Mars marches eastward in Pisces during December. After its retrograde ended last month, the planet slowly began its eastward traverse. Now, the planet rapid strides eastward among the dim stars.
Find the planet high in the southeast after sunset. It has a distinctly reddish color and brighter than other stars in the region. It is south about 8 p.m. CST, approximately 3 hours, 30 minutes after local sunset. By 2:30 a.m. CST, about 4 hours, 30 minutes before sunrise, Mars sets in the west.
At month’s end, Mars is in the south by 2 hours, 30 minutes after sunset. It sets in the west about 5 hours, 30 minutes before sunrise.
On December 1, the planet is near Epsilon Piscium (ε Psc) and 80 Piscium (80 Psc). With a binocular watch the planet move into a dim, tiny triangle of stars made by Zeta Piscium (ζ Psc), ε Psc, and 80 Psc.
As the planet moves away from the tiny triangle, it heads toward the general region of Pi Piscium (π Psc). Look at a wider view as Mars travels toward the Pleiades star cluster. The Red Planet reaches that region during early March.
On December 23, the gibbous moon joins Mars for a nearly all-night trek across the sky.
Watch Mars march eastward during the month of December 2020.
RECENT ARTICLES
2022, August 1: Mars-Uranus Conjunction, Evening Moon
August 1, 2022: Mars passes Uranus before sunrise. The Red Planet is part of the expanding morning planet parade. The evening crescent moon is in the western sky.
Keep reading
2022, August: Month’s Sky Watching Highlights
August 2022: The month offers summer’s midpoint, the heliacal rising of Sirius, a muted meteor shower, the breakup of the planet parade, and a Mars-moon spectacular.
Keep reading
2022, July 31: Morning Planets, Evening Earthshine
July 31, 2022: Venus, Mars, Jupiter, and Saturn are scattered across the plane of the solar system before sunrise. The crescent moon, displaying earthshine, is visible in the west after sundown.
Keep readingCategories: Astronomy, Sky Watching
Leave a Reply