Stargazing this Week

Evidently I can’t spell Winthrop. Go check out Stellarium.org for an open source planetarium app.

The Comet, Leonard
There’s another comet in our midst. While not as spectacular as Comet Neowise was early on in the COVID shutdown, Leonard graces us with its presence low on the western horizon in the Early evening. It may still leave you asking where where you, when?

Leonard is also around in the morning, rising in the East around 3-4am, following the bright star Arcturus for much of the next week.

Leonard will grow in brightness as it approaches the sun - it’s closest approach will be around January 3rd. You may well be able to see it with the unaided eye by the end of the year. For now, go out with binoculars or a telescope. Once the clouds clear.

Leonard’s a one shot wonder. After this approach it will be kicked back out into deep space. So go out and greet our visitor while you can.

Evidently I STILL can’t spell Winthrop.

Solar System Objects
Viewing of other solar system objects is fantastic this week. The moon in particular. It’s a waxing crescent that appears to the Southwest with the familiar trio of Jupiter, Saturn and Venus at sunset. Watch for it particular along with Jupiter on Wednesday the 8th. If you live in the Valley, you’ll have until at least 9pm to catch them together.

Geminids
Another month another meteor shower! This time we’re looking at the Geminids. You can find them radiating from Castor, the right twin, assuming they were standing up straight. But the celestial twins are horizontal these days, rising in the Eastern sky at sunset. If you’re in the northern hemisphere, you can find them just to the left of Orion.

They don’t peak until around Dec 14th, but given that the moon is still young, you might go out and look for them if the sky clears up any time this week.