November 29 and 30 evenings: Moon near Castor and Pollux
On the evenings of November 29 and 30, 2023, the waning gibbous moon will pass Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. They’ll rise a few hours after sunset and be visible traveling across the sky all night.
November 30 morning: Venus and Spica conjunction
On the final morning of the month, November 30, 2023, Venus will have a close conjunction with the bright star Spica. Although it’s nowhere near as bright as Venus, Spica is the brightest star in the constellation Virgo the Maiden. Venus and Spica will be a little over 4 degrees apart on the sky’s dome, or roughly the width of 8 full moons lined up side-by-side, on November 30.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
EarthSky Minute Week of Nov 27 2023
See what’s in store for this week in the sky.
The 2024 lunar calendars are here! Best Christmas gifts in the universe! Check ’em out here.
December 1 morning: Moon near Castor, Pollux and Procyon
On the morning of December 1, 2023, the waning gibbous moon will be near Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. Also nearby will be the bright star Procyon in Canis Minor the Lesser Dog. They’ll rise late in the evening the night before and be high in the morning sky.
December 2 morning: Moon near the Beehive
The waning gibbous moon will slide by the famous – but dim – Beehive star cluster on the morning of December 2, 2023. You will need binoculars to spot the dozens of stars in the busy Beehive star cluster. The moon will also float between Regulus, the brightest star in Leo the Lion and the twin stars Castor and Pollux in the constellation Gemini. They’ll rise late in the evening the night before and be high in the morning sky.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
December 3 and 4 mornings: Moon near the Sickle
On the mornings of December 3 and 4, 2023, the waning gibbous moon will float near Regulus, the bright star marking the bottom of the backward question mark asterism called the Sickle. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion. They’ll rise late the night before and be high in the morning sky.
December 4: Mercury at greatest elongation
At 14:00 UTC (8 a.m. CST) on December 4, Mercury will reach its farthest angular distance from the sun, known as greatest eastern elongation.
Moon at apogee around December 4
The moon will reach apogee – its farthest distance from Earth in its elliptical orbit around the Earth – at 19 UTC (1 p.m. CST) on December 4, 2023, when it’s 251,248 miles (404,346 kilometers) away.
December 5: Last quarter moon
The instant of last quarter moon will fall at 5:49 UTC on December 5, 2023 (11:49 p.m. CST December 4). It’ll rise around midnight your local time the night before and set about 1 p.m. on December 5.
December 8 and 9 mornings: Moon near Venus and Spica
On the morning of December 8, 2023, the waning crescent moon will float near the bright star Spica. They’ll make a captivating pair. Then on the morning of December 9, 2023, don’t miss the spectacular pairing of the thin waning crescent moon with the dazzling planet Venus. On both mornings, the unlit portion of the moon will exhibit the lovely glow of earthshine, which is reflected light from Earth.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
December 10 and 11 mornings: Moon near Venus and Zubenelgenubi
The thin waning crescent moon will move away from dazzling Venus and will pass the moderately bright star Zubenelgenubi in Libra the Scales on the morning of December 10. An even thinner crescent moon will hang near the horizon shortly before sunrise on the morning of December 11. Can you see a delicate glow on the unlit portion of the crescent moon? That’s earthshine! It’s reflected light from the Earth.
December 12: New moon
The instant of new moon will fall at 23:32 UTC (5:32 p.m. CST) on December 12, 2023. It’s a perfect time for stargazing – especially watching for Geminid meteors – under dark skies. The new moon rises and sets with the sun.
December 13 and 14 all night: Geminid meteor shower
The predicted peak of the Geminid meteor shower is around the moon-free nights of December 13 and 14, 2023.
December 14 and 15 evenings: Moon near Mercury
On the evenings of December 14 and 15, 2023, the thin waxing crescent moon will float low in the sunset direction in the midst of bright twilight. Look shortly after sunset. Binoculars will help spot tiny Mercury close to the moon on December 14. Also, look for earthshine, a glow on the unlit side of the moon. It’s reflected light from the Earth. Mercury had its greatest evening elongation – when it was farthest from the sun in our evening sky – on December 4, 2023.
December 16: Moon reaches perigee
The moon will reach perigee – its closest point in its elliptical orbit around Earth – at 19 UTC (1 p.m. CST) on December 16, 2023, when it’s 228,603 miles (367,901 kilometers) away.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
December 17 morning: Venus will pair up with Zubenelgenubi
During the middle of December, brilliant Venus will slide by a moderately bright star with a name that’s fun to say: Zubenelgenubi. Zubenelgenubi means “Southern Claw” in Arabic. Many people used to consider this star as part of Scorpius the Scorpion. But today it’s part of Libra the Scales. Venus and Zubenelgenubi will be at their closest to each other on December 17.
