Astronomy

Interesting things that Bellatrix Orionis is hoping to observe in the night sky this month.

Visual guide from Hubble

Planets

	Mercury – Can be found in the constellation of Libra at the beginning of the month, at magnitude -0.3 and rises at approximately 0644. By the end of the month Mercury can be found in Sagittarius with a magnitude of -0.6 and rises at approximately 0755.
Source: Hubblesite.org	Venus – Can be found in the constellation of Libra at magnitude -4.0 and rises at approximately 0521 at the beginning of the month. By the end of the month you'll find Venus in the constellation of Ophiuchus at a magnitude of -3.9 and will rise at approximately 0654.
Source: Hubblesite.org	Mars – At the beginning of the month you'll find Mars in the constellation of Sagittarius at a magnitude of +1.2 and will rise at approximately 1042. By the end of the month the planet will be in the constellation of Capricornus with a magnitude of +1.2 and rises at approximately 0955.
Source: Hubblesite.org	Jupiter – Is in the constellation of Taurus for the whole of the month. It starts off at magnitude -2.8 and rises at approximately 1554 at the beginning of the month. Towards the end of December it will dim to -2.7 and rise at approximately 1344.
Source: Hubblesite.org	Saturn – Can be found in the constellation of Virgo a the beginning of the month, it rises at approximately 0451 and will be at magnitude +0.7. Towards the end of the month Saturn will be in the constellation of Libra at a magnitude of +0.6 and is expected to rise at approximately 0309.
Source: Hubblesite.org	Uranus – Will spend the month in the constellation of Pisces and remain at magnitude +5.8. At the beginning of December the planet will rise at 1336 approximately and towards the end of the month Uranus will rise at 1138 approximately.
Source: Hubblesite.org	Neptune – Will spend the month in the constellation of Aquarius and remain at magnitude +7.9. At the beginning of the month the planet will rise at approximately 1242 and by the end of the month will rise at approximately 1045.

 

Dwarf Planets

 

Pluto – Is in the constellation of Sagittarius and is at visual magnitude +14.2. It rises at 0937 at the beginning of the month and towards the end of the month at 0804 approximately.

Ceres – Is in the constellation of Gemini at the beginning of the month with a magnitude of +7.2 and rises at approximately 1654. By the end of December Ceres will be in the constellation of Taurus with a magnitude of +7.1 and will rise at approximately 1410.

Pallas – Can be found in the constellation of Cetus for the month. It starts the December at visual magnitude +9.3 and rises approximately 1503. By the end of the month it will be at magnitude +9.6 and rises at approximately 1317.

Juno – Is in the the constellation of Serpens all month. It starts December with a visual magnitude of +11.3 and rises at approximately 0815. By the end of the month it will have brightened marginally to +11.2 and rise at approximately 0703.

Vesta – Is in the the constellation of Taurus for the month. It starts December at a magnitude of +6.6 and rises at approximately 1657. By the end of the month it will have dimmed to +6.9 are will rise at approximately 1424.

 

Meteor Showers and Comets

 

December Kappa Draconids – Weak (class 4) shower with approximately 1 meteor per hour which peaks on 2 December. There is no known parent comet for this shower.

Alpha Draconid – Weak (class 4) shower with approximately 1 meteor per hour which peaks on 4 December. There is no known parent comet for this shower.

Psi Usra Majorids – Weak (class 4) shower with approximately 1 meteor per hour which peaks on 4 December. There is no known parent comet for this shower.

Phoenicids – Variable (class 3) shower, there have been up to 90 meteors per hour recorded previously and is primarily a southern shower. It peaks on 6 December and the parent comet is P/1989 W1 (Blanpain).

Puppid-Velids – Minor (class 2) shower with approximately 10 meteors per hour which peaks on 6 December. This is also primarily a southern shower and no parent comet is known.

Monocerotids – Minor (class 2) shower with approximately 2 meteors per hour which peaks on 8 December. The parent comet for this shower is P/1917 F1 (Mellish).

Sigma Hydrids – Minor (class 2) shower with approximately 2 meteors per hour which peaks on 11 December. The parent comet for this shower is unknown.

Geminids – Major (class 1) shower with approximately 120 meteors per hour at maximum, which peaks on 13 December. Asteroid (3200) Phaeton is the parent

Coma Berenicids – Minor (class 2) shower with approximately 5 meteors per hour which peaks on 15 December. The parent of this shower is unknown.

December Leonis Minoris – Minor (class 2) shower with approximately 5 meteors per hours which peaks on 19 December. There is no known parent comet for this shower.

Ursid Majoris – Major (class 1) shower with approximately 10 meteors per hour at maximum, which peaks on 22 December. The parent comet of this shower is 8P/Tuttle (Tuttle).

Monthly Sky Challenge

Saturday 1 December

Zeta 1 Coronae Borealis is a double star in the constellation of Corona Borealis. The stars have magnitudes of +5.92 and +5.03 which appear blue-white and greenish-white in colour.

