December 2005 Phenomena

Updated February 21, 2017 | Factmonster Staff

December

For terms in boldface, see Astronomical Terms.
DayPhenomenonHour
1NEW MOON1500
4Mercury appears to be motionless in the sky as it moves toward its greatest elongation west of the Sun from a position east of the Sun as viewed from Earth.0100
4Venus is 2° north of the Moon.1800
5The Moon is at perigee.0500
6Neptune is 4° north of the Moon.0300
7Uranus is 2° north of the Moon.1600
8FIRST QUARTER1000
9The asteroid Juno is at opposition.0800
9Venus is at its greatest brilliancy.1300
10Mars appears to be motionless in the sky as it goes from retrograde motion to direct motion.2300
12Mars is 1° 3' south of the Moon. Occultation of Mars by the Moon.0500
12Mercury is at its greatest elongation, at 21° west of the Sun.1300
15FULL MOON1600
16Pluto is in conjunction with the Sun.0400
19Saturn is 4° south of the Moon.0900
20Mercury is 6° north of Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius.0700
21The Moon is at apogee.0300
21Solstice1900
23Venus appears to be motionless in the sky as it moves from its greatest elongation east of the Sun back toward a position west of the Sun as viewed from Earth.0500
23LAST QUARTER2000
25Spica, the brightest star in the constellation Virgo, is 0° 9' south of the Moon. Occultation of Spica by the Moon.1400
27Jupiter is 4° north of the Moon.0400
28Ceres, the largest asteroid, is in conjunction with the Sun.1200
29Antares, the brightest star in the constellation Scorpius, is 0° 2' south of the Moon. Occultation of Antares by the Moon.0200
30Mercury is 5° north of the Moon.0000
31NEW MOON0300

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