Monday December 16, 2024

Bright Moon between the Twins (all night)

Look low in the eastern sky after dusk on Monday, December 16 to see the bright, waning gibbous moon gleaming just to the right (or celestial
southwest) of Gemini's brightest stars. Golden Pollux and the brighter, whiter double star Castor above (north of) it should still be visible against the moon's glare. Binoculars will reveal a handful of smaller stars immediately to the northeast of the moon, marking where the brothers are grasping hands. Bright, reddish Mars will shine off to their lower left (celestial east). As the night wears on, the moon's orbital motion will carry it closer to Pollux while the diurnal rotation of the sky shifts the constellation to the moon's right (or celestial northwest) and puts Mars above all of them.

(Data courtesy of Starry Night)
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