December 2001

by Steve Stefanik

If all you want for Christmas is "your two front teeth" and all you get is "a partridge in a pear tree" don’t despair. You’re in for a few extra celestial treats this December! How about an opposition and another occultation of Saturn by the moon (in case you missed the one on November 30)? If that doesn’t suite your fancy maybe a 4^th magnitude "naked-eye" comet will impress you and if that fails to please you, would you like to be entertained by another meteor shower?

Tonight, right after the sun sets, face south and look for the brightest red star which is actually the planet Mars. Although it is a mere +0.6 magnitude and only a fraction as bright as it was this past summer, it is still the brightest object in that part of the sky. Once you have located it, look directly below it for a magnitude +1.3 blue-white star. This is Fomalhaut the brightest star in the constellation Pisces the fish. Now look above and to the left of Fomalhaut for the second brightest star in this "star starved" region of sky. This is the 2^nd magnitude star Beta Ceti, which is the second brightest star in the constellation Cetus the whale. If you look between these two stars and Mars you should be able to make out a "fuzzy star". Through a pair of binoculars or even a small telescope you may see a tail on it. This is comet LINEAR WM1. It is expected to brighten to magnitude +4.0 the first two weeks of December before setting below the southwestern horizon. It remains to be seen.

While you are outside observing the comet you may notice some sporadic "shooting stars". These are the precursors to the annual Geminid meteor shower, which will peak on the night of December 13. Although they are not as prolific as last month’s Leonid meteors, they will be visible in a "moonless" sky. You could see as many as several per minute.

Tomorrow night, the planet Saturn reaches opposition when it will be directly opposite us from the sun which means that it will rise in the east as the sun sets in the west and remain visible in the sky all night long. Look for it between the "horns" of the constellation Taurus the bull near the first magnitude bright red star Aldebaran. It’s a great opportunity to observe it through a telescope if you have access to one. You’ll notice its rings of course and some subtle banding on its surface. You may even be able to spot several of its larger moons particularly its largest one, Titan.

Two hours later, the giant Jovian planet Jupiter rises below Saturn in the constellation Gemini the twins. There’s no mistaking this magnitude –2.7 mammoth. Through binoculars you will be able to see the alternating dark bands and light zones of its atmosphere and its four largest moons, Io, Europa, Ganymeade, and Callisto.

Two other planets, Uranus and Neptune are still visible in the constellation Capricornus the seagoat low in the southwest but require a telescope to spot them.

The planets Mercury and Venus are within 6 and 8 degrees respectively of the sun and are lost in its glare this month.

The winter solstice occurs on the 21^st at 2:21 p.m. EST when the sun stops its southerly advance on the western horizon and appears to stand still. The good news is that it will begin to recede northward once again and we will begin seeing more daylight with each passing day.

On the night of the 28^th a two-day from full moon will occult the planet Saturn again. This time Saturn will disappear behind the moon on the darkened edge of a waxing gibbous moon around 4:00 a.m. EST if you want to get out of a nice warm bed to witness the event.

Have a merry one!