetarium Sky Calendar. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 4: Nightly Planet Display, Support Sky Calendar

December 3, 2022: The bright gibbous moon is east of bright Jupiter – that bright star in the southeast after sunset – tonight.  During the evening, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are in display. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 3: Bright Evening Moon, Planetary Display

December 2, 2022: The bright gibbous moon is in the southeast after sundown.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are visible during the evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 2: Evening Gibbous Moon, Three-Planet Display

December 1, 2022: Leo is high in the southern sky before sunrise during early December.  After sundown, Jupiter and the gibbous moon make a striking conjunction. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, December 1: Morning Leo, Evening Striking Jupiter-Moon Conjunction

November 30, 2022: Earth is closest to Mars this evening at 8:16 p.m. CST.  The Red Planet appears as a bright star in the night sky. Tonight is the Venus-Mars Opposition. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, November 30:  Mars Closest Approach, Venus-Mars Opposition

November 29, 2022:  Mars and Mercury are at opposition.  They are in the sky at the same time, along with Jupiter and Saturn. The bright outer planets are in the sky during the evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, November 29:  Mars-Mercury Opposition, Bright Outer Planets

November 28, 2022: Before sunrise, Mars – retrograding with Taurus – is with a bright stellar backdrop.  After sundown, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn span the sky. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, November 28: Bright Sidereal Background, Evening Planet Display

November 27, 2022: The classic solar system is east of the sun appearing in the evening.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are easy to find.  The evening crescent displays earthshine. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, November 27: Evening Planet Menagerie, Earthshine

November 26, 2022:  Earth and Mars are closest for this Martian apparition on November 30.  The three bright outer planet – Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn – are visible during the evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, November 26:  Earth-Mars Closest Approach Nears, Bright Evening Planets

November 25, 2022: The crescent moon returns to the southwest after sundown.  Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are along the ecliptic during the early evening. This episode is also available as a blog post: 2022, November 25: Evening Crescent, Bright Outer Planets