Winter Astro Calendar
– December 2024, January, and February 2025
THIS SEASON’S SKYGAZING TOP PICKS
Dec. 4 – Thin waxing crescent moon conjunction with Venus.
Dec. 14 – Geminids meteor shower. Visible south to southwest until dawn.
Jan. 3 – Quadrantid Meteor shower peak. Best before dawn.
Jan. 13 – Conjunction of Mars and full moon.
Jan. 15 – Mars at opposition
Jan. 20 – Venus-Saturn conjunction in the west-southwest.
Jan. 21 – Planetary “parade” of Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. Uranus and Neptune visible with binoculars or telescope.
Feb. 6 – Waxing gibbous moon conjunction with Jupiter.
Feb. 16 – Venus reaches greatest brightness in its 2024–25 evening view.
Feb. 28 – Planetary “parade” of Mercury, Venus, Mars, Jupiter, Saturn. Uranus and Neptune visible with binoculars or telescope.
WINTER PLANET VISIBILITIES (evening)
 |
Venus: December. January. February. |
 |
Mars: December. January. February. East northeast. |
 |
Jupiter: December. January. February. |
 |
Saturn: December. January. February. Towards the southwest. |
Moon Phases Key
New Moon 
First Quarter 
Full Moon 
Third Quarter 
Moon Phases
| December | 1: |
8: |
15: |
22: |
30: |
| January | 6: |
13: |
21: |
29: |
|
| February | 5: |
12: |
20: |
27: |
WHAT’S UP?
Observe two planetary “parades” across the night skies on Tues., Jan. 21 and Fri., Feb. 28.
On Tues., Jan. 21, Saturn will be the planet closest to the western horizon in the soft light of dusk, with gleaming Venus close by. Reddish Mars will be in the eastern view of the sky, and Jupiter will be high overhead. On Fri., Feb. 28, Mercury will join the planetary line up in the west near the Sun, along with the faintest sliver of the Moon. Uranus and Neptune will be observable through strong binoculars or a telescope on both nights.
Image credit: NASA-JPL
SPACE NEWS:
An eight day planned mission aboard the International Space Station turned into a much longer stay for two seasoned astronauts.
Sunita “Suni” Williams and Barry “Butch” Wilmore’s Earthbound ride had to leave without them for safety reasons. The skills of the veteran duo have been put to great use during their extended time on the orbiting laboratory. They rode up on the Boeing Skyliner in June and will return on the Space X Dragon in February 2025.
Image credit: NASA
Star Chart (PDF) 
How do I use the star chart?
Hold it out in front of you with the direction you’re facing at the bottom of the chart. It works even better if you hold it above your head and look up at it.
Why are east and west switched?
They are only switched because you’re used to looking at maps of the ground. Hold it above your head, and you’ll see the directions line up just right.
