Eyes on the Sky Update
Monday, Dec. 5 – Sunday, Dec. 11, 2022
Monday, Dec. 5 – Waxing gibbous moon appears to the right (west) of the Pleiades star cluster. The two are above the southeastern horizon around 8:30 p.m.
Tuesday, Dec. 6 – Waxing gibbous moon appears between the Pleiades and Hyades star clusters. This celestial trio is in the southeast around 9 p.m.
Wednesday, Dec. 7 – Rare Event! – The moon will eclipse Mars at 10:50 p.m. Start watching at least five minutes prior to occurrence. Mars will reappear from behind the moon at about 11:12 p.m. This event is called a lunar occultation and happens for Mars, on average, every 14 years for a given location.
Thursday, Dec. 8 – Mars is opposite to the sun at 12:36 a.m. Therefore, Mars will rise at sunset and set at sunrise. This event is called a planetary opposition.
Friday, Dec. 9 – The waning gibbous moon, now two days past full, appears among the stars of Gemini. These stars, as well as the stars of Orion and the bright star, Sirius, are in the east-southeast around 9 p.m.
Saturday, Dec. 10 – The waning gibbous moon and the bright stars of Gemini, Castor and Pollux, will form a right triangle as this celestial trio rises in the northeast. Look after 7 p.m.
Sunday, Dec. 11 – The Big Dipper is very low in the north around 6:30 p.m. Five hours later, the Big Dipper is “standing” on its handle above the north-northeastern horizon
Editor’s Note: Richard Monda, assistant professor of Physics and Astronomy, publishes updates to his HVCC Eyes on the Sky video series each week in the Campus Chronicle.