December 16 and 17 evenings: Moon near Saturn
The waxing crescent moon will pass the steady light of golden Saturn on the evenings of December 16 and 17, 2023. You’ll be able to watch Saturn and the moon until a few hours before midnight.
December 19: 1st quarter moon
The instant of 1st quarter moon will fall at 18:39 UTC (12:39 p.m. CST), on December 19, 2023. The 1st quarter moon rises around noon your local time and sets around midnight.
December 19 and 20 evenings: Moon near the Circlet
The bright waxing gibbous moon will pass the faint but distinct Circlet asterism in Pisces the Fish on the evenings of December 19 and 20, 2023. The moon and the Circlet will be visible as darkness falls and will set after midnight.
December 21 and 22 evenings: Moon near Jupiter
On the evenings of December 21 and 22, 2023, the waxing gibbous moon will glow near the bright planet Jupiter. The moon and Jupiter will set several hours after midnight.
December solstice: December 21-22
The December solstice is at 3:27 UTC on December 22, 2023 (9:27 p.m. December 21 CST). Winter arrives in the Northern Hemisphere and summer arrives in the Southern Hemisphere.
December 22: Mercury will pass between Earth and the sun
Mercury will reach the point in its orbit known as inferior conjunction – when it passes between Earth and the sun – at 19 UTC on December 22.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
December 22-23 mornings: Ursid meteor shower
The predicted peak of the Ursid meteor shower is on the early mornings of December 22 and 23, 2023. The best time to watch is before dawn and after the waxing gibbous moon has slipped below the horizon.
December 23 and 24 evenings: Moon near the Pleiades
The bright waxing gibbous moon will pass the Pleiades star cluster on the evenings of December 23 and 24, 2023. The Pleiades is also known as the Seven Sisters or Messier 45 and appears as a glittering, bluish cluster of stars in the constellation Taurus the Bull. The moon and Pleiades will cross the sky together until about an hour before sunrise.
December 25 all night: Moon near Capella, Aldebaran and Betelgeuse
December 25, 2023, the bright waxing gibbous moon will lie near a trio of bright stars. It’ll be near the fiery orange star Aldebaran of Taurus the Bull and Orion’s mighty red supergiant star Betelgeuse. The bright golden star is Capella of the constellation Auriga the Charioteer. If you catch Capella low on the horizon, it may be flashing like a small disco ball. You can follow them all night until sunrise.
December 26-27, all night: Full Moon
The instant of full moon will fall at 0:33 UTC on December 27, 2023 (6:33 p.m. CST December 26).
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
December 26 and 27 evenings: Moon near Castor and Pollux
On the evening of December 26, 2023, the full moon will pass Castor and Pollux, the twin stars of Gemini. Then on the evening of December 27, the waning gibbous moon will be closer to the Twin Stars of Gemini. They’ll rise a few hours after sunset and be visible traveling across the sky all night.
December 29 morning: Moon near the Beehive
For the second time this month, the moon will slide by the famous – but faint – Beehive star cluster. This time it will be a waning gibbous moon on the morning of December 29, 2023. You will need binoculars to spot the dozens of stars in the busy Beehive star cluster. Also nearby will be the twin stars, Castor and Pollux, in the constellation Gemini. They’ll rise late the night before and be high in the morning sky.
December 30 and 31 mornings: Moon near the Sickle
On the mornings of December 30 and 31, 2023, the waning gibbous moon will float near Regulus, marking the bottom of the backward question mark asterism called the Sickle. Regulus is the brightest star in Leo the Lion. And the moon will lie close to Regulus on the final morning of 2023. They’ll rise late in the evening the night before and be high in the morning sky.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
Planets in November 2023
November mornings: Venus
Brilliant Venus will continue to dominate the morning sky, but it will sink lower each morning after it reached its greatest elongation from the sun on October 23, 2023. Luckily, it will rise early enough to see it in dark skies. Venus will begin the month at -4.4 magnitude. A lovely waning crescent moon will join Venus and on the morning of November 9, 2023, when they appear about 1 degrees apart. In fact, a daytime lunar occultation is visible from north Canada, most of Greenland, Iceland, Svalbard, west Russia, most of Europe, parts of north Africa, and most of the Middle East. Also, it will appear closer to the star Spica each morning. Venus begins the month in the constellation of Leo and Lion and will move into Virgo the Maiden by mid-month.
November evenings, all night: Jupiter
Jupiter will rise in the east at sunset and will be visible until dawn. It will shine near the pretty Pleiades star cluster in the constellation of Taurus the Bull. On November 1-2, 2023, it’ll reach perihelion – or closest point to the Earth – when the distance between the Earth and Jupiter will be 370 million miles (595 million kilometers). And the distance between the sun and Jupiter will be 462 million miles (744 million kilometers). Then, it will reach opposition overnight on November 2-3, 2023, when we fly between it and the sun. Jupiter lies in the dim constellation of Aries the Ram. It shines at -2.9 magnitude in November. The waxing gibbous moon will float by Jupiter on November 25, 2023.
