Winter begins Saturday at 3:21 AM in the night sky this week. This means Saturday will have the shortest day and longest night. This moment marks the time the Sun appears farthest south. The opposite is true in the southern hemisphere where summer begins. Now the sunsets will grow later, however, the sunrises will not be earlier until early January.
Ursid meteor shower begins this week, just above the bowl of the Little Dipper. The shower produces from 10 to 50 meteors per hour. They are noted for their long tails. Morning viewing is best since the Earth faces into the debris.
Venus shines in the southwest. As the second brightest object in the night sky, it reigns supreme. Then look opposite in the sky and you see Jupiter in the northeast shining brightly. It is the third brightest object in the night sky after Venus and the Moon.
Saturn shines prominently in the southwest in Aquarius setting after Venus. It’s easy to spot as the brightest object in that region. If you have a telescope, this is your chance to marvel at its famous rings. The rings will disappear on March 23 due to their tilt to be viewed edge-on.
Jupiter is hanging out between the horns of Taurus the Bull next to the orange star Aldebaran (the eye of the bull). Jupiter is very bright and relatively close to Earth. Now the first three objects to show up are the Moon, Venus, and Jupiter. The giant gas planet is overhead around midnight.
Mars rising early in the night in Cancer near the bright stars Castor and Pollux in Gemini. You cannot miss it, due to its red color. As the year wraps up, the red planet will grow brighter, moving closer to Earth in its orbit.
Mercury appears in the morning sky an hour before dawn. It will be close to the eastern horizon north of the reddish star Antares. The little planet is in the “13th Zodiac” constellation of Ophiuchus.
As the night unfolds, Vega remains a standout in the west-northwest, with Deneb forming the Northern Cross above it. By 11 PM, the cross will stand upright on the northwest horizon, a beautiful marker of the season.
The Big Dipper to the north is at its lowest point of the year. If you are in Miami, the dipper is below its horizon!
The rising of Orion, Canis Major, and Canis Minor is one of the most magical sights in the winter sky. It starts with Orion, the Hunter, making his grand entrance. You’ll spot his famous belt—three bright stars lined up perfectly in a row. Above the belt is Betelgeuse, a huge red star that has a warm, reddish glow, while below it is Rigel, a brilliant blue-white star that shines like a diamond. Orion is hard to miss and is often the first constellation people recognize in the winter.
Not far behind Orion comes Canis Major, the “Greater Dog.” This constellation is home to Sirius, the brightest star in the sky. Sirius steals the show with its intense, bluish-white sparkle. It’s like the sky’s spotlight! In mythology, Canis Major is one of Orion’s loyal hunting dogs, always by his side as he roams the celestial hunting grounds.
Trailing after is Canis Minor, the “Lesser Dog.” It’s a smaller constellation, but it has Procyon, a bright, cheerful-looking star. Even though Canis Minor doesn’t have as many standout stars as Canis Major, it still plays an important role in completing the picture. You can find it a bit to the northeast of Orion, lining up neatly with Sirius and the Hunter’s belt.
When all three rise together, they create an incredible scene. They’re part of what’s called the Winter Triangle, a big pattern of bright stars that lights up the winter night sky. It’s like a natural showcase of some of the most dazzling stars in the heavens, and once you’ve seen it, it’s hard to forget.
Enjoy this stunning celestial lineup throughout the week of December 27! The universe has quite a spectacle in store for us.