Jupiter

Best time to see: 31 Dec, one hour before sunrise Altitude: 7º Location: Ophiuchus Direction: Southeast

Jupiter was in conjunction with the Sun on 26 November and this month returns to the morning sky. Look for an encounter with a less than 1%-lit waning crescent Moon on the morning of 6 December, the Moon lying 4° above Jupiter around 40 minutes before sunrise. On 21 December, mag. –0.4 Mercury appears 1° above mag. –1.6 Jupiter, low in the southeast around 07:00 UT. By 31 December, Jupiter will be trailing mag. –4.4 Venus as both planets climb into the morning sky.