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Home -> Astronomy News -> Events -> December 2015
Post Info TOPIC: December 2015
Blobrana


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RE: December 2015
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Meteor Showers

There are many meteor showers this month...
The Geminid Meteors Shower Peaks on the night of the 13th-14th.  
The Coma Berenicids are a poorly-known minor shower, and badly need more observing. Very swift meteors, (65km/sec). Their Radiant is at RA 11h40m Dec +25°.
Ursids Meteor Shower Peaks on the 21st. A minor shower. The radiant (RA 14h28m Dec +76°) is circumpolar (It never sets in northern locations). The meteors are generally slow (33km/sec) and rates are lower than the Geminids, but certainly above the background sporadic count.
The Ursids are linked with Comet 8P/Tuttle (period around 13.5 years; last at perihelion in 1994). Their peak rates can be quite variable.
Also, watch out for sporadic meteors. Their rates for the Northern Hemisphere are now reaching a plateau. Expect around 12 random meteors per hour during the morning hours

ShowerActivity PeriodMaximumRadiantVelocityZHR
  DateR.A.Dec.km/s 
Cygnids Dec 213.9h-12.0°19.482.9
TauridsOct 30 -NovNovember3.1h-17.5d2516
GeminidsDecDec 147.632.3°34.725.7
UrsidsDec 17 - 26Dec 2214.377.7°33.410.3



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Blobrana


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Mercury: at magnitude 0.7, starts the month in the constellation of Ophiuchus. The planet reaches greatest eastern elongation of 19.7 degrees from the Sun on the 29th December 2015.
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Venus: is at magnitude -4.2 the planet is in the constellation Virgo at the start of the month. It is best seen from 04:00 to 14:00. The Moon is close to Venus (Daytime Occultation) on the 7th.
(On December 1st, RA=13h38m06s  Dec= -7°52.6' (J2000) Distance=0.961AU  Phase k=66%  Diameter=17.4")

 phase.gif
 

Earth: - The Earth crosses the solar equator on the 7th.

The Moon: The Last Quarter Moon is at 07:40.3 UT, 3rd December, 2015. The new moon is on the 11th December. Lunar perigee is at 08:53 UT, 21st December. The first Quarter Moon is on the 18th December. Lunar apogee is on the 5th December. Full Moon is on the 25th December. 

Mars: at magnitude 1.5 starts the month in the constellation Virgo. The Moon is close to Mars (Occultation) on the 6th.
(On December 2nd, RA=12h43m30s  Dec= -3°05.3' (J2000) Distance=1.960AU  Phase k=93%  Diameter=4.8")

Jupiter: is in the constellation Leo. At magnitude -2.0 the planet is observable in the morning sky this month.  The Moon is close to Jupiter on the 4th.

Transit times of the Great Red Spot are posted in a separate thread.
(On December 2nd, RA=11h28m20s  Dec= +4°37.3' (J2000) Distance=5.522AU  Diameter=35.7")

Saturn: at magnitude 0.4 sits in the constellation Ophiuchus. The Moon is close to Saturn on the  10th.
(On December 3rd, RA=16h24m30s  Dec=-19°58.1' (J2000) Distance=10.991AU  Diameter=15.1")

Uranus: is in the constellation Pisces. Uranus at magnitude 5.7, has a bluish-green hue and appears 3.6 arcseconds wide. The Moon is close to  the planet on the 19/20th.
(On December 1st, RA= 1h02m08s  Dec= +5°54.9' (J2000) Distance=19.361AU  Diameter=3.6")

Neptune: is at magnitude 7.9 in the constellation Aquarius. The planet is best seen from 17:30 to 21:00. The moon is close to the planet on the 17th.
(On December 1st, RA=22h35m31s  Dec= -9°44.6' (J2000) Distance=29.981AU  EDiameter=2.2")

Pluto: is in the constellation Sagittarius (mag 14.2). Normally, a finder chart is necessary to help in identifying the 0.13" diameter dwarf planet. 
(On December 1st, RA=18h59m24s  Dec=-21°05.0' (J2000) Distance=33.799AU  Diameter=0.1")

The Sun enters the zodiac sign of Capricorn at 04:48 UT on the 22nd December, 2015.



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