There’s no hiding from it. Winter stargazing is not for the faint of heart, but if you bundle up and keep your feet and face warm, the rewards are heavenly.
In the early-evening western sky you can still see the “Summer Triangle” of stars, Vega, Altair, and Deneb, which are the brightest stars in their respective summer constellations. Deneb, a star that’s at least 1,500 light-years away, if not further, is the brightest star in the constellation Cygnus the Swan, otherwise known by its nickname the Northern Cross. During the holiday season the cross is standing nearly upright above the northwestern horizon. This is the last call for the Northern Cross and the Summer Triangle, because next month the evening view from Earth will turn away from that part of space.
The great horse Pegasus is riding high in the south-southwestern sky with Cassiopeia the Queen, the one that looks like a bright “W” in the high northern sky. The Big Dipper is still very low in the north, but you’ll notice that from night to night it will gradually get higher, standing diagonally on its handle. The Little Dipper is hanging by its handle above the Big Dipper, with Polaris the North Star poised at the end of the handle. Because Polaris is shining directly above Earth’s North Pole, it appears as if all the stars in the sky revolve around Polaris once every 24 hours, including our sun. We’re seeing a reflection in the sky of the Earth’s rotation.
Gazing to the east, just after evening twilight ends, you’ll be bombarded with all kinds of bright stars and constellations, even more as you get later in the evening. You are witnessing the rising of the winter constellations, the best of the year in my opinion. The constellations Auriga the Chariot Driver and Taurus the Bull lead the charge. Just above Taurus is the best star cluster in the sky, known both as the Pleiades and the Seven Little Sisters. This is a young group of stars, 410 light years away, that looks like a tiny Big Dipper. After 8 p.m., Orion the Hunter, the great centerpiece of the winter constellations, climbs well above the eastern horizon. The three stars equally spaced out in a row that make the belt of the great hunter will definitely jump out at you.
If you’re a planet-watching fan I’m afraid you’re out of luck as far as evening viewing. All of the major planets available for viewing all rise after midnight.
Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, rises in the eastern sky shortly after midnight. It will be the brightest star-like object in that part of the sky by far. Right now Jupiter is a little under 500 million miles from Earth, but from now through December Jupiter will grow bigger and brighter as the separation between Earth and the king of the planets shrinks.
With a small telescope or even a good pair of binoculars you should clearly see the disk of the planet, and maybe some of the brighter clouds bands that stripe Jupiter. For sure you’ll see the brighter Galilean moons that look like tiny little stars on either side of the planet. You may see up to four moons as they change their positions while orbiting the largest planet in our solar system in periods of two to seventeen days.
This December we get treated to a full moon on Christmas night. It’s no present for stargazing because it will be in the highest arc possible across the sky from sunset to sunrise, washing out all but the brighter stars and constellations. That’s ok with me though, because it will make this magical time of year even more special, and Santa and the reindeer sure don’t mind the extra light for all of their special deliveries.
Bundle up and take in the great December night sky. It’s worth the chill.
To use this map, cut it out and attach it to a stiff backing. Hold it over your head and line up the compass points on the map to the compass points on the horizon where you’re observing from.
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