Watch planets, shooting stars this December

Time for holiday and braai under our night sky. While you are at it,look up!

During the festive season you might see eight planets and two meteor showers in the night sky, with the planet Mars being the brightest in more thant two years.

Eight planet-parade

Provided that there are clear and dust free skies, it is possible to observe all eight planets during December until the year end. This is according to the Namibia Scientific Society's latest Astronews newsletter.

Mercury and Venus will be the

most difficult to spot and will be best seen on the 23rd, just above the horizon after sunset.

Mars

The planet Mars reached opposition about a week ago (8 December), which happens approximately only once in 26 months. This means the red planet is at its closest approach to Earth and its face will be fully illuminated by the

Sun, leaving us with a bright, orange-looking star in our night sky. A medium-sized telescope might enable you to see some darker spots on the planet’s orange surface.

Mercury

On 21 December Mercury reaches its greatest eastern elongation of 20.1 degrees from the Sun. This is the best

time to view Mercury since it will be at its highest point above the horizon in the evening sky. This planet is usually very difficult to see, as it tends to keep close to the sun. Look for the planet low in the western sky just after sunset.

Geminids

The Geminids meteor shower is reaching its peak right now. Known as the “king” of meteor showers, it can produce up to 120 multicolored meteors per hour at its peak. It is caused by debris left behind by an asteroid known as 3200 Phaethon, which was discovered in 1982. The shower runs annually from December 7th to the 17th. Best viewing will be from a dark

location after midnight. Meteors will radiate from the Gemini constellation, but they can appear anywhere in the sky.

Summer solstice

December 21 marks the summer solstice, when the South Pole of the earth will be tilted towards the Sun, which will then have reached its southernmost position in the

sky and will be directly over the Tropic of Capricorn. Did you know that the Tropic of Capricorn crosses Namibia? This is the first day of summer (summer solstice) in the Southern Hemisphere of winter (winter solstice) in the Northern Hemisphere.

Ursids meteor shower

The 21st and 22nd of December also marks the peak of the minor Ursids meteor shower. Ursids produces only about 5 to 10 meteors per hour and is caused by dust grains left behind by comet Tuttle, which was first discovered in 1790.

The shower is an annual evet running from 17 to 25 December.

This year, the new moon will leave the skies dark, which means it will be easier to spot the shooting stars.

Best viewing will be just after midnight from a dark location.

Meteors will radiate from the Ursa Minor constellation, but can appear anywhere in the sky.