OBSERVING December 2023 1 DAWN: Look low in the southeast before sunrise to see Venus blazing 4½° left of Virgo's lucida, Spica. Go to page 46 for more on this and other events listed here. 3 EVENING: The waning gibbous Moon and Regulus rise in the eastsoutheast with some 3½° between them. Follow the pair as they climb during the night. 8 DAWN: Turn to the southeast to take in the sight of the waning crescent Moon a bit more than 2° above Spica. Venus at lower left completes the tableau. 9 DAWN: The slim lunar crescent and Venus adorn the southeastern horizon before sunrise; around 3½° separates the duo. 11 EVENING: Algol shines at minimum brightness for roughly two hours centered at 9:38 p.m. PST (see page 50). 14 EVENING: Algol shines at minimum brightness for roughly two hours centered at 9:27 p.m. EST (6:27 p.m. PST). 17 EVENING: Face southwest to see the waxing crescent Moon 2½° below left of Saturn. 17 EVENING: Algol shines at minimum brightness for roughly two hours centered at 6:17 p.m. EST. 21 EVENING: High in the southwest the waxing gibbous Moon sits some 6° below right of Jupiter. The gap between the pair closes throughout the night as they sink toward the western horizon. 13-14 ALL NIGHT: The Geminid meteor shower is expected to peak. The Moon is one day past new and won't interfere with viewing. Turn to page 48 for tips on how best to experience this meteor shower. 21 THE LONGEST NIGHT OF THE YEAR in the Northern Hemisphere. Winter begins at the solstice at 10:27 p.m. EST (7:27 p.m. PST). 28 DAWN: Look low in the west to see the waning gibbous Moon in Gemini. Around 2° separates it from the brighter of the Twins, Pollux. 29 DAWN: The Moon, now three days past full, visits Cancer, where it gleams some 3½° right of the Beehive Cluster (M44). 31 DAWN: High in the west-southwest the waning gibbous Moon is in Leo, where it hangs about 2½° upper right of Regulus. 31 EVENING: Algol shines at minimum brightness for roughly two hours centered at 11:23 p.m. PST. -DIANA HANNIKAINEN pGeminid meteors streak above the European Southern Observatory's Very Large Telescope facility in December 2012. The Small and Large Magellanic Clouds are visible in the upper lefthand side of the image. ESO / G. LOMBARDI sk yand tele scope .o r g * DECEMBER 2023 41https://skyandtelescope.org/