Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 44

DECEMBER 2024 OBSERVING
Southern Hemisphere Sky Chart
by Jonathan Nally
Planet location
shown for mid-month
Exact for latitude 35°S.
To use the Southern
Hemisphere map, follow the
instructions on page 42.
Jupiter
Zenith
-40°
-60°
47 Tuc
-80°
-80°
APUS
-1
1
2
3
4
WHEN TO
α
α
15h
α
i n
-60°
g
S
o
THE CONSTELLATION Eridanus, the River, is a long, sprawling
line that flows from the celestial equator west of Orion
all the way south, spanning some 58° of declination. One
of Ptolemy's creations from the 2nd-century BC, it is one of
today's 88 officially recognized constellations.
Marking the River's southern end is the sky's 9th-brightest
star, +0.5-magnitude Achernar - an Arabic name that
44 DECEMBER 2024 * SKY & TELESCOPE
Galaxy
uble star
bl t
means, appropriately, " the river's end. " Since southerly skies
were out of reach to the early Greek astronomers, Eridanus
originally terminated at the star we know today as Theta (θ)
Eridani or Acamar - a name that also means " the river's
end. " In Renaissance times, when explorers started discovering
southern skies, they extended the constellation and
named its bright, southernmost star Achernar. ¢
CIRCINUS
Late Oct
Early Nov
Late Dec
USE THE MAP
2 a.m.*
1 a.m.*
Late Nov
Early Dec
Midnight*
11 p.m.*
10 p.m.*
*Daylight-saving time
Saturn
F a c
β
α
S
W
Canopus
α
CARINA
ε
β
γ
δ
κ
λ
VELA
θ
i n g
PHOENIX
α
INDUS
α
i
n
g
Galaxy
Double star
Variable star
Open cluster
Diffuse nebula
Globular cluster
Planetary nebula
α
NGC
2516
S E
CORONA
F
AUSTRAL I S
a
c
a
F
δ
α
β
e
t
s
CANI S
MAJOR
M50
i
c
n
AQUARIUS
W
β
α
Sirius
δ
M41
ε
η
E
g
-1 0 1 2 3 4
i
n
g
c
t
s
a
F
a
9h
M37
c
a
F
P I SCES
Ci rc l e t
W N
M35
n
g
i
FORNAX
21h
g n i
N
E
3 4
γ
Grea t
α
PEGASUS
Squa re o f
Pegasus
β
c a F
ζ
β
Algol
ε
α
h
t r
c
a
F
-20°
0°
+20°
6h
0h
+40°
3h
o
N
g
n i
E
Q
HYDαRUS
γ
β
CENTAURUS
Hadar
β
Rigil
Kent
F
a
c
TRIANGULUM
AUSTRALE
u
t
h
12h
β
α
γ
18h
Moon
Dec 14
U
A
T
CHAMAELEON
OCTANS
α
γ
β
ILC E
R
O
MUSCA
4755
TP
HOROLOGIUM
CRUX
Small
Magellanic
Cloud
C
I
RET ICULUM
α
δ
β
γ
ARA
Moon
Dec 11
VOLANS
β
PAVO
α
α
β
δ
TUCANA
φ
ERIDANUS
M36
CETUS
Mira
Rigel
β
κ
ε
δ
γ
ORION
Betelgeuse
α
ζ
GEMINI
θ
γ
β
M38
AURIGA
Capella
τ
β
α
ο
γ
β
γ
PERSEUS
TAURUS
Hyades
Aldebaran
α
β
LEPUS
α
Procyon
α
CANI S
MINOR
CAELUM
PYXI S
COLUMBA
ζ
M46
Venus
π
PUPP I S
M47
M93
ρ
DORADO
TELESCOP IUM
P ICTOR
Achernar
α
SCULPTOR
α
Fomalhaut
α
P I SCI S
AUSTRINUS
M30
δ
CAPRICORNUS
Moon
Dec 7
GRUS
λ
α
ζ
ι
β
θ
α
ANDROMEDA
M31
Pleiades
ARI ES
TRIANGULUM
MONOCEROS
M48
Large
Magellanic
Cloud
30 Dor
η Car
ο2
M33
M42
η
µ
ε
γ
β
α
α
β

Sky & Telescope - December 2024

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Sky & Telescope - December 2024

Contents
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - Cover1
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - Cover2
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 1
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - Contents
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 3
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 4
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 5
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 6
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 7
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 8
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 9
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 10
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 11
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 12
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 13
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 14
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 15
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 16
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 17
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 18
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 19
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 20
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 21
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 22
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 23
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 24
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 25
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 26
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 27
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 28
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 29
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 30
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 31
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 32
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 33
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 34
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 35
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 36
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 37
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 38
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 39
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 40
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 41
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 42
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 43
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 44
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 45
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 46
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 47
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 48
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 49
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 50
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 51
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Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 53
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 54
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 55
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 56
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Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 58
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Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 60
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Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 62
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 63
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 64
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 65
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 66
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 67
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Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 69
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 70
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 71
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 72
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 73
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 74
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 75
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 76
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 77
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 78
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 79
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 80
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 81
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 82
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 83
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - 84
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - Cover3
Sky & Telescope - December 2024 - Cover4
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