Abstract
FULL moon occurs on Dec. 5d. 15h. 13m., U.T., and new moon on Dec.19d. 18h. 55m. The following conjunctions with the moon take place : Dec. 12d. 23h Satutn 0·3° S.; Dec. 13d. 09h., Mars 0·6° N. Dec 20d. 23h., Mercury 3° N.; Dec. 22d. O8h, Jupiter 4° N. ; Dec. 22d. 23h., Venus 4° N. In audition to these conjunctions with the moon, Venus is in conjunction with Jupiter on Dec. 7d. 03h., Venus being 2° S. Mercury is unfavourably placed for observation during the first part of the month, but at the end of the month the planet sets 1h. 20m. after sunset and can be seen in the western sky for a short time. Venus sets more than three hours after the sun during December and is conspicuous in the western sky, attaining its greatest brilliancy (stellar magnitude –4·4) on Dec. 26. On this date the visible portion of the illuminated disk is only 0·26, but the planet is then only 38 million miles from the earth. Mars rises abou hours int midnight up to the middle of the month and at 23h. 27m. at the end of the month and can be seen in the morning the constellation of Virgo fairly close to β Virginis about the middle of the month. Jupiter sets at 19h. 35m., 18h. 55m. and 18h. 13m. at the beginning, middle and end of the month, respectively, and is easily seen, lying low in the constellation of Capricornus. Saturn rises soon after midnight on Dec. 1 and at 22h. 17m. on Dec. 31, on which date it is stationary, and can be seen a little east of σ Leonis. Occultations of stars brighter than magnitude 6 are as follows : Dec. 3d. 22h. 53·6m., τ Arie. (D); Dec. 6d. 17h. 52·lm., 136 Taur. (D); Dec. 6d. 18h. 46·7m., 136 Taur. (R); Dec. 8d. 5h. 14·9m., 47 Gemi. (R); Dec. 9d. Oh. 32·4m., ω Canc. (R); Dec. 23d. 16h. 43·9m., XCapr. (D); Dec. 25d. 17h. 10·6m., XAquar. (D); Dec. 31d. 19h. 18·Om., 104 B. Taur. (D). D and R refer to disappearance and reappearance, respectively, and the latitude of Greenwich is assumed. Winter solstice occurs on Dec. 22d. 04h.
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The Night Sky in December. Nature 164, 908 (1949). https://doi.org/10.1038/164908a0
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/164908a0