Actual Astronomy - Observer’s Calendar for December

<p>The Observer’s Calendar for December 2023!</p> <p>Hosted by Chris Beckett & Shane Ludtke, two amateur astronomers in Saskatchewan.<span class= "Apple-converted-space"> </span></p> <ul> <li><strong>Patreon Calendar Draw reminder!</strong></li> </ul> <p> </p> <p>- Dec 4 - Mercury at greatest elongation in evening sky 21°</p> <p>- Dec 5 - Last quarter Moon</p> <p>- Dec 6 - Curtis X visible - Day of Darkness</p> <p>- Dec 9 - Venus 4° North of Moon</p> <p>- Dec 10 - Try to spot Uranus at M=5.7 this week in Aries</p> <p>- Dec 12 - New Moon</p> <p>- Dec 13/14 - Geminid Meteor Shower peaks - ZHR = 120!</p> <p>- Dec 14 Mercury 4° north of the Moon — not here…at least in my software.</p> <p>- Dec 17 - Saturn 2° N of Moon in Aquarius</p> <p>- Dec 19 Double Shadow Transit on Jupiter?</p> <p>- Dec 20 - Lunar Straight wall & First Quarter Moon</p> <p>- Dec 21 - Winter Solstice and Jupiter 3° South of the Moon</p> <p>- Dec 22 Ursid Meteor Shower Peaks - ZHR = 10</p> <p>Asteroid Metis 9 at 8.4 magnitude opposition. Discovered by Andrew Graham on 25 April 1848, at Markree Observatory in Ireland. Metis (minor planet designation: 9 Metis) is one of the larger main-belt asteroids. It is composed of silicates and metallic nickel-iron, and may be the core remnant of a large asteroid that was destroyed by an ancient collision. Metis is estimated to contain just under half a percent of the total mass of the asteroid belt.</p> <p>- Dec 26 Full Moon</p> <p>- Dec 28 Asteroid 5 Astraea at Opposition! 5 Astraea is an asteroid in the asteroid belt. Its surface is highly reflective and its composition is probably a mixture of nickel-iron with silicates of magnesium and iron. It is an S-type asteroid in the Tholen classification system. Astraea was the fifth asteroid discovered, on 8 December 1845, by Karl Ludwig Hencke and named for Astraea, a Greek goddess of justice named after the stars. It was his first of two asteroid discoveries. The second was 6 Hebe. A German amateur astronomer and post office headmaster, Hencke was looking for 4 Ve