Longest day not far away

Sun: The summer solstice falls on the 22nd, marking the Sun’s most southerly position in the sky and our longest day.

Moon: New Moon is on the 7th with First Quarter on the 16th. Full Moon falls on the 23rd and Last Quarter follows on the 29th.

Comet: Periodic comet 46P/Wirtanen will pass 11.6 million km from us on December 16. It will be to the right of the Pleiades cluster. It may be possible to see it through a pair of binoculars.

Meteors: The Geminids shower, from the 7th to the 17th, is often rewarding. Look to the right of Orion, towards the bright star Castor, after 1am. This year, moonlight should not interfere with viewing at the shower’s peak date of December 14.

Planets: Mercury is in the morning sky but lies too close to the Sun to be easily seen.

Venus rises well before the Sun and is an unmistakable object in the dawn sky. On December 4, the crescent Moon and Venus will be less than five degrees apart.

Mars remains in the evening sky, setting after midnight. The First Quarter Moon appears near the planet on the 15th.

Jupiter should be observable in the morning sky during the second half of the month. It will appear low in the east, against the twilight.

Saturn sets very early in the evening and is lost against the glare of the Sun.

Stars and Constellations: The summer constellation of Orion is low in the eastern sky. A little to its southeast is the brightest star, Sirius, and its associated constellation of Canis Major. The Pleiades lies to the northeast, as does Taurus.

Much of the northern sky looks somewhat empty, with Pegasus just above the north-west horizon. Directly west, Aquarius and Capricornus are setting.

Our southern sky holds much of interest. Due south is the Southern Cross and, some distance above it, are the Small and Large Magellanic Clouds. Look to the right of Canopus to find them. The Tarantula Nebulae, in the large cloud, is well worth viewing in a telescope.

Overhead, Canopus and Achernar are the main stars of note. The long straggling constellation of Eridanus stretches across the zenith.

At this time of the year the Milky Way surrounds the sky on all horizons, running from the north, along the east and south before disappearing almost due west.