Our charts are mostly set for the northern half of Earth. To see a precise view – and time – from your location, try Stellarium Online.
November evenings: Saturn
Golden Saturn will shine in the south after sunset during November. It will be near the dim Water Jar asterism of the constellation of Aquarius the Water Bearer. Our solar system’s beautiful ringed planet will be well placed for observation this month and will shine at 0.7 magnitude for most of the month. The waxing gibbous moon will visit Saturn on the evenings of November 20, 2023. Saturn will set after midnight at the beginning of the month and before midnight at month’s end.
Late November evenings: Mercury
For viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, Mercury lies just above the horizon in the bright twilight shortly after sunset in the second half of November. It’ll reach its greatest evening elongation on December 4, 2023. At best, Mercury reaches 20 degrees from the sun in late November, so it will be challenging to find in bright twilight from the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere will have a better view, but it’s still not its best apparition for the year.
Where’s Mars?
It’s too close to the sun to be visible for the rest of 2023. It’ll be back next year.
Planets in December 2023
December mornings: Venus
The blazing light of Venus will continue to dominate the morning sky through the end of the year. However, it will be sinking lower each morning after it reached its greatest elongation from the sun in October. Luckily, it will rise early enough to see it in dark skies. Venus will begin the month at -4.2 magnitude and will dim slightly as it recedes from Earth, ending the month at -4.1 magnitude. A lovely waning crescent moon will join Venus on the morning of December 9, 2023, when they appear about 4 degrees apart. Also, Venus will appear close to the star Spica at the beginning of the month, and then they drift apart more each morning. Venus begins the month in the constellation Virgo the Maiden and will move into Libra the Scales by mid-month. Then by month’s end, it will be in the constellation Scorpius the Scorpion.
December most of the night: Jupiter
Bright Jupiter will draw your attention most of the night. It will be very obvious in the east at sunset and will be visible until a few hours before dawn. It will shine near the pretty Pleiades star cluster in the constellation Taurus the Bull. Jupiter reached perihelion – or closest point to the Earth – in early November. And it reached opposition overnight on November 2-3, 2023, when we flew between it and the sun. So, as Jupiter recedes from Earth, it’ll fade a bit in our sky. It will lie in the dim constellation Aries the Ram. It will shine at -2.7 magnitude by month’s end. The waxing gibbous moon will float by Jupiter on December 22, 2023.
December evenings: Saturn
Golden Saturn will shine in the southwest after sunset during December. It will be in the dim constellation Aquarius the Water Bearer. Our solar system’s beautiful ringed planet will be fading a bit this month as it recedes from Earth and will shine at +0.9 magnitude for most of the month. Saturn will be a little brighter than the nearby lonely star, Fomalhaut, which shines around 1st magnitude. The waxing gibbous moon will visit Saturn on the evenings of December 17, 2023. Saturn will set by mid-evening your local time this month.
December evenings: Mercury
For viewers in the Northern Hemisphere, Mercury lies just above the horizon in the bright twilight shortly after sunset in the first part of December. It’ll reach its greatest evening elongation – farthest from the sun in our evening sky – on December 4, 2023. At best, Mercury reaches 21 degrees from the sun on that day, so it will be challenging to find in bright twilight from the Northern Hemisphere. The Southern Hemisphere will have a better view. It’ll also be emerging low in the morning sky the last few days of the year on its way to its first greatest morning elongation of 2024.
Where’s Mars?
It’s too close to the sun in the morning sky to be visible for the rest of 2023. It’ll be back next year.
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Looking for a dark sky? Check out EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze.
Sky dome maps for visible planets and night sky
The sky dome maps come from master astronomy chart-maker Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2023 in his Astronomical Calendar.
Guy Ottewell explains sky dome maps
Heliocentric solar system planets
The sun-centered charts come from Guy Ottewell. You’ll find charts like these for every month of 2023 in his Astronomical Calendar.
Guy Ottewell explains heliocentric charts.
Some resources to enjoy
For more videos of great night sky events, visit EarthSky’s YouTube page.
Watch EarthSky’s video about Two Great Solar Eclipses Coming Up
Don’t miss anything. Subscribe to daily emails from EarthSky. It’s free!
Visit EarthSky’s Best Places to Stargaze to find a dark-sky location near you.
Post your own night sky photos at EarthSky Community Photos.
Translate Universal Time (UTC) to your time.
See the indispensable Observer’s Handbook, from the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.
Visit Stellarium-Web.org for precise views from your location.
Almanac: Bright Planets (rise and set times for your location).
Visit TheSkyLive for precise views from your location.
Bottom line: Visible planets: Venus dominates the morning sky. Jupiter is visible all night, Saturn sets around midnight and Mercury is low on the western horizon. Visible planets and night sky, here!
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