Thursday, December 1
The Moon reaches its most southerly declination (-19° 42' 50.02") this lunation at 1:42 p.m. in Sagittarius.
The Iridium 23 satellite ("Vanadium") will sunglint to -3.7 magnitude around 5:46:01 p.m. at azimuth 42° (NE) and altitude 56° (575 miles), just below Cassiopeia, during astronomical twilight.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 6:25:41 to 6:28:29 p.m. (SW to WSW). Peak magnitude: -2.9; Highest altitude: 62°. Closest distance: 289 miles. 6:27:43 p.m. in Aquila to the left of Altair; 6:28:10 just left of Delphinus; 6:28:29 disappears into the shadow of the Earth to the left of Cygnus.
Friday, December 2
The 15.5-magnitude asteroid 1201 Strenua may pass in front of the 13.4-magnitude star 4U 518-28067 in Gemini (δ=+13.5°; spectral type and distance unknown) for up to 3.9 seconds around 2:02:21 a.m. ± 6s. Probability of seeing the event along the predicted centerline is 27.1%.
Mercury reaches its most southerly declination this year (-25° 50' 18.96") at 12:29 p.m. in Sagittarius.
The newly discovered 66-Draconids meteor shower may show enhanced (read: detectable) activity around 3:30 p.m. Try looking for them as soon as it gets dark. The radiant is located on the Head-of-Draco side of Cepheus. Moonset is at 7:26 p.m.
Venus is in the general vicinity of the Moon early this evening.
Mercury is very low in the SW, below and to the right of the Moon, during bright evening twilight. Begin looking soon after sunset and use binoculars. Mercury sets at its most southerly point along the western horizon this year at 5:28 p.m.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 5:33:56 to 5:38:50 p.m. (SW to ENW). Peak magnitude: -2.9; Highest altitude: 49°. Closest distance: 331 miles. Astronomical Twilight. 5:34:24 p.m. near Venus; 5:35:52 near Mars; 5:36:53 Circlet of Pisces; 5:37:47 Aries; 5:38:50 disappears into the shadow of the Earth very near the Pleiades.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 7:10:47 to 7:11:31 p.m. (W to WNW). Peak magnitude: -0.2; Highest altitude: 15°. Closest distance: 756 miles. 7:11:31 p.m. disappears into the shadow of the Earth far below Lyra.
The 16.0-magnitude asteroid 19495 Terentyeva may pass in front of the 8.3-magnitude star HD 37603B in Orion (δ=+15.4°; F0; 463-503 ly) for up to 0.6 seconds around 8:00:45 p.m. ± 18s. Probability of seeing the event along the predicted centerline is 1.2%.
Even though its radiant never rises above our horizon, you might be able to see an Earth-grazing Phoenicid meteor around 8:28 p.m. around this date when the radiant is due south at its minimum distance below the horizon.
Saturday, December 3
The newly discovered 66-Draconids meteor shower may again show enhanced (read: detectable) activity around 1:00 a.m.
The 17.6-magnitude unnamed asteroid 31816 (1999 RZ117) may pass in front of the 8.6-magnitude star HD 248964 in Auriga (δ=+28.7°; K2; 1,479-1,971 ly) for up to 0. 6 seconds around 5:35:45 a.m. ± 25s. Probability of seeing the event along the predicted centerline is 1.0%.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 6:18:33 to 6:21:48 p.m. (W to NNW). Peak magnitude: -2.6; Highest altitude: 43°. Closest distance: 363 miles. 6:20:50 p.m. below Vega; 6:21:20 just above the Head of Draco; 6:21:48 disappears into the shadow of the Earth to the upper left of the bowl of the Little Dipper.
Sunday, December 4
The 13.5-magnitude asteroid 494 Virtus may pass in front of the 13.7-magnitude star 4U 576-9517 in Taurus (δ=+25.1°; spectral type and distance unknown) for up to 6.3 seconds around 1:41:06 a.m. ± 2s. Probability of seeing the event along the predicted centerline is 99.5%. For more information, visit http://asteroidoccultation.com/asteroid.htm.
Neptune is exactly 30 AU from Earth at 11:47 a.m.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 5:26:28 to 5:32:02 p.m. (WSW to NE). Peak magnitude: -3.2; Highest altitude: 72°. Closest distance: 268 miles. As nautical twilight ends and astronomical twilight begins. 5:29:06 p.m. Albireo; 5:29:51 Cepheus; 5:32:02 disappears into the shadow of the Earth in Auriga.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 7:04:03 to 7:04:43 p.m. (WNW to WNW). Peak magnitude: -0.3; Highest altitude: 14°. Closest distance: 792 miles. 7:04:43 p.m. disappears into the shadow of the Earth just shy of the Keystone of Hercules.
Mars is near the Moon this evening.
Monday, December 5
Earliest End of Evening Twilight, 6:07:53 p.m.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 6:11:39 to 6:14:52 p.m. (WNW to N). Peak magnitude: -1.8; Highest altitude: 27°. Closest distance: 517 miles. 6:12:52 p.m. Keystone of Hercules; 6:14:52 disappears into the shadow of the Earth between the bowls of the Little Dipper and the Big Dipper.
Tuesday, December 6
Niccolò Zucchi (1586-1670), Italian Jesuit, astronomer, and physicist, was born 430 years ago.
Neptune disappears behind the dark limb of the Moon from 2:52:51 to 2:52:58 p.m. Probably unobservable.
Neptune reappears along the bright limb of the Moon from 3:56:48 to 3:56:56 p.m. Probably unobservable.
Neptune is near the Moon this evening.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 5:19:21 to 5:25:01 p.m. (W to NE). Peak magnitude: -2.3; Highest altitude: 37°. Closest distance: 408 miles. Nautical twilight. 5:21:13 p.m. Keystone of Hercules; 5:22:31 bowl of the Little Dipper; 5:35:01 disappears into the shadow of the Earth in Auriga.
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 6:57:13 to 6:57:41 p.m. (NW to NW). Peak magnitude: -0.3; Highest altitude: 12°. Closest distance: 838 miles. 6:57:41 p.m. disappears into the shadow of the Earth in Hercules.
Wednesday, December 7
Sigma Hydrid meteors may be seen around this date (3 meteors per hour, or less).
You may see an occasional Earth-grazing Puppid-Velid meteor around this date due south around the time when its radiant transits the meridian (2.1° above the horizon) around 3:06 a.m.
First Quarter Moon; rises 12:40 p.m.; transits 6:33 p.m.; sets 12:35 a.m. Thursday; δ = -7° in Aquarius
The International Space Station will cross the sky from 6:04:52 to 6:07:47 p.m. (WNW to N). Peak magnitude: -1.5; Highest altitude: 20°. Closest distance: 629 miles. As astronomical twilight ends. 6:05:00 p.m. below the Keystone of Hercules; 6:07:47 disappears into the shadow of the Earth above the bowl of the Big Dipper.
Monocerotid meteors may be seen around this date (radiant rises at 6:58 p.m.; altitude 50° at midnight)
Thursday, December 8
Monocerotid meteors may be seen around this date (2 meteors per hour, or less; radiant altitude 53° at moonset at 12:35 a.m., 55° at radiant transit at 1:30 a.m., 26° as morning twilight begins)
"The Turbulent Origin of Stars" by Philip Chang, Associate Professor of Physics, UW-Milwaukee; 4421 Sterling Hall, UW-Madison, 3:30-5:00 p.m.
