The night sky in December

On December 21 we have the longest day and the shortest night of the year.

This date is called the summer solstice and marks the beginning of the astronomical summer. Then the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.For an observer at the geographical latitude of 23,5° South, the sun would then be exactly in the zenith at noon.The constellations of the Water Bearer (Aquarius) and the Fishes (Pisces) can be observed in the December evening sky.Both constellations belong to the zodiac.This means that the Sun wanders through the Water Bearer every year from February 12 until March 11.On March 11 the Sun crosses the border to the Fishes and enters the constellation of the Ram (Aries).The Water Bearer is a large constellation.Nevertheless, it contains only faint stars.Its brightest stars are the 3.0 m (magnitude) bright Sadalmelek (alpha Aquarius) and the 2,9 m bright beta Aquarius.In the Water Bearer, we can find the rather bright globular star cluster M2 and the planetary nebula NGC 7923, the Helix Nebula, which can be seen with ordinary binoculars.The Fishes constellation (the Southern Fish is another constellation!) also contains only faint stars and isn’t easy to distinguish.It is situated between the more conspicuous constellations Whale (Cetus) and Pegasus.Starting from the main star Alrisha (alpha Pisces), one of the two fishes is to the North, and the other to the West.The two fishes form a V with Alrisha at the vertex.From the middle of December, all five bright planets can be observed in the morning sky.Mercury is in lower conjunction on December 10.It reaches its widest western elongation on December 29, standing 22° from the Sun at -0,3 m brightness.Venus stands in the Balance (Libra) at the beginning of the month.Then it switches over into the Scorpion (Scorpio) and passes Mars on December 5.At the end of December, Venus stands in the Serpent Bearer (Ophiuchus).Mars in the Balance and Jupiter in Virgo can be observed as well in the morning sky.Saturn is brightening at the end of the year and is visible the entire night.Its opposition to the Sun is on January 13, which means that the planet is exactly opposite to the sun, as seen from earth.Rising and setting times on December 15: Mercury rises at 05h25, Venus rises at 04h25, Mars rises at 04h03, Jupiter rises at 02h04, Saturn rises at 21h39.Moonset at 23h14, sunrise at 06h02 and sunset at 19h32.In the New Year, I wish the farmers enough rain, the holidaymakers at Swakopmund fine weather, and the stargazers clear nights.Then the sun is directly over the Tropic of Capricorn.For an observer at the geographical latitude of 23,5° South, the sun would then be exactly in the zenith at noon.The constellations of the Water Bearer (Aquarius) and the Fishes (Pisces) can be observed in the December evening sky.Both constellations belong to the zodiac.This means that the Sun wanders through the Water Bearer every year from February 12 until March 11.On March 11 the Sun crosses the border to the Fishes and enters the constellation of the Ram (Aries).The Water Bearer is a large constellation.Nevertheless, it contains only faint stars.Its brightest stars are the 3.0 m (magnitude) bright Sadalmelek (alpha Aquarius) and the 2,9 m bright beta Aquarius.In the Water Bearer, we can find the rather bright globular star cluster M2 and the planetary nebula NGC 7923, the Helix Nebula, which can be seen with ordinary binoculars.The Fishes constellation (the Southern Fish is another constellation!) also contains only faint stars and isn’t easy to distinguish.It is situated between the more conspicuous constellations Whale (Cetus) and Pegasus.Starting from the main star Alrisha (alpha Pisces), one of the two fishes is to the North, and the other to the West.The two fishes form a V with Alrisha at the vertex.From the middle of December, all five bright planets can be observed in the morning sky.Mercury is in lower conjunction on December 10.It reaches its widest western elongation on December 29, standing 22° from the Sun at -0,3 m brightness.Venus stands in the Balance (Libra) at the beginning of the month.Then it switches over into the Scorpion (Scorpio) and passes Mars on December 5.At the end of December, Venus stands in the Serpent Bearer (Ophiuchus).Mars in the Balance and Jupiter in Virgo can be observed as well in the morning sky.Saturn is brightening at the end of the year and is visible the entire night.Its opposition to the Sun is on January 13, which means that the planet is exactly opposite to the sun, as seen from earth.Rising and setting times on December 15: Mercury rises at 05h25, Venus rises at 04h25, Mars rises at 04h03, Jupiter rises at 02h04, Saturn rises at 21h39.Moonset at 23h14, sunrise at 06h02 and sunset at 19h32.In the New Year, I wish the farmers enough rain, the holidaymakers at Swakopmund fine weather, and the stargazers clear nights.