Sunday 2 December

M31, the Andromeda Galaxy (NGC224) is a Sb type spiral galaxy in the constellation of Andromeda. It has a magnitude of +3.40.

Monday 3 December

Izar or Pulcherrima (Epsilon Bootis) is a double star in the constellation of Bootes. The stars have magnitudes of +4.65 and +2.26 which appear white in colour.

Tuesday 4 December

NGC253, the Sculpter Galaxy is a SBc type of barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Sculpter. It has a magnitude of +7.19.

Wednesday 5 December

Mizar (Zeta Ursae Minoris) is a double star in the constellation of Ursa Minor. The stars have magnitudes of +3.85 and +2.18 which appear white in colour.

Thursday 6 December

Last quarter Moon.

M33, the Pinwheel Galaxy (NGC598) is a Sc type of spiral galaxy in the constellation of Triangulum. It has a magnitude of +5.69.

Friday 7 December

Arcturus (Alpha Bootis) is a star in Bootes with a magnitude of +0.15 and appears orange in colour.

Saturday 8 December

M74, (NGC628) is a Sc type spiral galaxy in the constellation of Pisces. It has a magnitude of +9.39.

Sunday 9 December

Porrima (Gamma Virginis) is a double star in the constellation of Virgo. The stars have magnitudes of +3.48 and +3.58 which appear yellow-white in colour.

Monday 10 December

M77, Cetus A (NGC1068) is a Sb/P type of spiral galaxy in the constellation of Cetus. It has a magnitude of +8.89.

Tuesday 11 December

Alula Australis (Xi Ursae Majoris) is a double star in the constellation or Ursa Major. The stars have magnitudes of +4.26 and +3.79 which appear yellow in colour.

Wednesday 12 December

NGC4565A is a SBcd type barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It has a magnitude of +13.39.

Thursday 13 December

New Moon.

Regulus (Alpha Leonis) is a double star in the constellation of Leo. The stars have magnitudes of +1.40 and +8.18 which appear blue-white in colour .

Friday 14 December

M81, Bodes Nebula (NGC3031) is a Sb type of spiral galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major. It has a magnitude of +6.90.

Saturday 15 December

Tegmine (Zeta1 Cancri) is a double star in the constellation of Cancer. The stars have magnitudes of +5.63 and +6.03 which appear yellow in colour.

Sunday 16 December

M82, Bodes Nebula/Ursa Major A (NGC3034) is a Sd type of spiral galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major. It has a magnitude of +8.39.

Monday 17 December

Pollux (Beta Geminorum) is a double star in constellation of Gemini. The stars have magnitudes of +1.22 and +13.82 which appears yellow-orange in colour.

Tuesday 18 December

M95, (NGC3351) is a SBb type barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Leo. It has a magnitude of +9.69.

Wednesday 19 December

Procyon (Alpha Canis Minoris) is a double star in the constellation of Canis Minor. The stars have magnitudes of +0.40 and +10.80 which appears yellow-white in colour.

Thursday 20 December

First quarter Moon.

M96, (NGC3368) is a SBab type of barred spiral galaxy in the constellation of Leo. It has a magnitude of +9.30.

Friday 21 December

Castor (Alpha Geminorum) is a double star in the constellation of Gemini. The stars have magnitudes of +2.88 and +1.98 which appears white in colour.

Saturday 22 December

Sirius (Alpha Canis Majoris) is a double star in the constellation of Canis Major. The stars have magnitudes of -1.44 and +8.50 which appears white in colour.

Sunday 23 December

M104, Sombrero Galaxy (NGC4594) is a Sa type spiral galaxy in the constellation of Virgo. It has a magnitude of +8.00.

Monday 24 December

Sigma Orionis is a double star in the constellation of Orion. The stars have magnitudes of +6.73 and +3.80 which appears blue in colour.

Tuesday 25 December

M94, (NGC4736) is a Sab type of spiral galaxy in Canes Venatici. It has a magnitude of +8.19.

Wednesday 26 December

Capella (Alpha Aurigae) is a double star in the constellation of Auriga. The stars have a magnitude of +0.08 which appear yellow in colour.

Thursday 27 December

M64, (NGC4826) is a Sab type of spiral galaxy in the constellation of Coma Berenices. It has a magnitude of +8.50.

Friday 28 December

Full Moon.

Keid (Omicron2 eridani) is a double star in the constellation of Eridanus. The stars have magnitudes of +4.42 and +9.72 which appear yellow-orange in colour.

Saturday 29 December

M51, the Whirlpool Galaxy (NGC5194) is a Sbc type spiral galaxy in the constellation of Canes Venatici. It has a magnitude of +8.39.

Sunday 30 December

Zeta1 Aquarii is a double star in the constellation of Aquarius. The stars have magnitudes of +3.65 and +3.45 which appear yellow-white in colour.

Monday 31 December

M101, (NGC5457) is a Sc type spiral galaxy in the constellation of Ursa Major. It has a magnitude of +7.90.