Dont Miss Jupiter Shining Close To The Waning Gibbous Moon On Dec. 7
Celestron NexStar 8SE
The Celestron NexStar 8SE is a great choice for exploring both the moon and the planets of the solar system beyond in exquisite detail. For a detailed look, you can check out our Celestron NexStar 8SE review too.
Don’t miss Jupiter shining close to the waning gibbous moon among the stars of the constellation Gemini on the night of Dec. 7.
The83%-lit moonwill rise roughly three hours after sunset on the night of Dec. 7, withJupitershining less than five degrees to its upper right — roughly the width of your three middle fingers held at arm’s length against the sky.
Jupiter and the moon will reach their highest point in the early morning hours of Dec. 8, when they will appear almost overhead in the southern sky, with the bright starsCastorandPollux— which represent the heads of the twins in theconstellation Gemini— sparkling above the pair.
Both solar system objects will make for spectacular naked eye targets on the night of Dec. 7-8, though a modest backyard telescope with an aperture of at least 4-Inches will help reveal the complex cloud bands and storms raging in Jupiter’s upper atmosphere. You may also be able to spot the four star-like points of light representing theGalilean moonsGanymede,Io,EuropaandCallistoarrayed around the gas giant’s colossal disk.
Tear your telescope away from Jupiter’s majestic form and point it at the moon to catch a sight of mighty Tycho Crater scarring the lunar surface — a potent reminder of the incredible violence that wayward asteroids can wreak on the worlds of our solar system, including Earth.
Tycho is estimated to be just108 million years oldmaking it a baby compared to the 3.9-billion-year-age of some of the most venerable lunar craters.
Want to get a closer look at the menagerie of worlds orbitingthe sun? Then be sure to check out our roundups of thetop telescopesandbinoculars available in 2025. You may also want to peruse our guide to thebest camerasandlenses for exploring the night sky.
Editor’s Note:If you would like to share your photo of the moon and Jupiter with Space.com’s readers, then please send your photo(s), comments, and your name and location to [email protected].
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification. We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Disclaimer: This news article has been republished exactly as it appeared on its original source, without any modification.
We do not take any responsibility for its content, which remains solely the responsibility of the original publisher.
Author: uaetodaynews
Published on: 2025-12-06 13:19:00
Source: uaetodaynews.com
