Sky Guide December 2016

What to look out, and up, for in December.


Our highlights of this month’s skies with the planet on offer to
observers and imagers:


Venus shining brilliantly in the evening sky

Mercury at greatest elongation on 11th December

Jupiter returns to our late night skies



Next up is the meteor showers and December brings us the greatest
of them all:


The Geminids peaking on the night of 13/14th December



Then we each take a deep sky pick from our list of favourites for
this time of year:


Jeni – IC 1396 - The Elephant Trunk Nebula in Cepheus

Paul – M78 – a reflection nebula in Orion

Ralph – NGC 246 the Skull Nebula in Cetus



And we finish this sky guide with December’s moon phases.