December 2024: The Evening Star is easily visible in the southwest. The moon passes by early in the month and Venus closes in on Saturn for a conjunction next month.
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by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Venus shines brightly from the southwestern sky during December. On the 1st, it sets a minute over three hours after sundown. During the month, it gains over 50 minutes of setting time, leaving the sky eight minutes short of four hours on New Year’s Eve.
Venus Closes In
The planet is overtaking Earth. At the beginning of the month, it is 89.3 million miles from our planet, decreasing to 69.8 million miles by year end.
Through a telescope, the planet’s size grows 29%, corresponding to the reduced distance. The planet’s evening gibbous phase shrinks from 68% to 56%. The lunar terms waxing and waning are inaccurate for Venus’ phases, for the planet’s phases do not occur in the same order as the moon’s phases.
Venus-Moon Conjunction
The final complete lunar cycle for the year begins shortly after midnight Central Time on December 1st. On the 4th, the crescent moon, 14% illuminated, is 3.0° to Venus’ lower left. This is a pretty display. Two nights later, Venus enters Capricornus, over 10° to Algedi’s lower left.
Venus-Mars Opposition
A Venus-Mars opposition occurs on the 12th. Venus sets as Mars rises. Afterward, Venus and Mars appear in the sky at the same time, joining Jupiter and Saturn. Four bright planets are visible during the early evening. During the holiday season at three hours after sundown, the four planets are lined up from east-northeast to west-southwest.
On the 27th, Venus passes 1.1° to the upper right of Deneb Algedi, Capricornus’ tail. Use a binocular. On this evening, Saturn is over 20° to Venus’ upper left.
Approaching Venus- Saturn Conjunction
Watch the gap to Saturn close during the month. On the 1st, Venus and Saturn are 49° apart. At month’s end, Venus stands nearly 30° above the southwest horizon during mid-twilight, with Saturn over 15° to its upper left. Watch the gap close during the month.
The Evening Star stands brightly in the southwestern sky during December. With the early sunsets, look for it each clear evening.
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