December 22-27, 2024: Before sunrise the moon wanes as it moves eastward in front of Virgo, Libra, and Scorpius.
by Jeffrey L. Hunt
Morning Moon Wanes Eastward
The moon wanes as it moves eastward each morning. It appears in front of Virgo, Libra, and Scorpius during the six mornings outlined here. Find the moon an hour before sunrise.
- December 22: The moon, 54% illuminated, is over halfway up in the west-southwest. It is 1.1° to the lower right of Zavijava, also known as Beta Virginis. Later this morning for sky watchers in Hawaii, the moon occults or eclipses the star. The moon is half-full this afternoon at 4:18 p.m. Central Time after it sets in the Americas.
- December 23: The thick crescent moon, 44% illuminated, is 4.3° to the lower right of Porrima, also known as Gamma Virginis, and nearly halfway up in the south.
- December 24: The lunar crescent, 35% illuminated, is less than halfway up in the south-southeast. This is a pretty view with the moon 3.6° to the upper right of Spica. Later today, the moon occults the star for sky watchers in southeast Asia, the eighth occultation during a series of 20, lasting through November 2025.
- December 25: Look for earthshine – sunlight reflected from Earth’s features that light up the lunar night – on the lunar crescent, 24% illuminated. It is about 30° up in the south-southeast, 8.3° to the lower left of Spica and 13.4° to the upper right of Zubenelgenubi, meaning “the Scorpion’s southern claw,” part of today’s Libra.
- December 26: Another earthshine morning, the moon, 18% illuminated, is 20° up in the southeast, and 4.4° to Zubenelgenubi’s lower right
- December 27: Over 10° above the southeast horizon, the crescent, 12% illuminated, is over 10° above the southeast horizon and 8.9° to the upper right of Dschubba, the Scorpion’s forehead.
Look for the moon each clear morning to distinctly see it farther eastward. Look for earthshine during the thinning crescent phases.
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